Environmental Justice and Public Beach Access

Abstract

Beaches are an important recreational setting due to their provision of ideal open spaces for diverse water- and land-based recreation opportunities. Despite the importance of assessing the environmental justice of public beach access, few empirical studies have been conducted in community recreation. Using an environmental justice framework, this study examined whether inequities exist for certain racial/ethnic and socioeconomic groups with respect to the distribution of public beach access in the Detroit Metropolitan Area. Results indicated that inequitable public beach access is associated with population density, median housing value, elderly population, and nonvehicle ownership. Such findings can help public leisure agencies to assess environmental justice, a first step in developing more effective community recreation planning and management policies. Study implications, limitations, and recommendations for further research are also discussed.