| "The main thing we are trying to do is to educate people on the right questions to ask." | |
| Steven Williams, Oregon Coastal Management Program |
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Coastal resource managers know that the nation’s shoreline is ever changing, which can put homes on eroding beaches and bluffs at risk. But many people purchasing coastal property may not know this, and the severe erosion caused by a winter coastal storm can come as a shock.
"We often hear from people who bought oceanfront property in the summer and had no idea of the kinds of environmental forces and dynamics that would be impacting their site," says Steve Williams, coastal shores specialist for the Oregon Coastal Management Program. "Winter comes along and they get elevated sea level rise during a storm with horrendous wind and rain, and the sand gets scoured off the beach, causing erosion problems or sand inundation or flooding."
"After hearing this story time and time again," the Oregon Coastal Management Program partnered with Oregon Sea Grant to create a DVD video that would "grab people’s attention and help people take an interest in coastal hazards," Williams says.
Living on the Edge, Building and Buying Property on the Oregon Coast is intended to influence the behavior of prospective coastal property buyers and builders by giving them a "reality check" on the unique risks that come with developing along the ocean shore, and explaining the steps that should be taken to avoid problems, such as required due diligence and contacting a geologist.
The 25-minute DVD features dramatic video of coastal storms and erosion, as well as interviews with scientific experts, engineers, state and local planners, a mortgage banker, and a realtor. Four 10-minute featurettes go into more detail on coastal hazards and the resources homeowners and builders can tap into.
"The main thing we are trying to do is to educate people on the right questions to ask," Williams says.
While earthquakes and tsunamis are discussed, the primary focus of the DVD is on coastal erosion, accretion, and flooding.
Oregon Sea Grant, Williams notes, had experience creating informational videos, which helped ensure the DVD was professionally done and cost-effective. "Sea Grant did basically all the editing and filming and we provided a grant to help fund it."
Released in October 2005, the DVD is being distributed by the coastal program at no cost to local government planning departments, boards of realtors, homebuilder associations, and chambers of commerce. They also are using it as a training tool for local elected and appointed officials.
"We’re targeting those people who are really involved in the sale and development of coastal property," says Williams. He notes that one city planner is making watching the video a prerequisite for applicants to receive a permit.
Sea Grant is selling the DVD for $9.95 and is helping to promote the video by distributing press releases and advertising on its Web site. Living on the Edge also is available on VHS with subtitles for the hearing impaired.
"This is a really good tool for giving people an overview of coastal hazards," Williams says. "People moving to the coast often don’t have any idea of what to expect. It’s important to educate them and help them make the right decisions."
To purchase the Living on the Edge DVD, point your browser to http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/. For more information on the DVD, contact Steve Williams at (541) 563-5324, or Steve.Williams@state.or.us.
