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Bridging to the common ground, adapting to climate change through sustainable estuarine land use : a study of the Inner Forth, Scotland

Ambros, Pontus LU (2016) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20161
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
This thesis looks at climate change adaptation strategies in the Inner Forth region in Scotland. The region is expected to suffer from climate change induced stresses such as flooding, sea level rise and storm surges. To cope with these changes, a new coastal adaptation strategy has been suggested, based on soft solutions such as wetland creation and managed realignment. This has caused a dispute,where many farmers feel that their agricultural practices and cultural heritage is threatened. It has led to a division between stakeholders where private landowners feel excluded from the development. This thesis investigates if there is a solution with a sustainable land management that can answer to needs of the local community, the landowners... (More)
This thesis looks at climate change adaptation strategies in the Inner Forth region in Scotland. The region is expected to suffer from climate change induced stresses such as flooding, sea level rise and storm surges. To cope with these changes, a new coastal adaptation strategy has been suggested, based on soft solutions such as wetland creation and managed realignment. This has caused a dispute,where many farmers feel that their agricultural practices and cultural heritage is threatened. It has led to a division between stakeholders where private landowners feel excluded from the development. This thesis investigates if there is a solution with a sustainable land management that can answer to needs of the local community, the landowners and the coastal wetlands. I answer that question through three sub questions, looking at landowner values, their current and future strategies to cope with climate change and the landowners’ response to the suggested adaptation strategies. The data was collected by interviewing landowners, using open-ended questions, participatory mapping and a sorting exercise. The results showed that land values where different between different landowner groups, where private landowners favoured ecosystem services of agricultural character, while councils and NGO landowner’s favoured services that maintained habitat protection among other values. Almost all landowners favoured natural flood protection, however it is clear that this service means different things to different landowners. The study also showed that several landowners were concerned about the climate induced changes and that little is currently done to cope with these
problems. Private landowners were reluctant to flooding land, mainly due to two reasons, loss of livelihood and cultural heritage.
The discussion concludes that the output of ecosystem services will change regardless of adaptation strategy and that different services are favoured by different strategies. This shows why several private landowners favours the current static flood defence, although they are facing increased costs and greater risks. I argue that a common solution, must involve all the aspects of sustainability (human capital, nature capital and intergenerational understanding). All of these aspects are currently available
among the stakeholders of the region, although not included. By including private landowners in the future adaptation strategy, a sustainable land use is more likely to be achieved. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Ambros, Pontus LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20161
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
sustainability science, landowner, climate adaptation, ecosystem services, managed realignment
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2016:019
language
English
id
8881251
date added to LUP
2016-06-16 10:46:38
date last changed
2016-06-16 10:46:38
@misc{8881251,
  abstract     = {{This thesis looks at climate change adaptation strategies in the Inner Forth region in Scotland. The region is expected to suffer from climate change induced stresses such as flooding, sea level rise and storm surges. To cope with these changes, a new coastal adaptation strategy has been suggested, based on soft solutions such as wetland creation and managed realignment. This has caused a dispute,where many farmers feel that their agricultural practices and cultural heritage is threatened. It has led to a division between stakeholders where private landowners feel excluded from the development. This thesis investigates if there is a solution with a sustainable land management that can answer to needs of the local community, the landowners and the coastal wetlands. I answer that question through three sub questions, looking at landowner values, their current and future strategies to cope with climate change and the landowners’ response to the suggested adaptation strategies. The data was collected by interviewing landowners, using open-ended questions, participatory mapping and a sorting exercise. The results showed that land values where different between different landowner groups, where private landowners favoured ecosystem services of agricultural character, while councils and NGO landowner’s favoured services that maintained habitat protection among other values. Almost all landowners favoured natural flood protection, however it is clear that this service means different things to different landowners. The study also showed that several landowners were concerned about the climate induced changes and that little is currently done to cope with these
problems. Private landowners were reluctant to flooding land, mainly due to two reasons, loss of livelihood and cultural heritage.
The discussion concludes that the output of ecosystem services will change regardless of adaptation strategy and that different services are favoured by different strategies. This shows why several private landowners favours the current static flood defence, although they are facing increased costs and greater risks. I argue that a common solution, must involve all the aspects of sustainability (human capital, nature capital and intergenerational understanding). All of these aspects are currently available 
among the stakeholders of the region, although not included. By including private landowners in the future adaptation strategy, a sustainable land use is more likely to be achieved.}},
  author       = {{Ambros, Pontus}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{Bridging to the common ground, adapting to climate change through sustainable estuarine land use : a study of the Inner Forth, Scotland}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}