Photo: Snapshots of Human Dimensions activities in 2025 featuring the April community meetings and events supporting the Ocean Values of Spanish-Speaking Oregonians project.
Over the last year, the Human Dimensions team has worked closely with several collaborators to better understand how people use, value, and relate to the marine reserves through several lenses including knowledge and perception, economics, and awareness of ocean issues.
Beneath the Surface With the Otter Rock Augmented Reality Pilot Project: Experience the mobile augmented reality deep dive into Otter Rock Marine Reserve by scanning the QR code below. Learn more about the pilot project and how technology can serve as a tool to strengthen human-nature bonds at Dr. Danny Pimentel’s HMSC Research Seminar on October 30th in Newport and via Zoom (event details here).
Community Meetings Inform Social Science Research Plan: Over 80 people participated in community meetings this April to share their thoughts on human-focused indicators that can help answer the question “how do Oregon’s marine reserves impact your well-being?” Responses from these meetings will inform ODFW’s long-term social science monitoring plan and will help us adaptively manage the marine reserves. Read more about the meetings and access the project report here.
Economic Analysis Reveals Job and Income Generation from Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve: New research from Oregon’s south coast revealed an economic impact of approximately $982,000 from the Redfish Rocks Marine Reserve from 2022-2024. Dr. Sarah Klain will present this work at the upcoming State of the Coast Conference on November 15th. Read the press release and access the full report here.
Study Shows Western Oregonians Increasingly Support Marine Reserves: Researchers from Oregon State University and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife have been collecting data on residents’ attitudes toward the state’s marine reserves for over a decade. Their most recent study showed Oregonians view the marine reserves in an increasingly positive light over time. Read the press release and access the research paper here.
Understanding Ocean Values of Spanish-Speaking Oregonians: Supported in part by ODFW’s Marine Reserves, the Oregon State University Policy Analysis Lab conducted a series of interviews with Spanish-speaking Oregonians in coastal Counties to understand community-identified values and barriers related to marine conservation activities. Insights from interviews and focus groups were put into practice in a razor clamming workshop created in partnership with Consejo Hispano, ODFW, and Oregon Sea Grant. This research includes strategies for building relationships with Spanish-speaking Oregonians along the coast to increase engagement with nearshore ecosystems. Read the final project report here.