Coastal Services Center

Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

The Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (MA CZM) mission is to balance the impacts of human activity with the protection of coastal and marine resources through planning, public involvement, education, research, and sound resource management. To achieve these goals, MA CZM works through its regional offices to facilitate partnerships and initiatives that are consistent with program goals, such as resource management and watershed planning efforts.

This project was a partnership of state, local, and federal agencies to develop an outreach and educational tool to raise awareness about the potential impacts of increasing numbers of docks along the coast.

Town of Falmouth, Massachusetts

The Town of Falmouth was incorporated in 1686 and lies on the Cape Cod peninsula of coastal Massachusetts. Falmouth has many tidal inlets in which it is concerned about potential dock growth. The town selected the study site in Green Pond to show how various hypothetical dock and pier development scenarios might look and what the potential impacts might be. The Department of Natural Resources is the main participant from the town, although other departments and offices have assisted in providing geographic information system data and in reviewing information such as the dock and pier regulations.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks are extended to the Office of Long Island Sound Programs within the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection. This office implements, oversees, and enforces the state's coastal management and coastal permit laws and regulations, manages programs to protect and restore coastal resources and habitat, and helps coastal towns plan and implement programs to protect coastal resources and encourage water-dependent uses of the shorefront. This office graciously allowed use of original graphics that explain commonly used terms and show how people interact with their coastal environment.