Doing research with water and sands : Reflections on engaging with the fluidity of coastal environments.

Pollastri, Serena and Ilic, Suzana (2025) Doing research with water and sands : Reflections on engaging with the fluidity of coastal environments. In: Cemore Summer Symposium, 2025-06-20 - 2025-06-20, Lancaster University.

Abstract

The seashore is an elusive and arguably arbitrary border between sea and the coast: it moves with the rhythms of the tides and through sudden shifts caused by storms, winds, erosion and sediment accretion. In intertidal saltmarshes this border becomes blurred and frayed, as it seeps through the pockets of vegetations that exist in the wet spaces between water and land. These areas are also site of intricate entanglements between human and non-human animal communities whose lives are affected by water, its movements, and its often-unpredictable effect. Drawing from the experience gained in a recent project of design and deployment of nature-based solutions in intertidal zones, this contribution reflects on the importance of situated knowledge in coastal areas. Specifically, it argues for incorporating fluidity in research and design methods that fully embrace the dynamic nature of the shore – and resist the temptation to fully rely on computational models and predictions.