Australians love their beaches, and now a new study also confirms the broad appeal of other coastal assets such as tidal wetlands and protected areas.
Australians love their beaches, and now a new study also confirms the broad appeal of other coastal assets such as tidal wetlands and protected areas.
In one of the first studies of its kind in Australia, Flinders University environment and marine ecology experts have conducted an Adelaide-based survey of how residents connect with and rate the attributes of Adelaide’s northern metropolitan coastal wetlands, from Torrens Island to Thompson Beach.
The findings, just published in the journal Environmental Science and Policy, report strong appreciation of the natural features of these coastal places, with study participants rating them highly – and identifying their importance for personal wellbeing which underpins a need for closer controls on further development or degradation of these important community spaces, researchers say.
“People who visited the study region for recreation and work identified a personal bond with the places like Adelaide’s Dolphin Sanctuary, the International Bird Sanctuary and St Kilda Mangrove Trail and other coastal national parks and coastal features situated so close to the city – added reasons to take good care of these precious resources,” says lead author, Flinders University geographer Associate Professor Beverley Clarke.
Read more at Flinders University
Image: The St Kilda boardwalk is a popular coastal attraction near Adelaide. (Photo Credit: Professor Sabine Dittmann, Flinders University)
