Beach Width Research Articles

Comparing marine anthropogenic debris on inhabited mainland beaches, coastal islands, and uninhabited offshore islands: A case study from Queensland and the Coral Sea, Australia

Anthropogenic debris (AD) including plastics, foams and fishing debris, are an undesirable accompaniment to beaches worldwide, arriving through direct deposition (littering) and oceanic transport. We investigated the standing stocks of 12 types of AD on inhabited islands, uninhabited islands and mainland locations, and the potential factors relating to AD deposition. We undertook beach-transects and sea-surface trawl surveys; comparing 13 uninhabited offshore islands, four inhabited/touristed coastal islands and 81 mainland beaches in Queensland, Australia. The abundance and type of AD differed between sites. Geographic factors had stronger relationships with AD density on islands than mainland beaches. Hard plastic density was linked with forcing from wind and sea surface currents. Beach width and onshore/side-shore forcing were the most important factors affecting AD loads (predominantly hard plastics) on islands. We found an inverse relationship between the density of beached plastic and plastic floating at the sea surface nearby and suggest that islands may act as a local sink for buoyant plastic.

Suitability of Egg-laying Habitat and Its Relationship with the Number of Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) that landed on Pangumbahan Beach Sukabumi

During the nesting season, green turtles have an instinct to return to their original place to lay their eggs. The success of turtle egg laying is influenced by the suitability of the beach for their nesting habitat which consists of physical and biological factors. The purpose of this study was to determine the suitability of the physical and biological factors of green turtle nesting habitat and its relationship to the number of green turtles landed at each station. The research method used is observation, the observation station is determined by purposive sampling, and the data analysis technique used is quantitative. The result is that physical and biological factors consisting of beach width and slope, sand texture and temperature, and vegetation at each landing station on Pangumbahan beach are still suitable as green turtle nesting sites except station 6. There were 47 green turtles that landed, and station 2 has the highest number of turtles landing, which is 16 turtles. Meanwhile, at station 6, no turtles landed. From the results of the correlation analysis, the beach slope factor and the vegetation density factor have a very strong and significant relationship with the number of turtles that landed. As for the other factors have a fairly - strong relationship. The conclusion is that all factors, both physical and biological factors from the beach, affect the number of green turtles that land, as evidenced by the relationship between the two variables.

The relative influence of dune aspect ratio and beach width on dune erosion as a function of storm duration and surge level

Abstract. Dune height is an important predictor of impact during a storm event given that taller dunes have a lower likelihood of being overtopped than shorter dunes. However, the temporal dominance of the wave collision regime, wherein volume loss (erosion) from the dune occurs through dune retreat without overtopping, suggests that dune width must also be considered when evaluating the vulnerability of dunes to erosion. We use XBeach, a numerical model that simulates hydrodynamic processes, sediment transport, and morphologic change, to analyze storm-induced dune erosion as a function of dune aspect ratio (i.e., dune height versus dune width) for storms of varying intensity and duration. We find that low aspect ratio (low and wide) dunes lose less volume than high aspect ratio (tall and narrow) dunes during longer and more intense storms when the beach width is controlled for. In managed dune scenarios, where sand fences are used to construct a “fenced” dune seaward of the existing “natural” dune, we find that fenced dunes effectively prevent the natural dune behind them from experiencing any volume loss until the fenced dune is sufficiently eroded, reducing the magnitude of erosion of the natural dune by up to 50 %. We then control for dune morphology to assess volume loss as a function of beach width and confirm that beach width exerts a significant influence on dune erosion; a wide beach offers the greatest protection from erosion in all circumstances while the width of the dune determines how long the dune will last under persistent scarping. These findings suggest that efforts to maintain a wide beach may be effective at protecting coastal communities from dune loss. However, a trade-off may exist in maintaining wide beaches and dunes in that the protection offered in the short-term must be considered in concert with potentially long-term detrimental effects of limiting overwash, a process which is critical to maintaining island elevation as sea level rises.

