Users’ Perception as a Tool to Improve Urban Beach Planning and Management
Open accessAbstract
Four beaches that share physiographic characteristics (sandy, wide, and long) but differ in socioeconomic and cultural terms (three are located in northwestern Mexico and one in California, USA) were evaluated by beach users. Surveys (565) composed of 36 questions were handed out to beach users on weekends and holidays in 2005. The 25 questions that revealed the most information were selected by factor analysis and classified by cluster analysis. Beach users' preferences were assigned a value by comparing the present survey results with the characteristics of an "ideal" recreational urban beach. Cluster analysis separated three groups of questions: (a) services and infrastructure, (b) recreational activities, and (c) beach conditions. Cluster linkage distance (r=0.82, r=0.78, r=0.67) was used as a weight and multiplied by the value of beach descriptive factors. Mazatlán and Oceanside obtained the highest values because there are enough infrastructure and services; on the contrary, Ensenada and Rosarito were rated medium and low because infrastructure and services are lacking. The presently proposed method can contribute to improving current beach evaluations because the final score represents the beach users' evaluation of the quality of the beach. The weight considered in the present study marks the beach users' preferences among the studied beaches. Adding this weight to beach evaluation will contribute to more specific beach planning in which users' perception is considered.
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For urban beaches, recreational and service facilities are more important than natural beauty and serenity.
“In contrast, for urban beaches, the recreational and service facilities of the landscape are more important than natural beauty and serenity.”
From Towards integrated management of sandy anthropogenic shores: Developing tools for the exploration of human-natural interactions (2025) · cites this paper as Cervantes et al., 2008
Visitors to semi-natural beaches tend to prioritise quietness and attractive natural scenery over other characteristics.
“These studies have also shown that visitors to semi-natural beaches tend to prioritise quietness and attractive natural scenery over other characteristics.”
From Towards integrated management of sandy anthropogenic shores: Developing tools for the exploration of human-natural interactions (2025) · cites this paper as Cervantes et al., 2008
Landscape attractiveness includes clean water, sandy shores, comfort and safety for swimming, attractive natural scenery, quiet surroundings, accessibility, and good facilities.
“This includes factors such as clean water and sandy shores, comfort and safety for swimming, attractive natural scenery, quiet surroundings, accessibility, and good facilities.”
From Towards integrated management of sandy anthropogenic shores: Developing tools for the exploration of human-natural interactions (2025) · cites this paper as Cervantes et al., 2008
Cited by
Sorted by citations
- Authors
- Cervantes, O., Espejel, I., Arellano, E., & Delhumeau, S.
- Affiliations
- Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (MX)
- Corresponding author
- Espejel, Ileana
- Venue
- Environmental Management
- Published
- 2008-04-15
- Volume
- 42
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 249-264
- ISSN
- 0364-152X (ISSN-L)
- 1432-1009
- OpenAlex
- W2021633936
- Cited by
- 64
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2025: 4 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 8 · 2016: 3 · 2015: 4 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 3 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 9.62
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- papers.ssrn.com
- Licence
- www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
- Locations
- Environmental Management (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- SSRN Electronic Journal (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law › Coastal and Marine Management
- Physical Sciences › Earth and Planetary Sciences › Earth-Surface Processes › Coastal and Marine Dynamics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Recreation, Leisure, Wilderness Management
- Keywords
- urban beaches, beach management, recreational infrastructure, recreational activities, user preferences, Mazatlán, Ensenada
- MeSH terms
- Bathing Beaches, California, City Planning, Conservation of Natural Resources, Data Collection, Environmental Monitoring, Humans, Mexico, Surveys and Questionnaires, Water
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