The Institute of Island Studies is working on an exciting project that analyses the socio-cultural landscape values of full-time and seasonal residents in the central north shore area.  Over two hundred surveys, including colour maps and sticker dots, have been distributed to coastal residents who are asked to identify which aspects of their landscapes are most important to them.  The values include aesthetic, economic, recreational, historical, and a range of others landscape values.  The results will be processed in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and used in a report that studies the usefulness of this method for understanding how coastal residents value the north shore area and how they respond to changes in the landscape.

 

The mapping project, supported by funding from Environment Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Oceans Branch, intends to generate socio-cultural data to augment well-known physical, biological and economic information about coastal areas.  Several groups have collaborated with the Institute of Island Studies to help develop the survey, including the Resource Inventory and Modelling section of the Provincial Department of Environment, Energy and Forestry, as well as the North Shore Municipality, and the Friends of the Covehead and Brackley Bays watershed group.  This project will demonstrate the landscape values of a representative sample in this part of the north shore, and it will also provide useable data for local community leaders and policy makers.  Local values are important to land use planning and when preparing to cope with changing conditions, for example climate change impacts.  Because this pilot study may lead to Island-wide use of this method, the results of this project are also important to the well-being and wise planning of all Island communities.

 

For more information please visit the project website. http://discoveryspace.upei.ca/vmp/