An Impact Assessment of Beach Wrack and Litter on Beach Ecosystem Services to Support Coastal Management at the Baltic Sea

As accumulation zones, sandy beaches are temporal sinks for beach wrack and litter, both often seen as nuisances to tourists. Consequently, there is a need for beach management and an enhanced political interest to evaluate their ecosystem services. We applied a new online multidisciplinary assessment approach differentiating between the provision, potential, and flow at German and Lithuanian beaches (Southern Baltic Sea). We selected a set of services and assessed four beach scenarios developed accordingly to common management measures (different beach wrack and litter accumulations). We conducted comparative assessments involving 39 external experts using spread-sheets and workshops, an online survey as well as a combined data-based approach. Results indicated the relative importance of cultural (52.2%), regulating and maintenance (37.4%), and provisioning services (10.4%). Assessed impact scores showed that the removal of beach wrack is not favorable with regard to the overall ecosystem service provision. Contrarily, the removal of litter can increase the service flow significantly. When removing beach wrack, synergies between services should be used, i.e., use of biomass as material or further processing. However, trade-offs prevail between cultural services and the overall provision of beach ecosystem services (i.e., coastal protection and biodiversity). We recommend developing new and innovative beach cleaning techniques and procedures, i.e., different spatio-temporal patterns, e.g., mechanical vs. manually, daily vs. on-demand, whole beach width vs. patches. Our fast and easy-to-apply assessment approach can support decision-making processes within sustainable coastal management allowing us to show and compare the impacts of measures from a holistic ecosystem services perspective.

Kompleksnoye issledovaniye volnovykh i litodinamicheskikh protsessov v beregovoy zone p. Morskoye (Vostochnyy Krym)

Wind waves can have a significant impact on the coastal infrastructure. The paper aims at a comprehensive study of regional characteristics of wind waves near the village of Morskoye (south-eastern coast of Crimea), which are necessary to develop a project of reconstruction of the highway adjacent to the coastal area. Space images and cartographic information were used to study the beach dynamics in the studied area. It is shown that before construction of the coast protection structures the beach width in the studied area was 25–30 m, whereas after the construction it narrowed down to 15–25 m. Based on the wind wave reanalysis data obtained using SWAN spectral model and ERA-Interim surface wind fields for 1979–2017, regime characteristics of waves in the coastal zone of Morskoye were calculated. It was found that waves with average periods of 3.0–3.5 s have the maximum recurrence (over 16 %). Wind waves coming from SE-SSE sector have the highest recurrence rate. Estimates were obtained for the extreme characteristics of wind waves that may occur once in a given number of years. The SWASH hydrodynamic model was used to perform mathematical modelling of wave run-up on the coastal area. In their calculations the authors used a regular grid of the coastal relief with high spatial resolution based on the interpolation of topo-geodetic and bathymetric survey results. An incoming wave was given as a soliton of 2.0; 3.0 and 3.4 m high. It was found that with the incoming wave height of 2.0 m, the vertical wave splash in the studied area varies within 1.7–2.2 m. At a height of 3.4 m, the splash reaches 1.8–2.9 m. In this case the beach is flooded completely. During the run-up, wave current velocity amounts up to 5 m/s. Along the lower boundary of the cliff the bottom maximum current velocity reaches 1.5–1.75 m/s. At such velocities near the cliff, the beach consisting of material with the grain size up to 60–90 mm can be eroded.

On single use plastic straws: Pre-ban findings on touristic beaches in Crete

This baseline intends to report on littering related to single-use plastic straws, contextualized on two touristic beaches on the Northern shores of Crete (Greece). While beached straws were found to be mainly depending on local drivers, the study further highlighted an additional source of pollution related to plastic straws: the clear wrap in which single-use items can be offered to users. Over the summer months, a number of discarded straw wraps was in fact found, significantly related to both beach width and the presence of colorful straws. Wraps are different in shape, material, as well as likelihood of being dispersed and broken down in the environment, and easily escape estimates from non-targeted sampling. The ban on single use items seems then to be the most effective approach to avoid straws and, indirectly, straw wraps litter or spills.

