Drivers of community engagement in protecting heritage assets in the context of a dynamic coastal landscape

Abstract

Coastal archaeological sites in Nova Scotia, as in many jurisdictions around the world, are at risk of damage or destruction due to the impacts of climate change. Residents in a region of southwest Nova Scotia exhibit a strong connection to their ancestry and a high level of engagement in protecting their coastal heritage assets. Through an online survey and semi-structured interviews this study explores the factors motivating this engagement and identifies 15 drivers that can be categorized as either connecting to the past, relating to the present or preserving for the future. An understanding of these drivers can assist government and academia in achieving their goals to protect coastal archaeology by establishing a citizen science program, while allowing communities to have a say in decision making and play an active role in the preservation of their heritage. It can also aid in creating messaging around heritage preservation and developing interpretation about local heritage and climate change impacts in the region.