Waterfront Property Owner Perceptions and Perspectives on Riparian Zone Aesthetics and Shoreline Management Interventions: Insights for Outreach and Behaviour Change

With freshwater biodiversity declining globally, attention is being focused on how human values influence stewardship and restoration efforts. The goal of this thesis is to identify waterfront property owners' relational values and study how relational values influence property stewardship behaviours. First, I characterized the relational values of waterfront property owners who participated in Love your Lake's shoreline assessment program. Findings reveal differences in relational values of waterfront property owners, and how many waterfront property owners value personal enjoyment elements that consider shoreline health. Next, I evaluated if the relational values of waterfront property owners align with their stewardship behaviours. I determined that the majority of waterfront property owners' shoreline conditions do align with their reported relational values. Findings identify gaps in outreach initiatives aimed at understanding the role that values and behaviours play in shoreline degradation and environmental stewardship.