What’s at risk?
- People – nearly 800,000 (and growing) people live in the 20 coastal counties of NC.
- Industry – Commercial fisheries, tourism, forestry & agriculture
- US and NC Government Operations and Properties – 3 US military bases, Cape Hatteras and Cape Lookout National Seashores and two historic sites (Fort Raleigh and Wright Brothers National Memorial); 13 National Wildlife Refuges; 10 State Parks; 2 million acres of game lands
- Natural Resources – around 325 miles of barrier islands and more than 20 inlets
(information from: North Carolina’s Coasts In Crisis: A Vision for the Future, by S.R. Riggs, S.J. Culver, D.V. Ames, D.J. Mallison, D.R. Corbett, and J.P. Walsh, Dept of Geological Sciences, Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, Institute for Coastal Science and Policy, East Carolina University)
What are the forces shaping our coast?
- Hurricanes and nor’easters
- Coastal flooding and sea level rise
- Coastal erosion, land loss and shoreline retreat
- Winds
- Development
Where can I get more info?
Academic Resources
- UNC Institute for the Environment Climate Change Report
- Western Carolina University Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines
Media
- the Charlotte Observer, Senate hopes to stabilize nature. Good luck with that.
- the News & Observer, Caving in on our coast.
- the News & Observer, Holding the line on terminal groins
- the News & Observer, Bill to allow coastal jetties sails through Senate
- the Asheville Citizen-Times, Base NC’s coastal protection on science, not monied interests
- Wilmington Star-News, Inlet sand-stoppers don’t come cheap
- The Pilot, Word Play: Jetty’s a Jetty, No Matter What State Says
- the News & Observer, Bill to allow coastal jetties sails through Senate
