6 research outputs found
Towards a new integrated beach management system: the ecosystem-based management system for beaches
Massive use of beaches has forced traditional management of these systems to focus on the service offer to users. Consequently, human activity and behavior prevailed over other biological and physical processes and functions. Mirroring this tendency, the use of Performance Awards (Blue Flag) and Environmental/Quality Management Systems (ISO 14001, EMAS, and Q of Quality) were popularized as standards of environmental quality. In parallel to this process, recent international coastal and marine policies have emphasized the need to develop sustainable strategies for implementing the principles of the Ecosystem Approach into management with the overarching goal to maintain ecosystem integrity while enabling the sustainable use of ecosystem goods and services in systems under management. As Performance Awards and Environmental/Quality Management Systems do not follow the Ecosystem Approach, an Ecosystem-Based Management System for beaches (EBMS-Beaches) is introduced to overcome this issue. The EBMS-Beaches is intended as a formal standard framework that add new aspects not considered in a classical beach management process by the introduction of the principles of the Ecosystem Approach, between them: a) a clear vision-driven process; b) a holistic approach from a geographical perspective; c) pressure analysis and institutional coordination inside clear participatory planning; d) use of risk management techniques in planning; e) the ecosystem service concept as the central piece of the system; f) use of the DPSWR as accountable framework of indicators, g) desired vision based on state indicators and using BQI partial indices; and h) timely participation by local population. The EBMS is structured along three pillars (managerial, informative and participatory pillars) working in an adaptive management way. Based on these three pillars, existing management practices can be standardized into a viable, systematic means of implementing, in an integrated way, the new international policies for beach social-ecological systems. An initial experience of EBMS implementation in a particular beach (S'Abanell beach, Girona-Catalonia, Northwestern Mediterranean) has been initiated and it is presented.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft
The beach as a strategic element of governance for Spanish coastal towns
Este artículo contiene 15 páginas, 6 tablas, 4 figuras,.Governance models and future strategic visions for Spain’s beach social–
ecological systems are assessed using an online questionnaire. Beaches
continue to represent the most valuable attraction for Spanish coastal towns,
but their strategic vision regarding the beach consists more of it being a
profitable attraction and of maintaining the traditional “sun and sand”
model, rather than of planning strategically. There are three trends looking
to 2020. First, beach resorts are becoming linked with culture and heritage,
gastronomy, events and ecotourism to enhance their attraction capacity and
competitiveness. Second, the coastal towns plan to reduce the strain on
beaches by increasing the number of square metres of sand per user. Third,
they plan to reduce the strain of the seasonal population compared to the
year-round population. Two indices (Beach Quality and Governance Quality)
and two factors (Beach Management Proximity and Tourist Resource
Expectations) were developed to assess municipal beach governance
frameworks, enabling us to construct a typology of four municipal
governance models. The country follows a classical public hierarchical model
of beach management. Other than at the local scale, beaches are not
strategically managed. There is a lack of implementation of adaptive
measures, collective actions, integrated management, or policy learning.This work was carried out within the framework of the MeVaPlaya-II project [CSO2009-14589] and the PLAYAC project
[CGL2013-49061] of the National Research Plan of Spain in RCDCi.Peer reviewe
Modelos y métodos: una evolución paralela
En el artículo se plantea la tesis de que los métodos de planificación y desarrollo han ido evolucionando a
medida que ha evolucionado la visión que del sistema de información tenía los gestores y planificadores del
mismo, y se hace una tipificación de las etapas de esta evolución.Postprint (published version
Towards a new Integrated Beach Management System: The Ecosystem-Based Management System for Beaches
11 páginas, 5 figuras, 2 tablas.Massive use of beaches has forced traditional management of these systems to focus on the service offer
to users. Consequently, human activity and behavior prevailed over other biological and physical processes
and functions. Mirroring this tendency, the use of Performance Awards (Blue Flag) and Environmental/Quality
Management Systems (ISO 14001, EMAS, and Q of Quality) were popularized as
standards of environmental quality. In parallel to this process, recent international coastal and marine
policies have emphasized the need to develop sustainable strategies for implementing the principles of
the Ecosystem Approach into management with the overarching goal to maintain ecosystem integrity
while enabling the sustainable use of ecosystem goods and services in systems under management. As
Performance Awards and Environmental/Quality Management Systems do not follow the Ecosystem
Approach, an Ecosystem-Based Management System for beaches (EBMS-Beaches) is introduced to
overcome this issue. The EBMS-Beaches is intended as a formal standard framework that add new aspects
not considered in a classical beach management process by the introduction of the principles of the
Ecosystem Approach, between them: a) a clear vision-driven process; b) a holistic approach from a
geographical perspective; c) pressure analysis and institutional coordination inside clear participatory
planning; d) use of risk management techniques in planning; e) the ecosystem service concept as the
central piece of the system; f) use of the DPSWR as accountable framework of indicators, g) desired
vision based on state indicators and using BQI partial indices; and h) timely participation by local
population. The EBMS is structured along three pillars (managerial, informative and participatory pillars)
working in an adaptive management way. Based on these three pillars, existing management practices
can be standardized into a viable, systematic means of implementing, in an integrated way, the new
international policies for beach social-ecological systems. An initial experience of EBMS implementation
in a particular beach (S'Abanell beach, Girona-Catalonia, Northwestern Mediterranean) has been initiated
and it is presented.This work was carried out within the framework of the
MeVaPlaya-II project (CSO2009-14589) and the PLAYAþ project
(CGL2013-49061) of the National Research Plan of Spain in RþDþi,
as well as the KnowSeas project (201530E018).Peer reviewe
Towards a new integrated beach management system: the ecosystem-based management system for beaches
Massive use of beaches has forced traditional management of these systems to focus on the service offer to users. Consequently, human activity and behavior prevailed over other biological and physical processes and functions. Mirroring this tendency, the use of Performance Awards (Blue Flag) and Environmental/Quality Management Systems (ISO 14001, EMAS, and Q of Quality) were popularized as standards of environmental quality. In parallel to this process, recent international coastal and marine policies have emphasized the need to develop sustainable strategies for implementing the principles of the Ecosystem Approach into management with the overarching goal to maintain ecosystem integrity while enabling the sustainable use of ecosystem goods and services in systems under management. As Performance Awards and Environmental/Quality Management Systems do not follow the Ecosystem Approach, an Ecosystem-Based Management System for beaches (EBMS-Beaches) is introduced to overcome this issue. The EBMS-Beaches is intended as a formal standard framework that add new aspects not considered in a classical beach management process by the introduction of the principles of the Ecosystem Approach, between them: a) a clear vision-driven process; b) a holistic approach from a geographical perspective; c) pressure analysis and institutional coordination inside clear participatory planning; d) use of risk management techniques in planning; e) the ecosystem service concept as the central piece of the system; f) use of the DPSWR as accountable framework of indicators, g) desired vision based on state indicators and using BQI partial indices; and h) timely participation by local population. The EBMS is structured along three pillars (managerial, informative and participatory pillars) working in an adaptive management way. Based on these three pillars, existing management practices can be standardized into a viable, systematic means of implementing, in an integrated way, the new international policies for beach social-ecological systems. An initial experience of EBMS implementation in a particular beach (S'Abanell beach, Girona-Catalonia, Northwestern Mediterranean) has been initiated and it is presented.Peer Reviewe