Risk averse choices of managed beach widths under environmental uncertainty

AbstractApplying a theoretical geo‐economic approach, we examined key factors affecting decisions about the choice of beach width when eroded coastal beaches are being nourished (i.e., when fill is placed to widen a beach). Within this geo‐economic framework, optimal beach width is positively related to its values for hazard protection and recreation and negatively related to nourishment costs and the discount rate. Using a dynamic modeling framework, we investigated the time paths of beach width and nourishment that maximized net present value under an accelerating sea level. We then analyzed how environmental uncertainty about expected future beach width, arising from natural shoreline dynamics, intermittent large storms, or sea‐level rise, leads to economic choices favoring narrower beaches. Risk aversion can affect a coastal property owner's choice of beach width in contradictory ways: the expected benefits of hazard protection must be balanced against the expected costs of repeated nourishment actions.Recommendations for Resource Managers Because of environmental uncertainty, coastal protection projects are risky investments. It is important to consider the effects of uncertainty on cost–benefit assessments of these projects. Without uncertainty, optimal beach width is positively related to its values for hazard protection and recreation and negatively related to nourishment costs and the discount rate. Uncertainty about future shoreline positions has a negative impact on the choice of an optimal beach width. Risk aversion can affect a coastal property owner's choice of beach width in contradictory ways: a wider beach to protect their home, and a narrower beach if the effectiveness of nourishment is uncertain.

Foredune formation and evolution on a prograding sea-breeze dominated beach

This study investigates the mechanisms of dune formation and growth on a micro-tidal beach. The study area, located on a barrier island on the northern Yucatan peninsula, is characterized by persistent sea breeze conditions and a wide and shallow continental shelf. Beach topography data was collected over 5 years, on a prograding beach (0.5–7 m y-1), using a Real-Time Kinematic Differential Global Positioning System. The beach surveys (>100) cover from the subaerial beach (seaward from the existing foredune in 2015) to a 1.5 m water depth with a high spatial (0.2 m–0.5 m) and temporal (weekly to bi-weekly) resolution. Thus, shoreline evolution, offshore/onshore inner sandbar migration, and foredune initiation and growth can be analyzed from this data set. Moreover, environmental conditions, obtained from in situ observations and numerical model simulations, allow us to investigate the role of marine and aeolian processes on foredune morphodynamics. A net shoreline advance is observed, induced by the presence of a port's jetty, allowing the formation of a new foredune during the period of study. Field observations suggest that seasonal beach variability is explained by the onshore (offshore) sediment transport during fall-winter (spring-summer). The dune growth rate is well correlated with the monthly mean wind speed that reaches a maximum during spring months, when sea-breezes are more persistent and intense (W > 12 m s-1), the effective fetch length is larger, and the moisture content is lower. Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) analysis of beach profiles in the fast progradation area (>1 m y-1) shows that the variability is dominated by sustained beach width increase throughout the study period. On the other hand, at the slow progradation area the first and second EOF modes explain the seasonal beach and foredune variability, respectively. Thus, it is suggested that beach sand supply (during fall-winter) followed by aeolian transport (during spring) control the natural foredune growth in this region.

