SIT Graduate Institute/SIT Study Abroad SIT Digital Collections Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection SIT Study Abroad Spring 2011 Seawalls in Samoa: A Look at Their nE vironmental, Social and Economic Implications Sawyer Lawson SIT Study Abroad Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection Part of the Environmental Health and Protection Commons, Environmental Indicators and Impact Assessment Commons, International and Area Studies Commons, Place and Environment Commons, and the Sustainability Commons Recommended Citation Lawson, Sawyer, "Seawalls in Samoa: A Look at Their nE vironmental, Social and Economic Implications" (2011). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 1058. https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/1058 This Unpublished Paper is brought to you for free and open access by the SIT Study Abroad at SIT Digital Collections. It has been accepted for inclusion in Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection by an authorized administrator of SIT Digital Collections. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Seawalls in Samoa: A Look at Their Environmental, Social and Economic Implications Sawyer Lawson Project Advisor: Espen Ronneberg Academic Director: Jackie Fa’asisila S.I.T. Samoa, Spring 2011 Abstract: This study concerns the environmental, economic and social implications of seawalls in Samoa. Information for this study was gathered using a combination of secondary sources and primary sources including interviews, surveys and participant observation. Given the cultural and economic importance of Samoa’s coastline and the fact that seawalls, which already occupy much of Samoa’s coast, are becoming more abundant, it is important to understand the implications of building them. The researcher found that partially due to climate change and sand mining, Samoa’s coastline has become increasingly threatened by erosion and coastal retreat.