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Abstract
Coastal environments are dynamic systems where natural processes, human development, and economic decisions interact in complex ways. My research sits at the intersection of Geographic Information Systems, spatial analysis, and environmental economics, focusing on how ecosystems influence economic outcomes and how communities respond to environmental change. Under the broader theme of natural infrastructure, my dissertation explores how the presence of mangrove forests shapes perceptions of environmental amenities and is reflected in housing market behavior. The dissertation also develops a methodology to address the absence of historical data on mangrove extent, using satellite imagery and cloud-based computing to generate spatial estimates of past mangrove coverage for long-term analysis.