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Does the study fit? Matching economic analyses to coastal management questions and communication needs
Citation:
Mazzotta, M., K. Mulvaney, AND S. Jewhurst. Does the study fit? Matching economic analyses to coastal management questions and communication needs. Social Coast Forum, Charleston, South Carolina, February 05 - 09, 2018.
Impact/Purpose:
This collaborative project between Region 2 and ORD examined the needs of National Estuary Program managers for economic analysis, in the context of managing nitrogen in coastal estuaries. Based on managers' stated needs and the fact that existing studies do not always meet those needs, we compiled information managers might use to better communicate their needs to economists. The results can also help economists better understand needs of managers.
Description:
In managing U.S. estuaries, as well as throughout ocean and coastal governance, there is an increasing call for economic research to inform decisions and to communicate the values of environmental resources to local communities, policy makers, and other stakeholders. Watershed managers implement economic studies to: 1) better communicate the value of estuarine resources to the wider community, 2) determine the most cost-effective management actions, and 3) compare the costs and benefits of actions to improve water quality. In order to better understand how economic studies are applied and their usefulness in coastal management, we interviewed managers from six National Estuary Programs (NEPs) and two watershed organizations that have commissioned economic studies. We also reviewed the analyses performed in the studies, focusing on the lessons learned from the use of those studies for coastal management and how well the studies matched the stated needs and desires of the managers. We found there is often a disconnect between what managers said they wanted from the economic analyses and what they actually got. Yet, almost universally, the managers found their studies to be useful tools for communication and raising awareness. In this presentation, we discuss key takeaways from our interviews with the coastal watershed managers. We make suggestions for how managers undertaking studies in the future might better articulate their needs to determine the most appropriate economic approaches, and avoid some of the pitfalls faced by other managers in conducting and communicating economic analyses. Additionally, our findings may help economists understand the needs of estuary managers, and help them better provide economic research that can contribute effectively to coastal management.