Research in a new July 2024 Ecology & Society paper highlights the complex public perceptions of carbon-storing marine sediments in Dundalk Bay. The paper, (opens in a new window)"Place meaning, speculation, and emerging public perceptions of carbon-storing marine sediments in Dundalk Bay, Ireland", by MESSAGE members and UCD researchers Tomas Buitendijk, Britta Thiemt, Geertje Schuitema, Tasman P. Crowe, and Mark Coughlan sheds light on the maritime significance of these sediments and their role in climate change mitigation.
Marine sediments' natural ability to capture and store organic carbon – often referred to as “blue carbon” – has garnered increasing attention from researchers and policymakers for its potential to mitigate against climate change. As a result, Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) and Marine Protected Area (MPA) designation processes increasingly aim to protect “blue carbon” stored in marine sediments by reducing anthropogenic activities that disturb the seabed, e.g., bottom trawling.
Map of Dundalk Bay study area highlighting major towns, villages, and recreation sites.
The July 2024 Ecology & Society paper explores how coastal residents around Dundalk Bay perceive and value these carbon-storing sediments, amidst broader environmental, community and economic considerations. The authors theorised that speculation played a key role in sustaining emerging perceptions of the sediments, by creating a link with existing place meanings.
Employing interviews and a focus group, the researchers used reflexive thematic analysis to uncover that local residents associated multiple, overlapping meanings with Dundalk Bay. Speculative mechanisms, such as analogy and experiential knowledge, were identified as key in shaping emerging perceptions of marine sediments. These mechanisms helped residents connect the new concept of carbon-storing sediments with their existing place-based meanings.
Visual representation of Dundalk Bay shown to participants during interviews and the focus group. Transparent shading was used to reveal carbon-storing marine sediments (bottom-right hand corner). Diagram by Think Media for the Taking Stock project.
The researchers highlighted the varying perspectives on the presence and significance of marine sediments in Dundalk Bay, reflecting different priorities between natural preservation and economic activities. Due to gaps in scientific knowledge about sediment distribution and the impact of human activities, participants emphasized the need for further research and a cautious approach to managing the bay's sediments.
The study also underscored the importance of incorporating local perceptions and connections to the area into Marine Spatial Planning. By recognising these people-place relationships, the researchers suggest that more effective and socially acceptable strategies for marine environment management can be developed.
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge all study participants and stakeholders in the Dundalk Bay coastal area, without whom this work would not have been possible. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank Eloise Rogers and Fergus McAuliffe at the SFI Research Centre in Applied Geosciences (iCRAG) for their assistance with visual design and study promotion. Thanks are also due to Maeve Boland at iCRAG, Anthony Grey at Dublin City University, and Markus Diesing at the Geological Survey of Norway for their help developing the introduction to carbon-storing marine sediments. Finally, the authors would like to thank the editors and reviewers at Ecology & Society for their thoughtful feedback on the manuscript.
This study was supported by a research grant from Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) under grant number 13/RC/2092_P2. Support was also received from the Marine Institute and Environmental Protection Agency-funded QUEST Project (Grant No; PBA/CC/21/01)
Further information
Buitendijk, T., B. Thiemt, G. Schuitema, T. P. Crowe, and M. Coughlan. 2024. Place meaning, speculation, and emerging public perceptions of carbon-storing marine sediments in Dundalk Bay, Ireland. Ecology & Society 29(3). (opens in a new window)https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-15293-290314