Defined by the European Commission as “general public engagement in scientific research activities where citizens actively contribute to science”, citizen science is booming as a field of practice. In recent years, citizen science projects focusing on vulnerable coastal sites are beginning to emerge to better understand these areas in the context of climate change. Indeed, coastal communities face a number of key threats and challenges, including shoreline erosion, impact of extreme events and the impact of sea level rise.

With 680 permanent residents, Gâvres is a small coastal resort, located on a peninsula of South Brittany (France). Owing to its particular situation and its low areas, Gâvres has suffered repeatedly from coastal flooding and erosion despite the presence of dikes or walls. Lorient Agglomération (stakeholder), in consultation with Gâvres municipality and University of South Brittany (GEO – OCEAN laboratory) has been turned since 2019 to coastal management approaches with soft and natural eco-engineering solutions.

The « Futur of Gâvres Peninsula: towards a sustainable and citizen strategy of adaptation to climate change » (FUGASCIA) project’s ambition is to guide citizens of Gâvres around a global reflection about the management of their coastline, in the continuity of this new sustainable management plan. Coordinated by GEO-OCEAN, the main objectives of FUGASCIA are:

- Offer citizens the opportunity to get involved in this process of monitoring coastal systems
- Inform citizens about shoreline evolution and its corresponding fragility
- Analyse the social acceptability of new coastal management and perception of citizens about coastal risks (with survey)
- Receive population's thoughts on sustainable strategies for adaptation to climate change (with workshop)
- Create social cohesion

This paper will present how citizen science project unite and increase communication between citizens, academics and stakeholders.