Abstract
To mitigate the damages of natural hazards, policy responses can be beneficial only if they are effective. Using a self-administered survey approach, this paper focuses on the adherence to local fertilizer ordinances (i.e., county or municipal rules regulating the application of fertilizer to private lawns or facilities such as golf courses) implemented in jurisdictions along the Southwest Florida coast in response to hazardous blooms of Florida red tides (Karenia brevis). These ordinances play a role in the context of evolving programs of water pollution control at federal, state, water basin, and local levels. With respect to policy effectiveness, while the strength of physical linkages is of critical importance, the extent to which humans affected are aware of and adhere to the relevant rules, is equally critical. We sought to understand the public's depth of understanding about the rationales for local fertilizer ordinances. Respondents in Sarasota, Florida, were asked about their fertilizer practices in an area that has experienced several major blooms of Florida red tides over the past two decades. A highly educated, older population of 305 residents and "snowbirds" reported relatively little knowledge about a local fertilizer ordinance, its purpose, or whether it would change the frequency, size, or duration of red tides. This finding held true even among subpopulations that were expected to have more interest in or to be more knowledgeable about harmful algal blooms. In the face of uncertain science and environmental outcomes, and with individual motivations at odds with evolving public policies, the effectiveness of local community efforts to decrease the impacts of red tides may be compromised. Targeted social-science research on human perceptions about the risks of Florida red tides and education about the rationales for potential policy responses are warranted.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 898-909 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Science of the Total Environment |
| Volume | 493 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 15 2014 |
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Keywords
- Fertilizer ordinance
- Florida red tide
- Harmful algal bloom (HAB)
- Karenia brevis
- Total maximum daily load (TMDL)
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Waste Management and Disposal
- Environmental Engineering
- Environmental Chemistry
- Pollution
Cite this
Human responses to Florida red tides : Policy awareness and adherence to local fertilizer ordinances. / Kirkpatrick, Barbara; Kohler, Kate; Byrne, Margaret M; Fleming, Lora E.; Scheller, Karen; Reich, Andrew; Hitchcock, Gary; Kirkpatrick, Gary; Ullmann, Steven; Hoagland, Porter.
In: Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 493, 15.09.2014, p. 898-909.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Human responses to Florida red tides
T2 - Policy awareness and adherence to local fertilizer ordinances
AU - Kirkpatrick, Barbara
AU - Kohler, Kate
AU - Byrne, Margaret M
AU - Fleming, Lora E.
AU - Scheller, Karen
AU - Reich, Andrew
AU - Hitchcock, Gary
AU - Kirkpatrick, Gary
AU - Ullmann, Steven
AU - Hoagland, Porter
PY - 2014/9/15
Y1 - 2014/9/15
N2 - To mitigate the damages of natural hazards, policy responses can be beneficial only if they are effective. Using a self-administered survey approach, this paper focuses on the adherence to local fertilizer ordinances (i.e., county or municipal rules regulating the application of fertilizer to private lawns or facilities such as golf courses) implemented in jurisdictions along the Southwest Florida coast in response to hazardous blooms of Florida red tides (Karenia brevis). These ordinances play a role in the context of evolving programs of water pollution control at federal, state, water basin, and local levels. With respect to policy effectiveness, while the strength of physical linkages is of critical importance, the extent to which humans affected are aware of and adhere to the relevant rules, is equally critical. We sought to understand the public's depth of understanding about the rationales for local fertilizer ordinances. Respondents in Sarasota, Florida, were asked about their fertilizer practices in an area that has experienced several major blooms of Florida red tides over the past two decades. A highly educated, older population of 305 residents and "snowbirds" reported relatively little knowledge about a local fertilizer ordinance, its purpose, or whether it would change the frequency, size, or duration of red tides. This finding held true even among subpopulations that were expected to have more interest in or to be more knowledgeable about harmful algal blooms. In the face of uncertain science and environmental outcomes, and with individual motivations at odds with evolving public policies, the effectiveness of local community efforts to decrease the impacts of red tides may be compromised. Targeted social-science research on human perceptions about the risks of Florida red tides and education about the rationales for potential policy responses are warranted.
AB - To mitigate the damages of natural hazards, policy responses can be beneficial only if they are effective. Using a self-administered survey approach, this paper focuses on the adherence to local fertilizer ordinances (i.e., county or municipal rules regulating the application of fertilizer to private lawns or facilities such as golf courses) implemented in jurisdictions along the Southwest Florida coast in response to hazardous blooms of Florida red tides (Karenia brevis). These ordinances play a role in the context of evolving programs of water pollution control at federal, state, water basin, and local levels. With respect to policy effectiveness, while the strength of physical linkages is of critical importance, the extent to which humans affected are aware of and adhere to the relevant rules, is equally critical. We sought to understand the public's depth of understanding about the rationales for local fertilizer ordinances. Respondents in Sarasota, Florida, were asked about their fertilizer practices in an area that has experienced several major blooms of Florida red tides over the past two decades. A highly educated, older population of 305 residents and "snowbirds" reported relatively little knowledge about a local fertilizer ordinance, its purpose, or whether it would change the frequency, size, or duration of red tides. This finding held true even among subpopulations that were expected to have more interest in or to be more knowledgeable about harmful algal blooms. In the face of uncertain science and environmental outcomes, and with individual motivations at odds with evolving public policies, the effectiveness of local community efforts to decrease the impacts of red tides may be compromised. Targeted social-science research on human perceptions about the risks of Florida red tides and education about the rationales for potential policy responses are warranted.
KW - Fertilizer ordinance
KW - Florida red tide
KW - Harmful algal bloom (HAB)
KW - Karenia brevis
KW - Total maximum daily load (TMDL)
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84903824869&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84903824869&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.06.083
DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2014.06.083
M3 - Article
C2 - 25003583
AN - SCOPUS:84903824869
VL - 493
SP - 898
EP - 909
JO - Science of the Total Environment
JF - Science of the Total Environment
SN - 0048-9697
ER -