Boating: A source of environmental impact or a way to bond with nature?

Transcription

1 Boating: A source of environmental impact or a way to bond with nature? Neva Leposa, PhD student GU, neva.leposa@gu.se , Gothenburg, Sweden

2 Changes: Numbers Size Speed/Engine power Meaning & Use Why bother?

3 Environmental impacts of boating

4 The puzzle It is evident that pressure on natural marine resources and the demand for marine ecological services are often too high and that the Community needs to reduce its impact on marine waters regardless of where their effects occur. (2008/56/EC) Some people love the ocean. Some people fear it. I love it, hate it, fear it, respect it, resent it, cherish it, loathe it, and frequently curse it. It brings out the best in me and sometimes the worst. - Roz Savage (English ocean rower, environmental advocate, writer)

5 What do I study? How boaters experience the sea? How are boaters and the sea aimed to be governed? Consumption Practices

6 Case: Bohuslän High number of visitors Academically understudied Changes Cultural importance Who? Quite uniform: white boats, white people and white houses? Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Germany, Netherlands

7 Conceptualizing the study 1. Governance 1. Human-sea relationship 2. Boating as consumption 2. Boater-Boat-Sea 3. Boating as practice 3. Boater-Boat-Sea 4. Boating as experience 4. Boater-Boat-Sea

8 From Drivers - Impacts logic to Relational approach Dualism: Human-Sea SD: Economy, Environment, Social HUMAN-SEA 1. Marine governance: How is MSFD framing human-sea relations? Tourism in Sweden CONSUMPTION: BOATER 2. Ambivalent leisure consumers: How is drivers-impact logic playing out? EXPERIENCES: SEA 4. Affect and affordances: How leisure boaters experience the sea? Relational approach: Human-Sea Boater-Boat-Sea as constituted in a relationship PRACTICES: BOAT 3. When sea becomes home: How boat materiality shapes practices?

9 1. Governance Human-sea relationship Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) Implementation in Sweden tourism & recreation Aim: * good environmental status *Integrate social, economic, environmental aspects *Connecting Humans and Sea Q: How is human-sea relationship framed? DPSIR: Drivers-Pressures-State- Impact-Response EBA: Ecosystem Service Based approach MSP: Marine Spatial Planning Dualism: Humans as separated from &more than nature Human-sea separation limits integration, separation is reinforced through suggested tools Recreation/human activities: *one-directional relationship (social drivers env. Impact) *activities seen as impacting passive sea *sea: valuable and in need for protection -some ways of seeing put forward -identity shaped by sea not visible -Spatial differentiation

10 2. Boater-Boat-Sea Consumption More comfortable, more equipped, larger boats Boats are much bigger today. When we bought this boat 35 years ago, this was a big boat, but now it s small boat. Emotionally charged expectations When you see the big ones, you always dream, ah that would be perfect. Status For the people you are socialising with, if everyone has a boat worth two million crowns, you must also have a boat worth two million. 3 foot sjuk & Ability What we call it in Norway is being three-foot sick: People get a three-foot bigger boat and then get three-foot sick again. The Swedish and Norwegian people have an O.K. economy; they can afford it.

11 2. Boater-Boat-Sea Consumption Environmental impacts: Omission, Denial, Acceptance I hope boats don t have an environmental impact, they don t, maybe they do, but I don t think so, I think we have bigger challenges than boats on the water. Connection I wouldn t swim here. There is so much garbage, it s awful. You hear the spring water, the dishes, people brushing their teeth and everything I am gonna swim in it? Protection It needs to be taken care of so I think it s good that they make some restrictions at some places, when it s so much, so crowded you can t let it, it s good that they have some restriction on building and so on, otherwise nature would be ruined. Freedom [ ] I think in the sea, historically, it has been a free life, so if that is interrupted by the state or the community, it causes more emotions but I think it s right at the same time.

