Impact Stories

Looking to the Past to Shape Future Estuaries

The Takeaway: Historical maps and elevation data reveal how 30 of the nation’s estuaries have changed over time–and where they could be in the future.

Delaware’s Coastal Management Fellow Develops Tool to Personalize Flood Adaptation

The Takeaway: A NOAA Coastal Management Fellow developed the I-ADAPT tool to help Delaware residents and businesses better prepare their properties for flooding through personalized recommendations.

Eastern Shore Barrier Island Stabilization and Marsh Habitat Engineering Design and Permitting in Virginia

Assessing Nature-Based Solutions to Improve Flood Hazard Management for the Tulalip Tribes

Increasing Resilience of Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island Through Living Shorelines

Building Resiliency and Restoring Critical Habitat in a Northern California Dune System

Designing Providence Riverwalk to Improve Resilience and Habitat of Woonasquatucket River, Rhode Island

Community-Driven Site Assessment and Preliminary Design of Flood Buyout Lands in New York

Building Capacity for Tidal Marsh and Sand Island Restoration on Maryland’s Eastern Shore

Hydraulic Reconnection to Restore Salmonid Habitat at Thomas’ Eddy, Washington

Enhancing Riparian Ecosystems with Nature-Based Infrastructure to Improve Coastal Resilience in Texas

Restoration and Protection of Coastal Wetlands in Village of Kotlik, Alaska

Conducting Data Inventory and Needs Assessment in Orleans Parish for Living Shoreline

Restoring Tidal Wetlands to Improve Shorebird Habitat, Erosion Control and Flood Protection

Planning for Nature-Based Forest and Wetland Restoration along the Delaware River

Developing Final Designs for Siuslaw Estuary Tidal Wetlands Restoration

Designing Habitat Restoration and Tribal Resilience Efforts within the Nisqually River Delta

Restoration of an Urban Stream to Create a Holistic Stream, Wetland, and Shoreline Complex

Building Capacity for Edmonds Marsh and Estuary Restoration

Constructing Stormwater Wetland to Improve Flood Management and Water Quality in Norfolk

Developing Final Designs for Buffalo Creek Floodplain Reconnection in the Town of West Seneca

Building Community Capacity for Coastal Resilience Planning in Atlantic Coastal Plain

Designing Floodplain and Tidal Marsh Habitat in Yolo Bypass through Berm Removal

Protecting Infrastructure and Restoring Fish Habitat in the Hudson River Estuary

Designing Coastal Habitat Enhancements for Community and Habitat Resilience

Reconnecting Floodplains to Reduce Flood Risk in Coastal Communities

Engaging Citizens in Seekonk River Climate Resilience and Habitat Restoration Planning

Building Coastal Resilience in the Underserved Communities of Southside Norfolk

Restoring Swan Creek to Address Channel Erosion and Improve Salmon Habitat

Utilizing Living Shoreline Techniques to Reduce Erosion in Hoopersville Village District

Preliminary Design for Marsh and Mangrove Restoration in Bayou Thunder and Bay Ronfleur

Restoring Hempstead Bay for Community Resilience and Improved Habitat Quality

Planning Coastal Resiliency for the Community and Environment along the Fox River

Implementing Living Shoreline at Wagon Hill Farm

Building Capacity for a Community-Driven Coastal Resilience Plan in St. James Parish

Designing Renaturalization of Historic Streams in Moss Point, Mississippi

Stronger, Together: Expanding Climate Adaptation Technical Assistance for Frontline Alaska Native Communities

Climate Resilience and Risk Reduction in the U.S. Virgin Islands

Enhancing the United Houma Nation’s Short-, Mid-, and Long-Term Coastal Resilience

Resilient Maine: Local Adaptation and Resilience Actions at a Coastwide Scale

Regional Adaptation for Climate Resilience of Monterey Bay Coastal Communities

Building a Climate Ready New Jersey

The Washington State Coastal Climate Resilience Initiative: Accelerating Implementation of 20 Years of Partnership Efforts

ʻĀina Restoration through Community Governance to Advance Climate Resilience in the Hawaiian Islands

Community Leadership Paves the Way to Promising Erosion Treatment

The Takeaway: A project that mimics aspects of cobble sand beaches virtually stopped the erosion of shoreline uplands in pilot studies aided by NOAA and Washington State’s coastal zone management program.

