The St Clair – St Kilda Coastal Plan engagement process is a rare example of a community-centred approach to climate adaptation. Community visioning played a central role in steering project direction and saw a diverse set of groups and individuals engaged using a variety of methods.
The purpose of engagement was to develop a plan to support the coast in adapting to the effects of coastal hazards and climate change and to ensure that the community understood the plan and had opportunity to input. The engagement process saw groups and individuals from across the city engaged across the spectrum levels.
CLIENT BRIEF/PROJECT CHALLENGES
Beginning in 2019, the Dunedin City Council took its first steps in developing a forward-looking and community-oriented climate adaptation plan for the city’s much-loved Whakahekerau – Rakiātea coast (St Clair – St Kilda coast).
The primary objective of the St Clair – St Kilda Coastal Plan engagement was to work with the community to co-create a vision and climate adaptation plan for the St Clair – St Kilda coastline by:
- Understanding the community’s collective values and aspirations for the area
- Identifying options that could support the sustainable management of the coast in line with the community’s ambition for the area
- Educate the community on coastal processes and climate change
OUR SOLUTION
The engagement journey began with a period of critical review and reflection – this was not the first time that this community had been asked to provide input on this coastline. This preparation was crucial to preparing staff for conversations that in many ways had been started, but in the community’s eyes, left un-finished.