Characterization of sandy beaches of the Southern Caribbean of Costa Rica

Coastal zones are highly dynamic environments that provide a range of ecosystem services. They are influenced by natural and anthropogenic factors, leading to increasingly drastic changes which have negative impacts on biological diversity and human communities. The present study characterizes the beaches of the Southern Caribbean of Costa Rica (SC-CR) to provide a baseline for marine-coastal management. Eight beaches of the SC-CR were studied, and 47 transects were defined in which the following information was obtained: beach width, scarp width and height, average particle size in dunes, plant species, and vegetation cover and height. Puerto Viejo and Vizcaya were determined to have the greatest average width, while Manzanillo and Gandoca had the smallest. In 25.24% of the sampled points there were signs of erosion. The width of the scarp varied from 3.90 m to 43.70 m and the height between 15 cm and 70 cm. The sand particles in 87.5% of the beaches were medium-sized. A total of 283 trees or shrubs from 11 families and 11 species were counted. In conclusion, the characterization of the SC-CR beaches allowed generating baseline information on the state of the physical and biological aspects of these ecosystems, as well as showing that these beaches are exposed to change. However, it is necessary to establish whether these are related to the dynamics of the beaches themselves or due to the interactions of elements such as sea level rise, thermal expansion and changes in current patterns due to climate change or global change.

Brief aus den Niederlanden

Abstract In this letter to our German colleagues we describe the situation, mentality, and organization of academic philosophy in the Netherlands in comparison to Germany. We proceed in five acts. In the first act, A wide beach, we set the stage and introduce the two academic landscapes; in the second act, Between controversy and frontal teaching, we compare the Dutch and German academic temper and practices. In the third act, Flat land, flat hierarchies, we parallelize the geography of the Netherlands and the organizational structure of Dutch universities. In the fourth act, Philosophers among merchants, we discuss the positive and negative sides of the liberal, transparent, competitive and progress-oriented spirit of Dutch academic philosophy. In the fifth and final act, Philosophy from the pragmatic point of view, we conclude what we can learn from our Dutch neighbours: We plea for a non-elitist, down to earth, straight-forward, and open-minded way of doing philosophy, where one is neither shying away from controversy nor too shy to come down from the ivory tower and mingle with the audience.

Green beach vegetation dynamics explained by embryo dune development

Sandy coastlines are dynamic environments with potential for biodiverse habitats, such as green beaches. Green beach vegetation can develop on nutrient-poor beaches landward from embryo dunes. It is characterised by low-dynamic coastal wetland habitat such as salt marshes and dune slacks. It has been hypothesised that the establishment of green beach vegetation is facilitated by the shelter provided by embryo dunes, however evidence is lacking.We explored the importance of geomorphology and soil conditions on the species richness and turnover of green beach vegetation over a time period of 10 years. We recorded 107 plots along 11 transects over a gradient from beach to dune on the island of Schiermonnikoog, the Netherlands. We characterised transect geomorphology at transect level and soil conditions and vegetation at plot level in 2006 and 2016.We found that the green beach vegetation was highly dynamic, total plant cover increased by 62% within 10 years. In 2006 beach width was an important factor in explaining species richness, with the highest number of species occurring on narrow beaches with a large volume of embryo dunes. In 2016, species richness was positively associated with the build-up of organic matter. Overall species richness declined relative to 2006 and was accompanied by an increase in elevation due to sand burial and the expansion of embryo dune volume.Our data suggests that geomorphology influenced the vegetation indirectly by affecting sand burial rate. Plant species richness declined less at sheltered conditions where sand burial was limited, allowing the build-up of organic matter. This indicates a time-dependent relationship between the development of embryo dunes and plant species richness: embryo dunes can be a source of shelter, thus increasing species richness, but can compete for space over time, lowering species richness again. Our results are relevant for engineering and management of biodiverse sandy shores.

