State of the Coast

NOAA's National Ocean Service has recently launched an excellent web tool - known as the State of the Coast - allowing users to explore a variety of connections among coastal communities.

Susan Holmes, with the Special Projects Division at NOAA national Ocean Service, has provided the following description of the State of the Coast tool:

Within that narrow strip of land and water we call our coast, there is a nationally-significant story to tell. Our well-being as a nation depends on a suite of benefits that flow from healthy coasts: food, clean water, jobs, recreation, and protection from hurricanes. To help tell that story and encourage the need to better understand, manage, and protect our natural resources, NOAA has developed this State of the Coast (SOTC) Web site: a clear, simple, and engaging Web destination that will foster an increased awareness of the crucial importance of healthy coastal ecosystems to a robust U.S. economy, a safe population, and a sustainable quality of life for coastal residents.

The SOTC Web site first offers quick facts and more detailed statistics through interactive indicator visualization maps that provide highlights of what we know about coastal communities, coastal ecosystems, and the coastal economy and about how climate change might impact the coast.  Secondly, the SOTC Web site offers case studies and management success stories that highlight often complex connections across the four State of the Coast themes: coastal communities; coastal ecosystems; coastal economy; and the climate.

Explore this site to gain a deeper appreciation of the connections among healthy coastal ecosystems, a robust U.S. economy, a safe population, and a sustainable quality of life for coastal residents...and the consequent need to better understand, manage, and protect our nation's coastal resources.

For any questions, please contact:

Susan Holmes
NOAA National Ocean Service, Special Projects Division
susan.holmes@noaa.gov
301-713-3000 x158
http://specialprojects.nos.noaa.gov/
http://stateofthecoast.noaa.gov/
http://www.cmsp.noaa.gov/