Seascape is an important element in any maritime nation’s sense of identity and culture. It relates to where and how people value their coasts. As is evident in national tourism statistics, Irish seascapes are especially valued along the Wild Atlantic Way. This project aimed to broadly define and classify Ireland’s Seascapes. This has improved our understanding of the character and values of the relevant seascapes and provided national baseline information available from which the planning and decision making processes can respond to future changes. As an example, future marine renewable energy developments are likely to impact on the seascapes.
The objectives of this project are: (i) Understand the different regional seascape character areas along the Irish coast; (ii) Develop character assessments which describe the key features and characteristics of each seascape character area.
• A report for the National Marine Planning Framework area that describes the key features and characteristics of each seascape character area (map, overview and key characteristics);
• A classification of Ireland’s seascapes;
• Spatial data product(s) that illustrate the national seascape assessment;
• Use stakeholder engagement to validate, refine and agree the seascape character assessments.
