Atlantic and Gulf Coast Resiliency Project
Delivering Information and Tools for Increasing Resilience and Adaptation of Communities and Priority Coastal Resources across the Network of Coastal LCCs
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Coastal change is a shared challenge along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States, yet there are vast differences in the tools and information available in these regions. This project coordinated, synthesized, and delivered coastal resilience information, activities and lessons learned across the coastal portion of the Atlantic, Gulf and Caribbean Landscape Conservation Cooperative (LCC) network. Coastal change is an important issue for all coastal regions of the LCC Network, yet there are vast differences in the tools and information available across coastal regions. While the key uncertainties may differ across the Network, all coastal LCCs have been working to advance coastal resilience and adaptation. In some coastal areas, there are significant resources available to communities to understand coastal change and the discussions are now focused upon adaptation and incorporating natural resource considerations. In other regions, few tools exist for either communities or resource managers to address observed and predicted coastal change. The ultimate goal for LCCs is to have decision makers informed about the potential impacts, adaptation strategies and management approaches that incorporate both ecological and human communities in their decisions, as well as provide a range of ecosystem services through natural and nature-based approaches. This one-year pilot project related existing projections of sea level rise (SLR) and storm impacts to habitats and populations of priority fish and wildlife species across their range. It assessed restoration and management alternatives for increasing persistence and resilience of these habitats and species and how these alternatives relate to the use of natural and nature-based approaches to community resilience. Actions could delay or preclude listing of species that are sensitive to sea level rise, help sustain and recover listed species, and maintain economically important fish and wildlife populations. Products and tools culminating from these efforts include: 1) Compilation and synthesis of existing Gulf and Atlantic Coast coastal ecological and community resilience information, including SLR and storm impacts to system response; thresholds of viability for priority fish, wildlife and plant species under different rates of SLR; restoration and management alternatives completed, underway or planned; existing and planned efforts to use natural and nature-based approaches to increase community resilience. 2) Assessment of opportunities to relate ecological and community resilience approaches. 3) Assistance/guidance to incorporate species and habitat information into community resilience planning. 4) Summary of additional science needs and approaches to address information gaps. 5) Final results compiled and made available through a comprehensive report, website(s), and/or data portal(s).
LCC Staff Contact: , Science Coordinator A core team was formed to provide direct input to project documents and deliverables, and an advisory team provided overall guidance and direction throughout the project's duration. Members represent the six coastal LCCs across the region and partner organizations, including the Gulf Restoration Program, USGS Climate Science Centers, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. $120,000
Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, from Maine to Texas, and the Caribbean
In July 2017, the research team published a paper in Ocean & Coastal Management that offers insights on strategies for managing coastal resources to help managers make the most effective decisions today to protect natural systems that sustain wildlife and the health and well being of people and communities: “A synthesis of thresholds for focal species along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf Coasts” |
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