A place-based perspective on marine and coastal space

Abstract

Over recent years the sea has experienced re-interpretation as marine space, or more specifically as marine spatial planning (MSP) space. This article uses the concept of place as a contrasting interpretation to space, referring to place-making as a metaphor for the various ways in which meaning is created in the sea. As expressions of an intimate connection between experienced materiality and symbolism, places (unlike space) are never abstract, but always carry emotional dimensions. Place attachment can be the result of everyday profe ssional links, recreational activities, or living by the sea, and arises despite the greater intangibility of locations in the sea. As a result of their greater physical intangibility, places in the sea may require more frequent (re-)making than places on land, pointing to the inherent importance (and value in their own right) of the associated (socio-cultural) processes of place-making. The ability to engage in place-making is thus an important avenue for expressing place-based values, an understanding which could be used to enrich marine spatial planning processes. Focusing more on the intimate connections people have with places in the sea and how quality of place matters to them could turn MSP into an enabler of place-making, becoming more of a rich and continuous dialogue around the multiple ways in which people interact with and value the sea.

Sociocultural Dimension of Land–Sea Interactions in Maritime Spatial Planning: Three Case Studies in the Baltic Sea Region

“…The Vistula Lagoon inventory treated maritime cultural heritage very broadly regardless of location at sea or land. This gives some hope but still it will not solve the problem of the lack of relevant data on such intangible items as 'intimate connections' [58] and the lack of well-established routines for the collection of such data. During a project workshop on cultural values, both planners and marine experts showed an awareness that these values are not limited to wrecks and historical sites.…”

Multi-Use of the Sea as a Sustainable Development Instrument in Five EU Sea Basins

“…Policy drivers are primarily concerned with the goal of attaining/maintaining good environmental status or supporting the existence of sunset industries important for cultural reasons (identity, emotional bond-cf. [37]). Policy drivers can also aim to facilitate greater social acceptance of space-intensive sectors (e.g., aquaculture and renewable energy), e.g., by requiring such sectors to share sea space [32] and by promoting co-location as a way of using ocean space sparingly so space is left for future generations.…”

The Perception of Polish Business Stakeholders of the Local Economic Impact of Maritime Spatial Planning Promoting the Development of Offshore Wind Energy

“…Landscape industrialization may result in a significant welfare loss [19]. According to Gee, the threat to the open horizon posed by the presence of an offshore wind farm could produce feelings of anxiety among people emotionally tied to the sea [20]. Other key problems prominently highlighted in the relevant literature concern the visual impact of OWFs on the recreational demand for the beach.…”