Almost every part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has been involved in Hurricanes Katrina and Rita preparation, response, and recovery. From forecasting their paths, to supporting rescue and recovery efforts, to helping reopen important ports and waterways, to assessing the storms’ environmental impacts, NOAA has been quietly working behind the scenes during these terrible natural disasters.
The NOAA Coastal Services Center is no exception. For instance, to help assess the crushing effects of Hurricane Katrina, the Center provided the Federal Emergency Management Agency with remotely sensed data records of the affected Gulf Coast region. These data were used as a baseline to estimate the damage to natural and man-made environments.
In this edition of Coastal Services, we cover the impacts of Katrina on Mississippi’s Nest in Peace project, a model local stewardship program coordinated by the Mississippi Coast Audubon Society. In the article, we hear how Mississippi Audubon plans to respond to the storm interruption by making the program bigger and better.
In addition, the article examines the opportunity the storm is providing
for environmental groups and regulators
to rebuild beaches with habitat and storm protection in mind, and to help spur
the state’s economic recovery through ecotourism.
In the cover story of this edition of Coastal Services, you will learn about a possible new coastal resource management tool for marine conservation and restoration.
Washington State Department of Natural Resources, with help from the Nature Conservancy, has drafted what may be the nation’s first state policy to allow leases of submerged lands to protect them from degradation.
Other articles look at the Lake Erie Information: Discussion Board, an on-line venue for fishermen, boaters, and others with technical questions about the lake and its resources to get answers directly from Ohio Sea Grant extension staff members, and the Gray’s Reef Ocean Film Festival, which has become that national marine sanctuary’s primary outreach event.
We hope that you find the information in this and every edition of Coastal Services interesting and useful.
-- Margaret A. Davidson
