Living Coast: Understanding local community perspectives and values

Previous research, including Natural England's Monitor of Engagement with the Natural Environment (MENE), has shown that the benefits from accessing the natural environment are not equally distributed across society. MENE shows that people living in economically deprived areas, such as cities and coastal towns, people from certain socio-economic groups (unemployed and low-paid) and people from ethnic minority groups are less likely to visit and benefit from nature. The aim of this social science research is to focus in on economically deprived coastal areas to understand people's perceptions, uses and barriers to use of the natural environment and the coast in particular. The research will focus on those communities living close to the coast and the England Coast Path who (we suspect from MENE) are less likely to be using or benefiting from the coast. Research questions will include (but not be limited to): - What do people in coastal environments think of the natural environment? - (How) do they use the natural environment (including the coast)? - What benefits do they get from using the natural environment? - What are the barriers to engaging with the natural environment? - Do people consider their coast to be a valued space?