Raveena Tamoria

Research project

Supervisor: John Schofield 

“Plastic Landscapes in the Hawaiian Islands: Coastal Heritage Under Threat”

Coastal communities around the world are facing unique threats due to worsening impacts of climate change. Marine debris including plastic pollution is a threat exacerbating climate change impacts and should be considered everyone’s problem. This research explores how archaeology and cultural heritage methods can be used as tools to understand and manage marine debris in the Hawaiian Islands. By applying cultural heritage concepts to this research, an appreciation as to how entwined history and ecology are to the landscape are highlighted. With its close vicinity to the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and Pacific Rim, as well as impacts emanating from tourism, there is a real threat to the Hawaiian coastal landscapes. The research aims to understand social perceptions, risks, impacts, and wider challenges associated with marine pollution. By utilising archaeological methods and cultural heritage values, the anticipated outcome is to develop a tool kit and adaptive governance model.