The human dimensions of wave resource management in California
Abstract/Contents
- Abstract
- The California coast is a complex coupled social-ecological system: managing its many people, industries, and natural resources is a daunting challenge. Breaking waves are an important resource on California's coast, where they support the recreation of 1.1 million surfers, inject millions of dollars into local economies, and define the culture and character of many individuals and communities. Sustainably managing wave resources for the benefit of both healthy coastal ecosystems and present and future generations of resource users requires understanding the human dimensions of wave resources within this social-ecological context. My research advances this understanding by investigating new sources of management-relevant knowledge of wave resources, projecting the future impacts of human activities on these resources, and exploring the effects of such impacts on the users themselves. Based on a survey of more than 1,000 California surfers, I find that these resource users develop valuable local ecological knowledge--wave knowledge--of the coastal system and, as a result, could contribute meaningfully to coastal research and management efforts. By combining this knowledge with oceanographic principles, I project that one-third of wave resources ("surf-spots") evaluated in California through the survey are vulnerable and could disappear as a result of sea level rise by 2100. I also find that surfers nurture deep, personal attachments to specific surf-spots and thus, as important stakeholders and potential stewards, are likewise susceptible to changing conditions of wave resources. Review of California's coastal governance setting reveals that while formal institutions for managing coastal resources exist and have significant implications for wave resource quality, these institutions typically do not directly address wave resource quality. I conclude that waves are vital and vulnerable natural resources in California. This research enhances our understanding of California's coastal social-ecological system and lays the groundwork for further study of the human dimensions of wave resources.
Description
| Type of resource | text |
|---|---|
| Form | electronic; electronic resource; remote |
| Extent | 1 online resource. |
| Publication date | 2015 |
| Issuance | monographic |
| Language | English |
Creators/Contributors
| Associated with | Reineman, Daniel R |
|---|---|
| Associated with | Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources (Stanford University) |
| Primary advisor | Ardoin, Nicole M. (Nicole Michele) |
| Primary advisor | Caldwell, Margaret R |
| Thesis advisor | Ardoin, Nicole M. (Nicole Michele) |
| Thesis advisor | Caldwell, Margaret R |
| Thesis advisor | Crowder, Larry B |
| Thesis advisor | Thomas, Leif N |
| Advisor | Crowder, Larry B |
| Advisor | Thomas, Leif N |
Subjects
| Genre | Theses |
|---|
Bibliographic information
| Statement of responsibility | Daniel R. Reineman. |
|---|---|
| Note | Submitted to the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources. |
| Thesis | Thesis (Ph.D.)--Stanford University, 2015. |
| Location | electronic resource |
Access conditions
- Copyright
- © 2015 by Daniel Roy Reineman
- License
- This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial 3.0 Unported license (CC BY-NC).
Also listed in
Loading usage metrics...