Balancing recreation and flood safety for integrated coastal management: understanding beach visitors’ types of attitude and behaviour in sandy anthropogenic shores

Abstract

In the Netherlands, with its coastal lowlands, coastal management is performed through sand nourishment and dune utilisation. While policy aims for multifunctionality, coastal management studies predominantly emphasise flood safety, neglecting the recreational function and its interplay with flood safety measures. This study aims to investigate beach visitors' views and behaviour at two reinforced sandy shores in the Netherlands, namely Sand Motor and Hondsbossche Dunes. As the magnitude of the sand-based reinforcements completely changed the original beach landscape, we refer to these as sandy anthropogenic shores (SAS). We conducted surveys to assess SAS visitors' profiles, attitudes (visit motivations, landscape attractiveness), and recreational behaviour (facility preferences, activities, visitation patterns, spatial distribution). We examined differences between SAS and non-SAS beach visitors and compared their perspectives with management expectations. In our analysis, we categorised visitors into three types: local, one-day, and overnight visitors. Our analysis identified three distinct visitor motivation clusters: socialising, relaxation while appreciating beach landscapes, and engaging in sports activities. Natural landscape quality and quietness were the top attractions for SAS visitors. Despite significant human intervention in the design and alteration of the SAS landscape, visitors still appreciate its natural dynamics and beauty. Our analysis indicates that users perceive the SAS as either natural or semi-natural beaches, as intended by their designers and managers. We also developed a conceptual framework of the SAS recreation model based on survey data, forming the foundation for a quantitative model of SAS socio-environmental dynamics in the next phase of our research. Moreover, considering the similarities between SAS and natural shores, we anticipate that our findings will have broad applicability well beyond the specific SAS we have studied. • In-depth analysis compares SAS visitor behaviour and attitudes to those of non-SAS beaches. • Natural landscape quality and quietness were the top attractions for SAS visitors. • The initial design of the SAS landscape successfully attracts the target visitors. • The SAS dynamic landscape is expected to change recreational activity patterns.