The 10-year anniversary of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center was an opportunity to assess past performances and look for ways to increase future successes.
These discussions led to the realization that an
important coastal resource manager was not being
served—coastal land
trust organizations.
Land trusts are nonprofit organizations that help landowners find viable ways to protect their lands. These efforts include conservation easements (permanent deed restrictions) and acquiring land outright for conservation reasons or to maintain working farms, forests, or wilderness areas. In the coastal zone, preserving scenic views, public access points, and unique coastal habitats also comes into play.
The nation’s 1,500-plus land trusts have been very successful, having protected more than 9.3 million acres of land.
Initial needs assessments show that coastal land trusts can benefit from many of the same services the Center currently offers to other constituents. To test the waters, the Center is working with a coalition of land conservation organizations in coastal Maine .
Offering a Helping Hand
The Maine Coast Protection Initiative was developed to increase the pace and the quality of land protection in this state. Members have agreed upon common goals and have identified the data, information, and expertise needed to reach those goals.
The NOAA Coastal Services Center is one of over 70 organizations that make up the coalition. Other members include the Land Trust Alliance, the Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and the Maine State Planning Office (which houses the state coastal program).
Thus far the Center has provided funding, organizational support, and Web development assistance. Future contributions will include technical training and geographic information system (GIS) software and hardware. The result will be increased capabilities for the participants, as well as increased support and funding for collaborative efforts that are strategic and regional in focus.
Future Efforts
Lessons learned from Maine will be used as the Center pursues similar partnerships with other land conservation organizations. Initial efforts are underway in northern California . In the Pacific Northwest , the Nature Conservancy received funding to test and improve a GIS-based system for prioritizing conservation and management actions in coastal and marine ecosystems.
Center representatives will also attend the National
Land Conservation Conference to
present sessions on coastal conservation performance
measures and on assessing the use of GIS for an organization.
“Land trust organizations represent some of the most effective coastal management efforts in this country,” says Margaret Davidson, director of the NOAA Coastal Services Center . “We want to do what we can to help them reach their goals.”
To learn more about potential Center land trust partnerships, please contact Lori.Cary-Kothera@noaa.gov.
