Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Social Science and Monitoring Needs Report for Puget Sound Recovery

Washington Sea Grant

This report is a regional social science collaboration highlighting the gaps in knowledge related to people and marine environments. Robust social science is a fundamental aspect of ecosystem-based management; and moreover, provides necessary information for understanding resilience and vulnerability to human populations. 
Executive Summary
In October 2013, the Puget Sound Institute hosted a workshop to identify social science and monitoring needs for Puget Sound Recovery. Seventeen regional social scientists from public agencies, universities and consulting firms participated to:
1) Compile existing social research and monitoring related to Puget Sound recovery.
2) Identify social research and monitoring gaps in Puget Sound recovery.
Existing research and monitoring as well as important gaps were identified across the fields of governance, economic, psychological, physical, social, and cultural wellbeing as well as human behaviors and infrastructural impacts (Appendices I-IV). Overarching themes related to conducting and incorporating social science into recovery planning were also identified. A short list of research gaps is provided here, with a full list attached as an appendix (III):
Example research gaps:

  • Puget Sound specific ecosystem service valuation.
  • Economic and cultural research on corporate ownership of natural resources and corporate culture and practices. This includes an exploration of related strategic opportunities.
  • Evaluation of decision-making tools and frameworks that integrate social and ecological science and maximize stakeholder participation with the goal of ecosystem recovery.
  • Analysis of the roles of local elected officials and technical staff in implementing recovery actions.
  • Human behavior research emphasizing landowners, landowner incentives and the political context for behavior change.
  • Natural resource use patterns and connections to human health.
  • Contaminant impacts on human health and ecosystem services that support human wellbeing.
  • The relationship between ecosystem recovery and human wellbeing and how to apply this in indicator and strategy selection.
  • Meta-analysis of existing social science research.
Related Posts
Oysters in a pair of gloved hands
Announcements

NOAA Sea Grant Develops 5-Year Aquaculture Investment Plan

Year-over-year, Sea Grant is committed to supporting aquaculture development across the nation, as a means of enhancing economic resilience and nutritional security in American communities. Sea Grant recently developed a five-year Aquaculture Investment Plan to guide its efforts in supporting aquaculture research, extension and education.

Read More >
Connecticut

Sea Grant and NOAA Fisheries partner to invest $1 million to advance understanding of fishing community interactions with offshore wind development

The Northeast Sea Grant Consortium, in partnership with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center, announces a research funding opportunity to improve understanding of fishing community interactions with offshore wind development in the Northeast U.S.

Read More >
Scroll to Top