3D Physical Modeling of an Artificial Beach Nourishment: Laboratory Procedures and Nourishment Performance

Beach nourishment represents a type of coastal defense intervention, keeping the beach as a natural coastal defense system. Altering the cross-shore profile geometry, due to the introduction of new sediments, induces a non-equilibrium situation regarding the local wave dynamics. This work aims to increase our knowledge concerning 3D movable bed physical modeling and beach nourishment impacts on the hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and morphodynamics. A set of experiments with an artificial beach nourishment movable bed model was prepared. Hydrodynamic, sediment transport, and morphological variations and impacts due to the presence of the nourishment were monitored with specific equipment. Special attention was given to the number and positioning of the monitoring equipment and the inherent constraints of 3D movable beds laboratory tests. The nourishment induced changes in the beach dynamics, leading to an increase in the flow velocities range and suspended sediment concentration, and effectively increasing the emerged beach width. Predicting and anticipating the morphological evolution of the modeled beach has a major impact on data accuracy, since it might influence the monitoring equipment’s correct position. Laboratory results and constraints were characterized to help better define future laboratory procedures and strategies for increasing movable bed models’ accuracy and performance.

Beach Profile Assessment and Erosion Rate Estimation of Monsoonal Coastline Area in Pahang, Malaysia

Malaysia has a long coastline stretching over 4,809 km where more than 1,300 km of beaches are experiencing erosion. Coastal erosion is defined as the permanent loss of land and habitats along the coastline resulting in changes to the coast. Thus, it is important to detect and monitor coastline changes especially in Pahang, Malaysia. This study used temporal data and high spatial resolution imagery of SPOT 5. It also explored remote sensing and GIS techniques to monitor coastline changes along 10 identified locations, from Cherating to Pekan of the Pahang coast. Ten significant coastline locations namely Pantai Cherating, Pantai Air Balok, Sungai Ular, Pantai Batu Hitam, Pantai Beserah, Swiss Garden Kuantan, Taman Gelora, Pantai Sepat, Pantai Cherok Palok, and Pantai Tanjung Agas were identified to be vulnerable to coastline erosion. Two temporal remote sensed date of SPOT 5 for the year of 2006 and 2014 were used to quantify erosion or accretion rate using National Coastal Erosion Study (NCES) guidelines. The research found that eight area out of 196 or 39.7% locations were eroded and categorized into acceptable erosion category (K3), while 64 area or 32.7 % had significant erosion category (K2) where the coastline retreated more than one meter per year and the most critical eroded area was K1 at 54 or 27.6% sites. Cherating, Swiss Garden Resort, and Cherok Paloh were among the sites with the highest erosion rate between −5.692 and −6.919 m/yr. Meanwhile, the highest rate of accretion or sedimentation was indicated in Tanjung Agas at 7.391 m/yr. A qualitative relationship between the erosion rate and slope percentage for the entire Kuantan coast that stretch from Pantai Cherating to Tanjung Agas, Pekan indicated that the coastal slope percentage, the beach width, and the beach material that deposited on the sites were interrelated and had significant impacts on the erosion rate on several particular zones of the Kuantan coastlines. The findings from monitoring coastline changes and identifying vulnerable erosion areas might be useful in the policy and decision making for sustainable coastal management.

Evaluation of the economic costs of beach erosion due to the loss of the recreational services of sandy beaches - The case of Tetouan coast (Morocco)

Coastal managers and investors are increasingly aware that seaside tourism can only be sustainable if the coastal natural assets, in particular sandy beaches, are protected from erosion. Tetouan coast, which relies heavily on tourism is experiencing strong retreat. This study aims to value the lost profits to the tourism sector, if Tetouan beaches were to disappear. We also analyzed the costs of beach nourishment as erosion control measure. Through the integration of physical and economic simulations, the findings showed that beach erosion would have significant negative economic impacts on the tourism sector, and it will cost much more than the continuous control by artificial recharging, provided the availability of sand stocks. The study highlights the benefits of using economic valuation to promote investment in conservation and restoration measures, that maintain beach width and sustainably secure tourism business and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

Population structure and use of space by ghost crabs (Brachyura: Ocypodidae) on an equatorial, macrotidal sandy beach

