SUITABILITY ASSESSMENT OF COASTAL BEACH FOR ECOLOGICAL EXPLOITATION: A CASE STUDY IN DAFENG, JIANGSU

This paper presents a complete suitability assessment indicator system and the method for assessment of coastal beach exploitation urgently needed in the coastal beaches in China. The assessment framework is developed upon the basis of pressure-state-response model consisting of the indicators of natural and ecological resources occurred with coastal beaches, environmental impacts and ecological protection. Then the weight of each indicator is defined using the Delphi method and the general index, or the suitability, is calculated after the data processing. The coastal beach of Dafeng in Yancheng, Jiangsu province is selected as a case. The results indicate that the ecological exploitation of coastal beach in Dafeng is moderate in terms of suitability if the ecological protection is effective.