The Edge of the Sea Is a Strange and Wonderful Place
Rachel Carson

Realities of Coastal Living
Unique beauty of seacoasts
High property values
A water view is the single best multiplier for property values
Limited quantity of land available
Supply and demand dynamics
Shoreline rental properties are profitable
Coastlines Are Crowded
High population density near coastlines
One half of Americans live within 50 mi of a coast
110 million people (1999); expected to rise to 127 million by 2007
Two-thirds of the world's population lives near a coast
Activities of residents and visitors impact the coastal areas
Distribution of Coastal Populations
Human Impacts on Coasts
Activities of residents and visitors impact the coastal areas
Oversized hotels located near the water
Overcrowded beaches (blanket to blanket)
Motor-homes/trailer parks near beaches
Gas stations/power plants/parking lots near wetlands
Recreation facilities are abundant (marinas, ferries, etc.)
Regional Trends
Northeast
Large retirement and resort areas grow faster
30 % growth expected (from 1960 to 2010)
Severe degradation in some areas already
Pacific Region
Increase of 6 million people is expected
Alaska growth rate expected to be 40%
Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego counties will increase the most
Great Lakes Region
Regional percentage expected to drop
Shores of Lake Michigan and Superior expected to grow fastest
Porter County, IN
Gulf of Mexico Region
Houston, New Orleans, Tampa, and St. Petersburg have highest density
Alabama expected to grow fastest ("Florida beaches at half the price")
Southeast Region
Concentration in Miami, Savannah, Jacksonville, and  Charlestown
Highest regional increase expected
Other Coastline Values
Habitat for wildlife
Natural filter for impurities
Safety barrier and wind buffer during storm events
Food source (fish and shellfish)
Recreation area
Aesthetics and spiritual renewal
Stakeholders in Policy Making
Residents and visitors
Fishing and food industry (employment, restaurants, markets, etc.)
Transportation (boating, ferries, shipping)
Elected/appointed government officials
Community & environmental planners
Coastal Terminology
Coasts (intersection of water, air, land)
Coastal zone (a transitional area where two ecological communities meet)
Confluence of terrestrial habitats and marine habitats
Estuarine ecosystems (those associated with the coastal zone)
Salt marshes, lagoons, rock pools, beaches
Legislation Affecting Coasts
Coastal Zone Management Act (federal law)
Defines coastal areas to encompass the state's coastal waters and shorelines
Includes "islands, transitional and intertidal areas, salt marshes, wetlands, and beaches"
Also defines the landward regions associated with the coasts
Includes connecting waters, harbors, marshes of the Great Lakes (containing some seawater)
CZM Programs managed by NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
Other Legislation
Submerged Lands Act (1953)
Federal law allowing coastal states in the U.S. to extend its boundaries to 3 miles from its coasts
Coastal zone in the Great Lakes extends to the "international boundary between the U.S. and Canada"
Definitions apply to the Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Oceans, Gulf of Mexico, Long Island Sound,
Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, Mariana Islands, Pacific Islands, and American Samoa
State Coastal Management programs
Example: California law expands the definition of a coast ("generally 1,000 yards from the mean high tide line of the sea")
Inward to the first ridge, or 1000 yards from the mean high tide line
Excludes San Francisco Bay (managed under a separate agency � San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission)
Coastal Problems/Challenges
Coastal hazards (storms, erosion, flooding)
Coastal pollution (point source and non-point source pollutants, marine debris)
Ocean dumping (dredged material, sludge, garbage, military wastes, ocean incinerated waste)
Offshore oil development/mining
Disappearance of open space
Social equity problems
Loss of agricultural lands
Loss of healthy wetlands
Poorly designed drainage systems
Need for better coastal planning
Develop alternatives to "site-by-site" decisions
Involve more stakeholders in planning
Loss of small town "character"
Coastal Agricultural Land
Threats to fruit and vegetable production
Estimate that two-thirds of nation's fruit, one-half of vegetables, and one-fourth of dairy products are produced in coastal areas
Most common cause - urban sprawl  (orchards being replaced by factories, homes, schools)
Loss of Wildlife Habitat
Loss of specific habitats (salt marsh, estuaries, grasslands, etc.)
Causes include timber harvesting, grassland conversion, inland waterway conversion, urbanization
Example: Developer proposed to build 4,884 homes in the Bolsa Chico Wetlands (Calif.)
Overall loss of respect for coastal habitats
Coastal Interconnectedness
Linkages between physical parameters, biological organisms, and business development in coastal regions
Features that make coastal areas unique and beautiful may also
confer vulnerability in the face of human habitation
and business development
Example: Glaciers modify landforms, thus determining its future land use (see handout)
Glacial Activity & Coastlines
Past Geological Activity
Human
Pathways
Community Implications
Land Use Tools for Prevention
Summary
People love coasts
People live in the coastal zone
Coastal populations cause a number of impacts, including habitat loss,
lifestyle changes for locals, and lost agricultural productivity

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