The beaches of the Bahamas, long celebrated for their pristine white sands and turquoise waters, are facing an increasingly urgent threat: coastal erosion. This isn’t a new phenomenon, but the rate at which these iconic landscapes are changing is accelerating, driven by rising sea levels and increasingly intense storms linked to a warming climate. A new approach, leveraging the power of citizen science and smartphone technology, is offering a potential pathway to better understand and mitigate these changes.
For Bahamians like Divina Cox, who grew up experiencing the beauty of these shores, the changes are deeply personal. “Having grown up there I’ve seen that the beaches have changed a lot,” says Cox, now a Ph.D. Student at UC Santa Barbara. She notes that the most dramatic shifts are often visible after major storms, when sand is washed away, revealing underlying rocky terrain. This observation sparked her interest in understanding the complex interplay between sea level rise and coastal geomorphology.
Traditionally, monitoring these changes required extensive, time-consuming fieldwork – a significant challenge for researchers like Cox who lacked the resources for year-round, on-site observation. The solution, it turns out, may lie in the hands of the many visitors and residents who already frequent these beaches.
The key is a smartphone application called CoastSnap. This innovative tool allows anyone with a smartphone to contribute to scientific data collection simply by taking photos of the coastline. By capturing images from consistent vantage points over time, CoastSnap provides a valuable record of beach erosion and other coastal changes. The data collected isn’t just a visual record; it’s quantifiable information that researchers can analyze to understand the patterns and drivers of erosion.
The application’s utility extends beyond simply documenting the problem. According to Cox, the data gathered through CoastSnap will be instrumental in interpreting what’s happening at Bahamian beaches and, crucially, in developing strategies to mitigate erosion and find potential solutions. This represents particularly important given the economic reliance of the Bahamas on tourism, which is directly tied to the health and attractiveness of its coastal environments.
The Bahamas’ economic dependence on tourism creates a complex dynamic. While tourism revenue can be mobilized for conservation efforts through corporate social responsibility (CSR) and citizen science initiatives, the industry itself contributes to the pressures on coastal ecosystems. Coastal development, pollution, overfishing, and the impacts of climate change – particularly coral bleaching – all pose significant threats to the natural assets that attract visitors.
Coastal erosion isn’t the only challenge. Pollution from insufficient wastewater systems and disposable plastics further degrades water quality, harming coral ecosystems and marine life. Overfishing, particularly of species like queen conch, spiny lobster, and groupers, disrupts the delicate balance of marine ecosystems and diminishes the economic value of fisheries. Intense storms, exacerbated by climate change, contribute to seagrass decline and further coastal degradation.
The rise in sea levels, coupled with more frequent and intense storms, is a particularly concerning trend. As polar ice melts, sea levels are rising, accelerating coastal erosion and threatening both natural and human-made structures. These storms not only remove sand from beaches but also increase the inland reach of saltwater, impacting freshwater resources.
Rashema Ingraham, Bimini Coastal Waterkeeper and Executive Director of Waterkeepers Bahamas, highlights the vulnerability of the Bahamian islands. “The biggest threats are the intensified storms made worse by climate change and the attendant sea level rise that is particularly dangerous to these low-lying Bahamian islands,” she explains. Ingraham’s work, and that of other Waterkeepers throughout the Bahamas, underscores the need for a multi-faceted approach to conservation, combining scientific monitoring with community engagement and advocacy.
Citizen science initiatives like CoastSnap are a crucial component of this approach. By empowering local communities and visitors to participate in data collection, these programs not only generate valuable scientific information but also foster a sense of ownership and responsibility for protecting these vital ecosystems. The data collected through these efforts can inform policy decisions, guide conservation efforts, and ultimately help safeguard the future of the Bahamas’ iconic beaches and marine environments.
The success of CoastSnap in the Bahamas demonstrates the potential of citizen science to address complex environmental challenges. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration – bringing together researchers, local communities, and technology to monitor, understand, and protect our planet’s precious coastal resources. As the impacts of climate change continue to intensify, such innovative approaches will be essential for ensuring the long-term health and resilience of coastal ecosystems around the world.
