Changing environments, changing perspectives: examining the green infrastructure, climate change, and equity implications of changing New England recreational sites
Citation:
Reilly, M., Katherine Canfield, AND K. Mulvaney. Changing environments, changing perspectives: examining the green infrastructure, climate change, and equity implications of changing New England recreational sites. 2023 Annual Nonpoint Source Conference, Saratoga Springs, NY, April 12 - 13, 2023.
Impact/Purpose:
Environmental changes impact people’s perceptions, values, and uses of waterbodies. Understanding the impacts of both positive and negative environmental changes can help improve governance, practitioner engagement, and user education. We will discuss to environmental changes, specifically cranberry bog restoration and harmful algal blooms (HABs). Sharing social implications of environmental change based on results from key informant and intercept interviews with visitors to southern New England sites can improve communication and engagement, resulting in improved environmental behavior.
Description:
Environmental changes impact people’s perceptions, values, and uses of waterbodies. Understanding the impacts of environmental changes can help improve governance, practitioner engagement, and user education. We will discuss the green infrastructure (GI) possibilities of cranberry bog restoration and the potential climate change and equity implications of harmful algal blooms (HABs) based on results from key informant and intercept interviews with visitors to southern New England sites. As cranberry yields and prices are falling, many New England cranberry growers to seek other options for their land. One option is to retire farms and restore them to naturally functioning wetlands using GI techniques. These low-lying bogs are close to coastal waters in densely populated areas, give GI the potential to address nutrient pollution, coastal storm surges, and urban flooding. Perceptions supportive of this conversion include increased value of the land to the community and wildlife, and of a healthier environment than previous generations. Concerns about bog restoration include the lack of tree canopy, extended time of construction, and sympathy for the cranberry industry. HABs can be caused by excess nutrients, primarily from anthropogenic sources, and are a consistent summer challenge in New England. With lasting reliance on reactive identification of toxicity; limited monitoring funding; and potential increase in blooms with climate change, there are human health and equity concerns that communication can improve. We selected some of our sites based on accessibility for environmental justice communities. We found awareness of persistent poor water quality in these communities and limited understanding of HABs. Improving an equitable response to HABs will require strategic communication and targeted management efforts in environmental justice communities. Together, these social studies of environmental changes demonstrate opportunities to achieve goals of increasing environmental equity, managing nutrient pollution, preparing for continued climate change, and improving users’ awareness of nutrient pollution.
