Projects in the Natural Environment
Coastal and Marine
Research undertaken within a coastal and marine context has examined impacts associated with development and policy change, including for instance port redevelopment and expansion and changes in coastal resource access and use. Research has also examined community and tourism perceptions of the coastal zone and the values and meanings that are ascribed to the costal environment.
In this research context several innovative research methods have been used including the use of repertory grid analysis to understand how individuals, stakeholders and communities value and assign meaning to the coastal zone.
Recent Reports and Publications
- A survey of community attitudes towards the Townsville Port Access project (2005).
- Community engagement strategy: Townsville Port Access project stage 2 (Eastern Access Corridor) (2005).
- Social attributes of the coastal study area: Tweed demonstration project (2004).
- Social impacts of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority proposed Representative Areas Program (2003).
- Summary Identification of potential social impacts associated with increasing environmental flows targeting the Murray Mouth and the Lower Murray River (2003).
- Social attributes of the coastal study area: An approach to the integration of environmental and social assessments in coastal land use planning (2003).
- Marine Science and Technology: Skills Based Study (1998).
- Tourist perceptions, values and attitudes towards the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (1996).
- Public attitudinal survey: Metropolitan coastal development (1987).
- Public attitudinal survey: Public perceptions of perceived planning criteria for coastal development (1987).
- Mabin, E.M.P. & Fenton, D.M. (2004). Environmental interpretation of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park: An Assessment of Programme Effectiveness. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 12(2), 121-137.
- Fenton, D.M., Young, M & Johnson, V. (1998). Re-presenting the Great Barrier Reef to Tourists: Implications for tourist experience and evaluation of coral reef environments. Journal of Leisure Sciences, 20(3), 177-192.
- Fenton, D. M., & Syme, G. J. (1989). Perception and evaluation of the coastal zone: Implications for coastal zone management. Journal of Coastal Management, 14(4),295-308.
- Shafer, S., Inglis, G., Fenton, D.M., Johnson, V., and Marshall, N. (1996). Visitor perceptions, participation and demographics: A report on Quicksilver customers who experienced the Great Barrier Reef. CRC Reef Research Centre. (Reports also completed for Frankland Island cruise customers, Wavelength customers and Fantasea customers).