Supporting coastal communities in adapting to change
The Resilience of Coastal Communities (ROCC) research project team wanted to create a local trail to give back to the communities along the Exe Estuary who had supported their research exploring the past and present management of marine environments.
The trail needed to share the audio stories of families living in and around the Exe Estuary, conveying their deep connection to the landscape and offering their stories in an engaging and accessible format for all in the local community and tourists visiting the Exe Estuary.
We worked with the ROCC team, the Exe Estuary Management Partnership, Exmouth Town Council and local artist GARf to create The Voices of the Exe Trail. It features a central mural celebrating the past, present and future of the estuary and ten colourful marker points along the estuary. The trail markers enable trail participants to listen to audio stories in situ via QR codes, learning how community members who live and work with the water are navigating change in their lives and livelihoods.