Ocypodid crabs are important components of sandy beach ecosystems and potential indicators of environmental stress. This is the first study about Ocypode quadrata population on an equatorial, macrotidal, high-energy dissipative beach, located in the Amazon coast. The steady temperature and marked hydrological seasons in this region, along with a wide supralittoral extension, provide exceptional conditions for assessing the effect of rainfall on population structure and across shore distribution. Additionally, von Bertalanffy growth parameters were estimated in order to compare with other studied populations of this crab at higher latitudes (subtropical beaches). Burrow abundance had marked differences between the two hydrological seasons in the Amazon coast, with higher values related to higher rainfall. A bimodal burrow zonation was observed, with a significant relationship between burrow abundance and depth, which shows that burrows are generally less abundant and deeper under drier conditions. Growth parameters were similar to those on some subtropical areas, as opposed to some global, expected ecological trends. Large beach width and local climate were important factors to identify clear population trends, which implies that moisture affects the use of the space by these individuals.

The Application of UAV for the Analysis of Geological Hazard in Krk Island, Croatia, Mediterranean Sea

The coastal area around the settlement of Stara Baška (Krk Island, NE channel zone of Adriatic Sea) is in a delicate geodynamic balance. The main causes are the geological structure, hydrological and hydrogeological conditions and the direct exposure of the coast to the waves and storm surges. In this paper, the effects of the expected sea level rise on the geological vulnerability of the coast are investigated. Detailed field research was conducted. The complex coastal morphology was surveyed using an Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV), and the UAV-derived data was used as a 3D point cloud and orthophoto for analysis. In the investigated coastal zone, more resistant Quaternary talus breccias predominate over more susceptible flysch rock mass. One major and two smaller landslides are in a creeping condition and pose a hazard to the surrounding homes. During storm surges, the pocket beaches are completely inundated due to the narrow beach width and waves reach the toe of the slopes. According to the expected sea level rise, coastal processes could become more intense and threaten the current coastal equilibrium. The vulnerability of a large part of the Stara Baška settlement will increase significantly. The conducted research showed the advantages of UAV-derived data for the study of complex rocky coasts and emphasized the need for repeatable UAV surveys.

Granulometric dynamics of the coastal sediments of the Central West coast of India: Insight into morpho-tectonic influences on the beach processes

Beach morphologies, primarily include shape, surface changes/variation, and beach volume along with slope, are very dynamic and believed to be largely controlled by waves and currents (Komar, 1998). Contrary to this general notion, results presented in this paper suggest a strong control of the local morpho-tectonic frame-work on foreshore sedimentation. In the 20 km long study area between Bhatkal on the north and Uppunda in the south, foreshore morphology range from reflective and dissipative to intermediate types, but nearshore hydrodynamic regime is similar. The inland morpho-tectonic frame-work reveals graben and horst-like structures. The foreshores bordering these grabens and horsts are dissipative and reflective respectively, have distinctly different granulometric dynamics and sedimentation processes, whereas an intermediate type between the dissipative and the reflective show a large seasonal variability in terms of beach width and slope. The foreshore profile modification indicated that the reflective beaches remained reflective and the dissipative beaches remained dissipative throughout the year, despite the large variation in the wave energy condition from monsoon through post-monsoon to pre-monsoon. Spit growth is observed only in the dissipative beach. Granulometric dynamics in all the three types of beaches show distinct differences. The reflective beaches show significant fluvial characteristics of sediments in all the seasons, dissipative beaches show minor fluvial characteristics and the intermediate beaches show significant fluvial characteristics only during the monsoon seasons. Sediment transport process in the reflective beaches is dominantly by rolling process, in the dissipative beaches suspension is the dominant mechanism, and in the intermediate type beaches a large range from suspension to rolling is observed. Sediments in the beaches are negatively skewed through symmetrical to positively skewed in reflective beaches, while in dissipative beach negative skewness is dominant. Integration of the tectonic framework, beach morphology and granulometric dynamics suggest that temporal and spatial variations in textural characteristics are related to a strong morpho-tectonic control rather than seasonal variations in wave energy condition.

