Perceptions of nature’s contributions to people in urban beaches: implications for coastal conservation in Southeastern Brazil

Abstract

Coastal zones, particularly urban beaches, are dynamic social–ecological systems under growing cumulative pressures from mass tourism, urbanization, pollution, and unregulated land occupation. These stressors compromise ecological integrity and diminish nature’s contributions essential to human well-being. Understanding beach users’ perceptions is critical for designing socially legitimate and effective coastal management strategies. This article investigates how users of a highly urbanized coastal system perceive Nature’s Contributions to People (NCP), environmental impacts, and conservation challenges, using the urban beaches of Santos (São Paulo state, Brazil) as a representative case of intensively used urban coasts. Primary data were collected between April 2024 and April 2025 using a structured questionnaire administered across different seasons and times of day, yielding 405 valid responses (59% residents, 41% tourists; ages 19 to 65+). Findings reveal that users predominantly value cultural NCPs, emphasizing personal well-being, scenic beauty, and social interaction. Conversely, there is limited recognition of regulating and material contributions, alongside a low awareness of beach ecological fragility, particularly among tourists. This cognitive gap highlights significant challenges for long-term conservation support. By integrating the NCP framework with social differentiation and governance expectations, this research underscores the necessity of incorporating user perspectives into inclusive, context-sensitive coastal planning. The findings provide actionable insights for urban beach governance globally and establish a baseline for future comparative studies in less urbanized or protected coastal environments.