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<p>Coastal ecosystems are increasingly threatened by industrialization and various other anthropogenic activities, making community involvement in conservation efforts essential. This study assessed environmental awareness and attitudes toward seaweed conservation among local populations in three coastal villages: Gopnath, Kuda, and Khadsaliya, located in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat. An awareness session conducted between the pre- and post-survey revealed a significant increase in knowledge about seaweeds, endemism, and conservation. While initial awareness of seaweeds was present, post-session responses showed a relative increase in knowledge, 1.02 times in Gopnath, 1.06 times in Kuda, and 1.12 times in Khadsaliya, indicating the effectiveness of the awareness session in enhancing basic understanding among participants. Understanding seaweed roles improved by 1.11, 1.31, and 1.22 times, respectively. Although conservation awareness remained stable in Gopnath and Kuda, it increased by 1.015 times in Khadsaliya. Positive attitudes toward environmental aspects, such as limits to growth and anti-anthropocentrism, improved across all villages, with Kuda showing the highest gains (1.05–1.24 times). These findings highlight that while general seaweed awareness exists, focused education on <i>Ulva ovata</i> and its conservation is essential. Engaging coastal communities through targeted education and collaborative initiatives can significantly enhance conservation outcomes. This study underscores the importance of local participation in biodiversity conservation and demonstrates the potential for community-driven environmental protection efforts.</p>

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Seaweed and coastal communities: evaluating awareness of seaweeds, endemism and conservation in Gujarat, India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年9月25日

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  • Sachin G. Rathod,
  • Vaibhav A. Mantri

摘要

Coastal ecosystems are increasingly threatened by industrialization and various other anthropogenic activities, making community involvement in conservation efforts essential. This study assessed environmental awareness and attitudes toward seaweed conservation among local populations in three coastal villages: Gopnath, Kuda, and Khadsaliya, located in Bhavnagar district, Gujarat. An awareness session conducted between the pre- and post-survey revealed a significant increase in knowledge about seaweeds, endemism, and conservation. While initial awareness of seaweeds was present, post-session responses showed a relative increase in knowledge, 1.02 times in Gopnath, 1.06 times in Kuda, and 1.12 times in Khadsaliya, indicating the effectiveness of the awareness session in enhancing basic understanding among participants. Understanding seaweed roles improved by 1.11, 1.31, and 1.22 times, respectively. Although conservation awareness remained stable in Gopnath and Kuda, it increased by 1.015 times in Khadsaliya. Positive attitudes toward environmental aspects, such as limits to growth and anti-anthropocentrism, improved across all villages, with Kuda showing the highest gains (1.05–1.24 times). These findings highlight that while general seaweed awareness exists, focused education on Ulva ovata and its conservation is essential. Engaging coastal communities through targeted education and collaborative initiatives can significantly enhance conservation outcomes. This study underscores the importance of local participation in biodiversity conservation and demonstrates the potential for community-driven environmental protection efforts.