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Sets of coastal management indicators have been used to summarize the main social, economic, environmental and political assets/processes of socio-ecological systems (SES). Their development and further assessment have, usually, been ruled by a process of four sequential steps (Selection/definition of indicators, Production, Assessment and Information for policy actions), in which feedback is limited to certain subjects and attributes. Quality checks regarding the information made available are rarely seen, somewhat disregarding the adaptive complex character of SES. In this study, we present the double-loop (DL) process of learning, aiming at improving the epistemological (usefulness) and pragmatic (pertinence) quality of knowledge. In practice, an expanded peer assessment has led to the adjustment of a previous beach management tool: The Beach Quality Index (hereinafter, the single-looped BQI), through the (re)selection, (re)definition and (re)production of indicators. By means of one multi-stakeholder meeting, five focus groups and interviews, four relevant narratives of the Catalan coast were identified. These narratives enabled the shaping of a wider perception of the observed system - the Catalan beaches - which highlighted the lack of integration in beach management processes. In order to respond to the aforesaid lack of integration and other shortcomings, by adding or updating the single-looped BQI indicators, a new formal system and the choices made were formulated and highlighted. This new set of indicators is here called the double-looped BQI, in which, especially, the previous preponderance of recreational activity was counterbalanced. Though further developments would still be necessary and in situ applications would help to check the feasibility of the logic applied, we recommend its inclusion in the beach quality research field to couple better with coastal management recommendations regarding governance and complexity., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Open-pit mine is still an unavoidable activity but can become unsustainable without the restoration of degraded sites. Monitoring the restoration after extractive activities is a legal requirement for mine companies and public administrations in many countries, involving financial provisions for environmental liabilities. The objective of this contribution is to present a rigorous, low-cost and easy-to-use application of Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) for supporting opencast mining and restoration monitoring, complementing the inspections with very high (<10 cm) spatial resolution multispectral imagery, and improving any restoration documentation with detailed land cover maps. The potential of UAS as a tool to control restoration works is presented in a calcareous quarry that has undergone different post-mining restoration actions in the last 20 years, representing 4 reclaimed stages. We used a small (<2 kg) drone equipped with a multispectral sensor, along with field spectroradiometer measurements that were used to radiometrically correct the UAS sensor data. Imagery was processed with photogrammetric and Remote Sensing and Geographical Information Systems software, resulting in spectral information, vegetation and soil indices, structural information and land cover maps. Spectral data and land cover classification, which were validated through ground-truth plots, aided in the detection and quantification of mine waste dumping, bare soil and other land cover extension. Moreover, plant formations and vegetation development were evaluated, allowing a quantitative, but at the same time visual and intuitive comparison with the surrounding reference systems. The protocol resulting from this research constitutes a pipeline solution intended for the implementation by public administrations and privates companies for precisely evaluating restoration dynamics in an expedient manner at a very affordable budget. Furthermore, the proposed solution prevents subjective interpretations by providing objective data, which integrate new technologies at the service of scientists, environmental managers and decision makers., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)