Sensitivity of Near-Infrared Permanent Laser Scanning Intensity for Retrieving Soil Moisture on a Coastal Beach: Calibration Procedure Using In Situ Data

Anthropogenic activities and climate change in coastal areas require continuous monitoring for a better understanding of environmental evolution and for the implementation of protection strategies. Surface moisture is one of the important drivers of coastal variability because it highly affects shoreward sand transport via aeolian processes. Several methods have been explored for measuring surface moisture at different spatiotemporal resolutions, and in recent years, light detection and ranging (LiDAR) technology has been investigated as a remote sensing tool for high-spatiotemporal-resolution moisture detection. The aim of the present study is the assessment of the performance of a permanent terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) with an original setting located on a high position and hourly scanning of a wide beach area stretching from a swash zone to the base of a dune in order to evaluate the soil moisture at a high spatiotemporal resolution. The reflectance of a Riegl-VZ2000 located in Noordwijk on the Dutch coast was used to assess a new calibration curve that allows the estimation of soil moisture. Three days of surveys were conducted to collect ground-truth soil moisture measurements with a time-domain reflectometry (TDR) sensor at 4 cm depth. Each in situ measurement was matched with the closest reflectance measurement provided by the TLS; the data were interpolated using a non-linear least squares method. A calibration curve that allowed the estimation of the soil moisture in the range of 0–30% was assessed; it presented a root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 4.3% and a coefficient of determination (R-square) of 0.86. As an innovative aspect, the calibration curve was tested under different circumstances, including weather conditions and tidal levels. Moreover, the TDR data collected during an independent survey were used to validate the assessed curve. The results show that the permanent TLS is a highly suitable technique for accurately evaluating the surface moisture variations on a wide sandy beach area with a high spatiotemporal resolution.

Economic analysis of choices among differing measures to manage coastal erosion in Hoi An (a UNESCO World Heritage Site)

The paper presents one of the first economic analyses of residents’ choice of different coastal erosion control measures in a developing country — Vietnam. Hoi An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was selected given the frequency of coastal erosion events which have caused increasing damages to property, tourism activities and the livelihood of local people in an iconic tourist destination. We designed a discrete choice experiment based on responses from 399 households in order to estimate the willingness to pay (WTP) for differing coastal erosion control measures. Using the generalized multinomial logit model, empirical results yield five important findings. First, residents prefer wider, more public beaches having both trees and restaurants and are willing to accept visible structures such as groynes and stair revetment to prevent further erosion. Second, residents place a higher value on a beach that is protected by robust permanent structures. In particular, residents have the highest WTP for groynes. Third, there exists preference and scale heterogeneity across respondents which are driven by level of education, knowledge of the problem, and the stated level of choice certainty. Fourth, knowledge and experience of coastal erosion are shown to have a strong influence on the valuation residents place on the choice of protective structures. Finally, on average, a resident is willing to pay USD 1.7 per year for a coastal erosion management program that increases beach width by additional 50 meters, beach access by additional 25%, restaurants and trees on the beach and groynes as the erosion protection structure.

Estimating economic values for beach and foreshore assets and preservation against future climate change impacts in Victoria, Australia

ABSTRACT Determining social values for protecting coastal assets, including coastal parks, beaches and foreshores, is important because of potential losses with climate change impacts. In a case study application in Victoria, Australia, the travel cost method was applied to value the use of camping parks by visitors, and the choice modelling technique was applied to estimate willingness to pay (WTP) of visitors and residents to avoid future losses in foreshore campground access and beach width, through protection and adaptation efforts. While both visitors and residents had similar values for park and campsite, and beach protection, residents valued beach protection as more important whereas visitors placed greater importance in protecting parks and campsites. Visitor values were higher for sites and beaches closer to metropolitan Melbourne. These results provide government agencies and coastal managers with better information about protection values for low lying coastal assets and will enable more informed decisions to be made about investing in coastal protection and the management of specific resources in the face of sea level rise and climate threats.