Bristol Bay Climate Adaptation Planning Program

Bristol Bay Guardians

Growing Regional Resilience Coordination on Aquidneck Island

Regional Collaboration for Better Resilience Outcomes in the Puget Sound Basin

Building Resilience to Extreme Weather in Northeast Ohio

Southwest Louisiana and Central Acadiana Resilient Future

Strengthening Opportunities for Adaptive Response

Enabling Meaningful Progress for Water Equity and Resilience through the Greater New Orleans Regional Water Plan

Advancing Regional Climate Resilience for Minnesota’s Lake Superior Coastal Region

Accelerating Natural Flood Management in the Lake Superior Basin

Leveraging Cooperative Extension to Build an Enduring Capacity for Equitable and Inclusive Resilience in Rural Agricultural Communities across Coastal Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware

Volunteers Help Monitor, Clean Up Ohio Beaches

The Takeaway: A partnership effort deployed local residents to address marine debris on Lake Erie.

Restoring the Wasson Creek Watershed from Ridgetop to Estuary

The Takeaway: A Bipartisan Infrastructure Award is supporting a watershed-scale restoration in the nation’s first National Estuarine Research Reserve.

Flooding Reduction and Habitat Creation through Tidal Wetland Restoration in Novato Creek

Designing Buttonwood Brook Dam Removal and Riparian Restoration

Creating Final Design and Permitting for a Living Shoreline at Martha Randolph Stevens Park

Developing Flood Resilience through Salt Marsh Restoration and Green Infrastructure

Designing Perdido Creek Floodplain Restoration to Improve Resiliency and Wildlife Habitat

Designing a Resilient India Basin Shoreline Park

Coastal Resilience and Wildlife Habitat Restoration at Hammock River Marsh

Advancing Coastal Resilience through Salt Marsh Restoration in the Maryland Coastal Bays

Building Capacity to Conserve Salt Marsh Habitat within Coastal Communities

Constructing Living Shorelines and Marsh Terraces to Enhance Community Resilience

Summer Internship Program Fosters Homegrown Environmental Stewards in the Northern Mariana Islands

The Takeaway: The internship provides opportunities for local students to grow into environmental careers on the islands.

Habitat Restoration and Protection to Enhance Salt Marsh Resilience to Sea Level Rise in the Wells Research Reserve

South Fenwick Island Parcel Additions to the ACE Basin Reserve

Padilla Bay Coastal Prairie Restoration

Upper Bass River Coastal Habitat Restoration Project

Shoreline Restoration to Enhance Coastal Resilience within the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Dune Restoration, Community Outreach, and Capacity-Building Project at Hanapēpē Salt Pond, Kaua‘i, Hawai‘i

Restore Oyster Reef Habitat in the Mullica River-Great Bay Estuary through Expanded Atlantic City Shell Recycling Program

Gibiskising Minis Azhe-dibinaweziwin

Mingo Creek Tract for Black River State Park

Southbridge East Habitat Restoration Planning Project

Increasing Resilience of Public Access, Passive Recreation, and Habitat on Winnapaug Pond

Protection and Restoration of Ayres Point Oyster Reefs

Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Valley Creek Corridor

Ola i ka Loʻi Wai (Life through Indigenous Knowledge)

Gile Flowage Land Conservation Project

Popes Creek Waterfront Park Living Shoreline Design

Rancho Cañada Floodplain Restoration Project

Conserving Tidal Wetlands in the Coquille River

Planning for Resilient Restoration of Scarborough Marsh

Lanier Boulevard Flood Resiliency through Acquisition Project

Owl Creek Habitat Restoration Project, Phase Two

Conservation of Collins Creek Confluence and Ocean Shoreline

Using Restored Tidal Flow to Combat Migratory Fish Decline and Increase Climate Resilience

Manatee River Corridor Acquisition

Combined Hydrology, Water Quality, and Botanical Characterization to Guide Coastal Wetland Restoration and Management

