Definition and classification of Ireland's seascapes

Minogue, Ruth; Foley, Karen; Collins, Tracy; Hennessy, Ronan; Doherty, Pat; Vaughan, Eilis; Black, Deirdre

Definition and classification of Ireland's seascapes

Files

final_seascape_character_assessment_report_with_annexes.pdf(21.41 MB)

Published Version

Date

2020-12

Authors

Minogue, Ruth

Foley, Karen

Collins, Tracy

Hennessy, Ronan

Doherty, Pat

Vaughan, Eilis

Black, Deirdre

Publisher

Marine Institute

Abstract

This is the final report of the Regional Seascape Character Assessment prepared for the Marine Institute. This report presents the Regional Seascape Character Areas along the entire Republic of Ireland coast. Seascape character assessment represents a core component of the evidence base for Marine Spatial Planning and marine policy formulation. Seascape character assessment (SCAss) has emerged as a method for assessing, characterising, mapping and describing seascape character. The process of SCAss follows the well-established, andwidely used,process of Landscape Character Assessment. Seascape is defined as “an area of sea, coastline and land, as perceived by people, whose character results from the actions and interactions of land with sea, by natural and/or human factors”. The aim of this project is to identify, classify and describe seascape character at a regional scale. The three objectives of the research are as follows: • Understand different regional seascape character areas along the coast; • Develop character assessment which describes the key features and character of each seascape character area, and • Spatially define and represent their distribution and qualitatively assess the socio -cultural value of each of the seascapes across their distribution. It is important to recognise that seascape character is a dynamic and changing space. In addition, a seascape is perceived by people, it therefore follows that there are many interpretations and understandings as to what contributes to and creates seascape character. Moreover, seascape character can be described at different scales and there are many local variations and nuances of seascape character. The scale of this assessment as required under the project brief is regional and therefore the seascape character is described at this scale. This project has used a clear, robust methodological approach that provides for a baseline assessment of seascape character. This methodology is summarised in Chapter Two and is based on a best practice review undertaken at the start of this project. Whilst the key aim of this research has been to fill an identified gap in baseline descriptions of seascape character, it also contributes achieving commitments under the European Landscape Convention 1.2(ELC) and Ireland’s National Landscape Strategy (NLS)2015-2025.

Keywords

Marine spatial planning , Seascapes character assessment

Citation

Minogue, R., Foley, K., Collins, T., Hennessy, R., Doherty, P., Vaughan, E. and Black, D. (2020) Definition and classification of Ireland's seascapes. Galway: Marine Institute. Available at: https://emff.marine.ie/sites/default/files/bluegrowth/PDFs/final_seascape_character_assessment_report_with_annexes.pdf (Accessed: 26 May 2022)