12 2. Boater-Boat-Sea Consumption Driving forces (motivations) Environmental impact logic: Integrating environmental aspects through consumption *Increase in size, comfort, equipment *Economic growth (consumer) vs. Environmental considerations (citizens) Q: How is drivers impact logic playing out? - Dual ambitions CONSUMER: *Emotion, status, ability (skills, finance), love for sea and boats (work & naming the boat), market conditions (coastal real estate prices, production of cheaper boats ) CITIZENS: *omit, deny, accept *Survey 151 boaters Consumer role: primary & not questioned: normal to grow and have individual preferences & optimize Materialized growth imperative Citizen role: secondary Ambivalence & paradox: Impact what you are out for? Boaters care, but are locked-in the two roles Policy making: likely to provoke emotional reactions

13 2. Boater-Boat-Sea Practices Today, people have enough money to buy a boat to live in, and it s so expensive to buy a summer house. If you want to buy a summer house by the coast, it s crazy. So a lot of people buy a boat instead, so a boat is a summer house and they don t care so much about sailing. it s like, this kitchen is good; I need a sink, a fridge, a washing machine, a microwave so when you have all these things on the boats, you see at the boat show and you think, ok. 30 years ago...it was more like hiking, you had your little propene burner...in the 60s, the boat was too small to sleep in, you took the tent ashore, you used the boat to explore the coastline and then in the 70s, you got fibre glass boats with the cover, so that you could actually sleep on the boat, but I still like tenting more...

14 2. Boater-Boat-Sea Practices Linking boating practices and materiality of the boats *Increase and change in boat equipment *Materiality as important for practices (skills, materials, meaning, affordances) Q: How boat materiality shapes boating practices? *Historically boating related to resources, food, transport, now boating for fun/pleasure *Mobile summer housing *Boating at further places, in adverse weather, for longer time, disconnected from land possible *Participant observations & interv. *Changes in materiality connects with changes in boating practices *Sailing vs. motoring, housing engine plays important role *Sea, through boats affording land-like living adjusted to humans *Dualism reflected in material reality?

15 2. Boater-Boat-Sea Experiences The sea is a strong element; it s fascinating. It can be very rough, and it can be very nice. It speaks; it s always different. I like to be a part of it and enjoy it. It s very fascinating. In Norwegian history, it s one of the things that killed the most, and it is also one of the things that had pleased the most. And it is the same element. You can enjoy it and at the same time it can also be very dangerous. (motor boat) There is much more life in a little boat. You are on top of the water all the time, and if you have a big boat you are feeling like you are going like I am the water (larger vs smaller boat) Being a small thing, it s kind of a magical feeling, being surrounded by so much sea; you are completely left out to the elements and yeah, I feel a strong connection to nature in these circumstances. It s a combination of fear and power, to be left to the elements. (kayak) For me, nature is much more important than culture, buildings, more important than man made things. I think it gives me more sense of and more feeling of life; perhaps, it is an extension of my own life too. When I am out in nature, I can feel connected to the nature and it brings my own life experience to a new level (sail boat)

16 2. Boater-Boat-Sea Experiences Linking boat materiality and sea experiences *Sea shapes experiences *Sea more than a space where activity unfolds *Sea connected to human *Affect, Emotions, Affordances Q: How leisure boaters experience the sea? *Sea: experienced as powerful, transformative, dynamic force *Boats: boat materiality shapes boating experience weaker or stronger connection *40 in-depth interviews 4 types: kayak, day trip, larger motor/sail *Larger boats produce sense of safety, control over the elements, yet, experience can still be scary *Boaters in smaller/lighter stress the connection - feeling one with the ocean Sea is both dangerous and pleasing Transformative connection

17 A way forward Framing matters Growth imperative expressed also materially Is sustainability based on three pillars effective strategy? Is externalizing responsibility an effective strategy? Focusing on the activity / seascape / practices governing seas emotionally sensitive Seamanship Stressing the connection rather than impacts

18 Questions? Thank you