Coast and the community: understanding public perceptions towards coastal ecosystems in the Northern Province, Sri Lanka

Coastal ecosystems are diverse and provide essential global functions, supporting biodiversity conservation, economic growth, and human welfare. However, they are under threat from human activities such as overexploitation, coastal degradation, and anthropogenic impacts. The present study aimed to explore the level of public awareness and understanding of coastal ecosystems in four coastal cities in the Northern Province of Sri Lanka namely Jaffna, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu, and Mannar. A three-part questionnaire survey was administered to respondents (n = 641) chosen using a systematic sampling method across four coastal cities in the North from April to November 2022. A key highlight from the study is that approximately 75% of the respondents demonstrated significant awareness and knowledge regarding the degradation of the coastal ecosystem in their respective local areas and 81% reported observing an increase in the trend. The influence of social media for awareness was found in nearly half of the respondents followed by mass media (21%). Encouragingly, there is a positive trend among the respondents in recognizing the roles and responsibilities of the government and local community (58%) in addressing coastal ecosystem degradation and promoting conservation efforts. Overall, respondents from Jaffna and Mannar demonstrated a comparatively higher awareness of coastal ecosystems and their degradation than those from Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu. Given their role as transitional zones between terrestrial and marine environments, their intricate socio-ecological dynamics, and the requirement for integrated planning and management strategies, it becomes evident that gaining insight into the level of public awareness of coastal ecosystems is of utmost importance.