Quality of place in coastal watersheds: Healthy ecosystems, healthy happy people

Background/Question/Methods Just over half the world's population occupies a coastal strip 200 kilometers wide This narrow ribbon of ecosystems offers services that include; (1) food and water, (2) regulation of climate, water and disease, (3) aesthetic, recreation and education opportunities, and (4) primary production and soil formation. These services are vital to human well-being.  That human activities impact the ecosystem has been long studied by agencies such as NOAA. Now we look full-circle at how ecosystem functions and materials impact humans.     
Human ecology recognizes that humans are a part of the ecosystem. Ecological principals are applied to understand human societies and activities.  One framework for analysis may be suggested by Quality of Life (QoL) research. One aspect, Quality of Place (QoP), may help coastal managers to make informed decisions.  The goals of this research are to: (1) Define QoP with respect to small coastal watersheds and understand what factors, if any, can serve as quality of place indicators and (2) Provide a tool based on a stress/response conceptual model of ecosystem linkages in small coastal watersheds that will allow coastal decision makers to assess existing QoP and predict future QoP in planned and re-developed tidal creek areas.

Results/Conclusions Ecosystem services in a high QofP location would provide optimally functioning resources for healthy, happy people.  As we consider QoP we consider data representing indicators of healthy and productive ecosystems with those that indicate healthy happy people that share a connection or “sense of place” with their environment. 
In the southeastern U.S. small coastal watersheds are highly valued for the range of ecosystem services they provide. Coastal uplands adjacent to these areas are highly sought after for various types of development such as homes and businesses. Being able to assess the potential QoP given development schemes and natural resources will provide decision-makers a way to synthesize data into a useful frame. Initial efforts are focused on trying to understand which parameters are the best indicators and relatively rank tidal creek watersheds using environmental, social and economic factors. A preliminary QofP index was derived using information from national databases and local research from 12 small watersheds in South Carolina. Not surprisingly, watersheds with lower impervious cover and population density were relatively higher in QofP, however, few measures of human health and well-being were included.  As the development of the index continues additional data will refine indicators useful to measuring QoP.