Environmental Function Analysis: A decision support tool for integrated sandy beach planning

Worldwide, sandy beach socio-ecological systems are under stress, yet there are few systematic approaches to guide conservation and development planning. Four sandy beaches in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM; Nova Scotia, Canada) were evaluated using a modified Environmental Function Analysis (EFA). Our goal was to reduce the severe data requirements of traditional EFA by using more proxy indicators as well as combining indicators into higher-level metrics. We also sought to incorporate landscape-scale evaluation by incorporating adjacent habitats. Twenty ecological and socio-economic indicators were scored according to their performance, normalized, and plotted in a conservation/use development matrix. Results show that beaches near large cities or towns, have already been extensively developed for their recreational use, and are subject to significant environmental degradation. Other beaches were conflicted between recreational, touristic, and/or exploitative opportunities, versus richer biodiversity, habitats, and species of conservation interest. Scenario analysis demonstrates that management strategies which focus on minimizing the invasive nature of park infrastructure and enhance biophysical restoration, can significantly increase beach conservation value, and shift sites into the conservation zone. Provincial government officials applied results to revised management of one of the study beaches. EFA not only provides general observations allowing beaches to be compared and contrasted, but it also gives useful insight on individual beaches, allowing for better-informed decision-making and tailored management. The simplified EFA methodology proposed is user-friendly, provides conclusive results, and offers a cost-effective approach to sandy beach environment evaluation.