Fellow Project: Mapping Public Perspectives of Marine Climate Change to Inform Natural Resource Management Decisions
Learn about the research of Jennifer Waldo, a 2023 Science to Action Fellow.
Fellow Information
- Jennifer Waldo, Oregon State University
- Fellowship: 2023 Science to Action Fellow
- Mentor: Lindsey Thurman, Northwest CASC
Project Summary
It is well-known that our oceans and the species within them are threatened by climate change. However, many do not realize that marine climate change issues may negatively impact their own lives, such as through the economic decline of coastal communities. Even when the personal threats of marine climate change issues are realized, the public’s perceptions and similar social and psychological factors often are not incorporated into natural resource management decisions. If we desire to effectively adapt the management of natural resources to the impacts of climate change, the resource users themselves should be considered in those decisions. It is rare, however, for this type of data to be readily accessible to natural resource managers, especially at the local level that is needed. In an effort to better incorporate the public’s perspectives into management decisions and help resource managers in doing so, I will work with local stakeholders to create an online interactive map of local, county-level, and regional perceptions of marine climate change for managers to refer to in their management decisions. This map will allow managers to examine public perceptions to the same geographic scale as their management strategies, supporting the development of appropriate natural resource management decisions.
Products
Learn about the research of Jennifer Waldo, a 2023 Science to Action Fellow.
Fellow Information
- Jennifer Waldo, Oregon State University
- Fellowship: 2023 Science to Action Fellow
- Mentor: Lindsey Thurman, Northwest CASC
Project Summary
It is well-known that our oceans and the species within them are threatened by climate change. However, many do not realize that marine climate change issues may negatively impact their own lives, such as through the economic decline of coastal communities. Even when the personal threats of marine climate change issues are realized, the public’s perceptions and similar social and psychological factors often are not incorporated into natural resource management decisions. If we desire to effectively adapt the management of natural resources to the impacts of climate change, the resource users themselves should be considered in those decisions. It is rare, however, for this type of data to be readily accessible to natural resource managers, especially at the local level that is needed. In an effort to better incorporate the public’s perspectives into management decisions and help resource managers in doing so, I will work with local stakeholders to create an online interactive map of local, county-level, and regional perceptions of marine climate change for managers to refer to in their management decisions. This map will allow managers to examine public perceptions to the same geographic scale as their management strategies, supporting the development of appropriate natural resource management decisions.