Puritan Bog Coastal Wetland Restoration Project

Elk River Estuary Restoration: Final Design, Permitting, and Construction

Integrated Resilience Strategy for the Padilla Bay Coastal Community

Little River Neck and Waites Island—Merrill Boyce Tracts

Conservation and Restoration of Biodiverse Chowan Watershed to Provide Climate Resilience, Tribal Collaboration, and Public Access

Designing the Smith Cove Environmental Justice Project

Engaging Southern Lake Erie Community on Development of a Coastal Resilience Plan

Chicago-Calumet River Shallows Restoration

Developing Final Designs to Mitigate Sea Level Rise and Wetland Loss for Louisiana’s Coastal Tribes

Designing Innovative Nature-Based Solutions to Improve Habitat and Build Resiliency in Kake, Alaska

Floodplain Restoration and Waterbird Habitat Enhancement in Hanalei, Hawaii

Developing Preliminary Floodplain Restoration Designs in Elk and Indian Creeks

Restoring Fish Passage and Coastal Resilience in Del Norte County, California

Building Community Capacity for Restoration in the Arthur Kill-Upper Bay Watershed

Equity through Final Design and Permitting Technical Assistance for Coastal Communities

Developing a Coastal Resilience Plan for Southern Delaware

Rating Marsh Resilience

The Takeaway: This natural resource continues to decline. To help prioritize conservation efforts, a study by the National Estuarine Research Reserve System projects marsh survival rates.

Expanding the Network of Protected Lands along South Carolina’s Black River

The Takeaway: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law funding will expand South Carolina’s Black River land conservation effort and protect 1,800 acres of floodplain for enhanced flood protection, water quality, wildlife habitat, and recreational opportunities.

Issaquah Creek Instream Restoration at Lake Sammamish State Park, Washington

Supporting the Penobscot Nation's involvement in the Northeast Regional Ocean Council

Makah Ocean Data and Management Capacity, Data Sovereignty, and Student Engagement

Capacity Building for Chumash Tribal Engagement in the West Coast Ocean Alliance

Designing Ridge to Reef Resilience in Coral Bay to Mitigate Flood Risk to Critical Assets

Implementing a Living Shoreline along Magazine Point at Naval Air Station Pensacola

Restoration and Protection of Coastal Wetlands in Village of Kotlik

Improving our Coasts with High-Resolution Land Cover Data

The Takeaway: High-resolution land cover data is now available through NOAA’s Digital Coast. This data provides communities with the foundational data needed to assess coastal resources, analyze land use, prepare for disaster risks, and adapt to a changing climate.

Transforming New York’s Hudson Riverbanks

The Takeaway: A project led by the Hudson River National Estuarine Research Reserve is transforming New York’s riverbanks cost-effectively with nature-based strategies.

Partnership Preserves Over 400 Acres of Public Game Lands in North Carolina

The Takeaway: A collaborative effort funded under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has secured and preserved a 400 acre waterfront property in Pamlico County, ensuring wildlife habitat conservation and public access for outdoor activities in the Goose Creek Game Lands.

Restoring Padilla Bay’s Vital Tidal Marsh

The Takeaway: The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law allowed the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve to acquire and safeguard 74.5 acres of vital tidal marshland in Washington, aiding in the larger endeavor to revive up to 105 acres of the area’s tidal marshes.

Record-Breaking Eelgrass Restoration in Virginia's Eastern Shore

The Takeaway: Bipartisan Infrastructure Law-funded eelgrass restoration in Virginia’s Burtons Bay has revitalized critical habitat and fortified coastal resilience.

Maine Restores Sand Dunes with Reclaimed Trees

The Takeaway: Innovative sand dune restoration along Maine’s coastline employs reclaimed trees to fortify eroded areas, showcasing successful collaborative efforts between local authorities and environmental agencies.

Northeast States Collaborate on Ocean Mapping Priorities, Garnering National Attention

The Takeaway: A collaborative effort of northeastern states ensures that crucial priority areas of the ocean floor receive thorough mapping attention.

Maine's CoastWise Approach for Climate-Resilient Tidal Crossings

The Takeaway: After years of effort, Maine published the CoastWise Approach manual, a guide featuring best practices, decision-making tools, and a pathway for designing climate-resilient tidal crossings that are cost-effective and ecologically friendly.

