Perspectives on Great Lakes coastal management: A case study of the Point Pelee foreland, Canada

Abstract

Coastal systems on the Laurentian Great Lakes are highly affected by meter scale variability in water levels that occur across a range of temporal scales, from hourly wind set-up and seiches to inter-annual highs and lows driven by longer-term patterns of precipitation and evaporation. High lake level periods are often associated with increased coastal erosion and flooding, stress on sensitive wetland ecosystems, and damage to infrastructure. During the late 2010s, water levels on the Great Lakes neared or exceeded record highs, initiating a renewed interest in coastal management across the region. The objective of this study was to inform and engage regional experts and local interest groups and to examine their perspectives on the important processes, coastal management solutions, and applied research needed for the conservation of the Point Pelee (PP) foreland in Lake Erie. A virtual conference, the Point Pelee ‘Hackathon,’ used a crowd-sourced approach to problem solving where participants were presented ‘the sum of the discourse,’ or the current state of knowledge on coastal processes and management affecting the region. The conference covered a range of topics through invited speaker presentations, followed by individual surveys and moderated group discussions. Q-methodology surveys incorporated concepts informed by the sum of the discourse and identified statistically significant sources of agreement and disagreement on management challenges and solutions among ‘like-minded’ individuals. Common viewpoints identified harbours & jetties and sediment nourishment projects as an important cause of erosion and mitigation strategy, whereas highly opposed viewpoints were held on the importance of sediment supply and adopting a ‘do-nothing’ approach for coastal management. Emergent and more nuanced viewpoints were also found within group discussions, highlighting important considerations that can be used to advance the discourse on proposed management solutions. The results of this study can be used to guide the development of a regional coastal management strategy, and a similar methodology can be used to inform and engage stakeholders and examine perspectives on a range of issues affecting the world's marine and lacustrine coasts.