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Public perceptions on coastal erosion in the Maltese Islands: a case study of St George’s Bay (St Julians) and Pretty Bay (Birżebbuġa)

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Abstract

With 60% of the world’s population living within the coastal zone, coastal erosion is considered as a global problem. The coasts of the Maltese Islands hold a variety of formations resulting from coastal erosion. Beach nourishment is one of the protective measures taken against coastal erosion. This paper focuses on two of the nourished beaches within the Maltese Islands, St George’s Bay (St Julians) and Pretty Bay (Birżebbuġa), that have undergone extensive sand augmentation during the past decades and looks at the extent of how coastal erosion and beach replenishment may have influenced public perception. Through a triangulation of interviews, it seeks to understand the views of beach users, researchers, representatives, and beach managers. It presents divergences in interviewee opinions and ideas on St George’s Bay and Pretty Bay and illustrates that public perception tends to reflect the type of urban area surrounding each replenished beach. Recommendations and suggestions are also presented to promote awareness towards coastal processes and their impacts.

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Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements and special thanks are expressed to the persons whose contributions, suggestions and comments were important to this study. These include the various authors and professors referenced in this paper. Moreover, gratitude is shown to all the people who have participated in the beach user questionnaires and in the interviews forming part of the methodology including experts who assisted in identifying issues present at Pretty Bay and St George’s Bay and members of the two local councils at Birżebbuġa and St Julians. Similarly, personnel from the Malta Tourism Authority, Nature Trust, the Euro-Mediterranean Centre on Insular Coastal Dynamics (ICoD) and Adi Associates Environmental Consultants Ltd together with other stakeholders proved to be highly helpful with the provision of adequate sources for this paper.

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  1. University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia

    Maria Theresa Farrugia

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  1. Maria Theresa Farrugia
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Correspondence to Maria Theresa Farrugia.

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Farrugia, M.T. Public perceptions on coastal erosion in the Maltese Islands: a case study of St George’s Bay (St Julians) and Pretty Bay (Birżebbuġa). Nat Hazards 86 (Suppl 2), 587–604 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11069-017-2775-9

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