Have
your say
A FEDERAL government-funded study aims to probe possible economic
effects of climate change on coastal caravan parks and camping grounds in
Victoria.
The $145,000 research project will be undertaken by the Western Coastal
Board, with the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency footing
the bill.
It will take a close look at whether climate change would hit caravan and
camping destinations along the coast and surrounding areas.
There are concerns that holiday parks and camping grounds bordering
estuaries and beaches, which are susceptible to flooding, erosion and
winds, could be impacted from changes in weather patterns.
"We're not really looking at the physical impacts but more at what effects
climate change might have economically and how that can be managed," a
spokesman for the board explained.
Research is expected to begin in January when nearly 2000 caravan park
guests and locals will be quizzed about climate change and the use of
caravan parks and camping areas.
The Western Coastal Board pointed out that coastal caravan and camping
parks played an important role in the coastal economic, social and
environmental landscape but were often highly vulnerable to climate
change.
They provided an "affordable recreational and tourism opportunity" and
generated the income used by coastal land managers to provide
infrastructure to support the use of the coast, manage risk and implement
projects.
But little was known of the market and non-market economic values to users
and the coastal reserve, or of community preferences for sharing the
various burdens of adapting to climate change, the board added.
Concerns
over weather vulnerability
