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Data for a study on waterfront property owners’ shoreline preferences amid salt marsh to mangrove transitions

Authors: Hughes, Randall A., Michael J. Osland, Steven B. Scyphers, Christine C. Shepard, Jahson B. Alemu I, Rémi Bardou, Savannah H. Swinea, and Kalaina B. Thorne
Published On: Apr 23 2025 19:22 UTC
DOI: https://doi.org/10.7266/tyrynxga
UDI: H4.x954.000:0004
Project Information

Funded By:
National Academies of Sciences Gulf Research Program

Funding Cycle:
Healthy Ecosystems 4

Research Group:
Ecological and Social Drivers of Mangrove Expansion and Restoration in the Future Gulf of Mexico

Point of Contact

Randall Anne Hughes
Northeastern University / Marine Science Center
rhughes@northeastern.edu

Data Collection Period
2021-09-15
to
2022-09-15
Theme keywords

climate change, coastal wetland, ecosystem services, mangrove range expansion, perceptions, social-ecological systems, survey, property owners

ISO 19115-2 Metadata
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Abstract:

This dataset underpins the study "Waterfront Property Owners’ Shoreline Preferences amid Salt Marsh to Mangrove Transitions." The data were collected between fall 2021 and fall 2022 using mail-in and online surveys administered to waterfront property owners across four locations (Cedar Key, Panama City Beach, Galveston and Corpus Christi) of the northern Gulf of Mexico (USA). Data gathered included socio-demographic characteristics, perceptions on coastal health amid mangrove encroachment into traditional salt marsh areas, preferences for ecosystem services delivered by mangroves vs salt marshes, and management preferences in response to mangrove encroachment on residential shorelines and the wider landscape. The data collection employed stratified random sampling to ensure representation across different coastal communities (800 addresses from each study area). A total of 530 responses were received, representing a response rate of 20.9%.

Suggested Citation:

Hughes, Randall A., Michael J. Osland, Steven B. Scyphers, Christine C. Shepard, Jahson B. Alemu I, Rémi Bardou, Savannah H. Swinea, and Kalaina B. Thorne. 2025. Data for a study on waterfront property owners’ shoreline preferences amid salt marsh to mangrove transitions. Distributed by: GRIIDC, Harte Research Institute, Texas A&M University–Corpus Christi. doi:10.7266/tyrynxga

Purpose:

This dataset was created to examine and understand the drivers of waterfront property owner coastal health perceptions, preferences for ecosystem services delivered by mangroves vs salt marshes, and shoreline management preferences amid mangrove encroachment along the northern Gulf of Mexico (USA).

Data Parameters and Units:

For all worksheets, #NULL = no data. The dataset spreadsheet contains two sheets. The first sheet displays de-identified survey data, and the second sheet displays a variable codebook.

Methods:

A stratified sample of 3200 residential waterfront addresses (800 addresses from each of the four study sites) was selected using county public property records. Residents were targeted using a mixed-mode survey in three mailings, and we achieved an adjusted response rate of 20.9% (n = 530 responses). All human subjects research was approved by Northeastern University’s Institutional Review Board (Protocol #12-05-17).