Using citizen science research to inform coastal and marine natural capital approaches

The UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030) aims to generate scientific knowledge, improve ocean literacy, and engage local communities in sustainable ocean stewardship to reverse marine ecosystem degradation. Alongside initiatives such as the High Seas Treaty and the international commitment to protect at least 30% of the global ocean by 2030, we can work to protect and restore marine habitats whilst educating communities about the benefits these ecosystems provide (ecosystem services) to ensure that restoration efforts reflect the needs and aspirations of local communities.

A healthy marine ecosystem mitigates and adapts to climate change, supports fish and seafood production, and provides recreation and tourism, benefiting wellbeing and mental health. Considering the difficulties of enforcing management practices and the differences in perceptions vs. reality of the health of our marine ecosystems, it is imperative that we look for ways to bridge the gap between scientists, policymakers, and coastal communities.

The recent 'Developing High-Integrity Marine Natural Capital Markets in the UK' report highlights the importance of creating effective natural capital markets to attract investment into nature recovery projects, crucial for the restoration, conservation, and sustainable management of the UK's marine ecosystems. Consequently, this PhD will investigate the relationship between ecological health and human wellbeing in coastal and marine environments using a natural capital framework.

Taking an interdisciplinary approach across the fields of ecology, environmental economics, and social sciences, this research will examine i) how the ecological condition of coastal and marine natural capital assets affects ecosystem goods and services utilized by local communities, ii) how these ecosystem goods and services are valued by the local communities, and how these values are shaped by individuals' accessibility to the coastal and marine environment, and iii) how communities' visions for the future of the coastal seas align with predicted environmental changes (ecological and climate-related) and possible solutions to these.

Adopting a place-based approach to research, this project will focus on three case studies: Fylde Coast (Northwest England), Tees Coast (Northeast England) and Firth of Clyde (West Scotland), allowing for comparisons between the current condition of the coastal and marine natural capital assets with indexes of economic and human health & wellbeing, as well as enabling the exploration of how citizen science can support more traditional academic methods of data collection and analysis.

The goal is to provide invaluable insights that can enhance the effectiveness of sustainable coastal and marine management from ecological and socio-economic perspectives. Integrating citizen science alongside traditional ecological and economic analyses will complement the overarching national and international policies of marine restoration efforts and provide evidence of the value of place-based interactions in improving health and wellbeing for local communities, enhancing ocean literacy, and promoting a strong connection between people and nature, in line with initiatives such as the People's Plan for Nature.