Using Public Participation GIS to inform the human dimension for large marine parks: lessons for marine spatial planning

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is an approach to manage different human uses and conservation goals. Most conservation planning, including MSP, relies heavily on biophysical data and suffers from the lack of social data, hence... [ view full abstract ]

Marine spatial planning (MSP) is an approach to manage different human uses and conservation goals. Most conservation planning, including MSP, relies heavily on biophysical data and suffers from the lack of social data, hence our aim was to fill the gap and collect spatially explicit data on social values and management preferences for the marine and coastal areas of the Kimberley, Western Australia. This region is renowned for its rich Aboriginal culture and heritage, biodiversity and wilderness, with low population and dispersed economic development including agriculture, mining, fishing, and more recently oil and gas exploration.

Interviews (N=170) involving participatory mapping were held with stakeholders who either visited or lived in the Kimberley. Seventeen values were elucidated from the interviews, spanning consumptive, non-consumptive, direct and indirect uses. Biodiversity, the physical landscape and Aboriginal culture were most valued.  The entire study area was mapped with one or more values. Management preferences were dominated by the desire for more conservation and exclusion of oil and gas development and commercial fishing. The diversity of values suggests high potential for conflict over management and activities in the region.

PPGIS based on interviews provides social data for the ‘missing layer’ in MSP. Such data are needed if the social concerns of stakeholders are to be recognized and included in spatial planning. PPGIS complemented by extensive field interviews is a powerful method of evaluating existing human values over large marine spaces and provides quantitative inputs into modeling of conflict potential in marine spatial planning.