MASTER OF ARTS IN MARINE AFFAIRS OF

Property owners and town officials in South Kingstown, Rhode Island are seeking means to protect private property and a local road from coastal erosion. Matunuck Beach Road is the only means of egress for nearly five-hundred homes in the village of Matunuck, and there is a public water main running underneath. There are millions of dollars worth of private structures that are also in danger from erosion. The political factors at play in this case are the desire to preserve private investments, the interest in keeping thriving businesses open, the protection of infrastructure, and the maintenance of community character. In addition to these anthropocentric factors, there are the coastal management challenges of maintaining a healthy and dynamic shoreline, preventing damage to neighboring coastal properties, and appropriately preparing for a future with a different climate and sea level. This study uses mental models analysis to determine the extent to which research subjects understand the coastal processes and aspects of climate change relevant to the Matunuck coastline, and to determine the extent to which thi