Coastal communities in Maine, USA are facing rapidly changing social and ecological conditions that present unique stewardship challenges. A notable change across the coasts of Maine is the expansion of the aquaculture industry. The growth of oyster aquaculture, in particular, has highlighted the multiple values at play within coastal communities and the often-diverging visions concerning which human activities, marine industries, or ecosystem services should be prioritized. This leads to the question: How can we identify diverse values and visions for the future, and subsequently best integrate this information into planning and action for our coasts?
Participatory research approaches, like focus groups and interviews to document local knowledge and place-based visions, can support the ecosystem-based stewardship that is needed to address these challenges in coastal communities. We report on the results of a focus group analysis in the Damariscotta River estuary in Maine, USA. The Damariscotta is on the leading edge of many ecological, economic, and social changes that many Maine coastal communities are already experiencing or will experience in the future, including coastal development, the emergence of new species because of aquaculture – like wild oysters (Crassostrea virginica) – and conflict among co-occurring human activities.
Studying the visions for the future of the Damariscotta reveals that coastal stakeholders share foundational values that can be touch points for the bridging of differences – for example, shared views of the importance of water quality and the cultural and economic significance of the oyster. However, results also indicate that stakeholders envision diverse – and sometimes conflicting – scenarios for the future and identify phenomena that require further inquiry (Fig. 1). Importantly, our study highlights the value of seeking place-based perspectives of how changes are impacting coastal communities. Engaging community collaborators early and often through participatory research approaches can help elucidate the complex interactions driving change in our coasts and inform visioning and planning for thriving coastal communities in a future transformed by climate change.