Michigan Preserves White Lake’s Water Quality through Community Engagement

The Takeaway: Several Michigan communities came together to raise awareness about the dangers of septic systems polluting White Lake, creating campaigns that helped property owners take an active role in self-inspection and preventing pollution.

Quinault Indian Nation Participation and Engagement with the West Coast Ocean Alliance, a Regional Ocean Partnership

Enhancing Data Management Capacity among the Columbia River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, its Four Member Tribes, and the West Coast Ocean Alliance

Enhancing the Makah Tribe’s Engagement in Regional Ocean Planning and Management

Quileute Indian Tribe Real-Time Hypoxia Monitoring Moorings

Ohio Preserves Chagrin River Habitat

The Takeaway: The Chagrin River Floodplain Land Conservation Project has preserved 105 acres of habitat, contributing to a growing conservation corridor under NOAA’s Climate-Ready Coasts initiative.

Empowering Educators through Living Laboratories

The Takeaway: The Teachers on the Estuary program offers educators a way to access hands-on learning experiences at the Tijuana River Research Reserve. This effort enhances science education and promotes estuary stewardship for the next generation.

Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe's Return to the River

The Takeaway: The Upper Mattaponi Tribe’s historic reclamation of its ancestral lands along the Mattaponi River in Virginia not only preserves the tribe’s heritage but also ignites a visionary environmental stewardship, fostering harmony between tradition, culture, and ecological restoration.

Now You See Them: Wetland Wildlife on the Move

The Takeaway: Scientists across the National Estuarine Research Reserve System have conducted the first-ever North American inventory of coastal wetland wildlife using 140 cameras in 29 estuaries.

Reviving Georgia’s Coastal Salt Marshes

The Takeaway: With the alignment of local and federal funding, the healing of Georgia’s salt marshes is underway as the Army Corps of Engineers corrects decades of environmental damage caused by the logging industry, with initial restoration efforts showing improvements to water flow and natural features.

Tybee Island’s Dune Restoration Project Sets New Standard for Coastal Resilience

The Takeaway: Tybee Island restores eroding dunes using native plantings and innovative monitoring methods, leading to nationwide recognition and providing resources for other coastal resilience efforts.

New Wetland Park in Delaware Solves Decades of Flooding Issues

The Takeaway: A formerly contaminated area in Delaware has been turned into a park that restores and enhances existing wetlands, provides a recreation area for the community, and hosts a stormwater management facility that reduces flooding.

Virginia Balances Economic Growth and Ecological Preservation through Ecotourism

The Takeaway: All told, Virginia has invested over $2.8 million in about 100 ecotourism planning and infrastructure projects over the years, with an impressive economic return of almost 12 times that investment.

Immersive Nature Tours at California’s Tijuana River Reserve

The Takeaway: Expertly guiding participants along the Tijuana River Reserve’s trails, Ron Peterson, a docent who is blind, showcases nature’s wonders beyond the realm of sight. Through his distinct perspective, he illustrates how engaging other senses deepens the connection with native plants.

A Path Forward; Codesigning Habitat Protection and Restoration and Community Resilience

Beach Restoration to Create Habitat and Protect Tidal Salt Marsh Buffers within the Bay Point Area of Lawrence Township

Conservation of Coastal Pine Savanna and Emergent Marsh Habitat on West Fowl River, Mississippi Sound in Mobile County, Alabama

Enhancing Climate Resilience through Coastal Ecosystem Restoration in Elkhorn Slough

Restoring and Strengthening Resilience of Maui Nui Reefs

Conservation of Peatlands near Kachemak Bay

Establishing Regional Restoration Visions and Identifying Projects within the Lake Superior Headwaters Sustainability Partnership Region

Improving the Resilience of Salt Marsh Ecosystems within the ACE Basin through the Creation of Intertidal Oyster Reef Habitat

Conservation of Cape Foulweather Headland, an Icon of the Central Oregon Coast

Coastal Habitat Resilience and Community Adaptation in Downeast Maine

Truro Pamet River Restoration

Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary Stream and Shoreline Restoration

Henderson Creek Hydrologic Restoration Project

Coastal Conservation at Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Cameron Parish, Louisiana

Creating a Multi-Beneficial Stormwater Park Using Nature-Based Solutions

Improving Coastal Wetland Resilience within the Narragansett Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve

Protection and Restoration of a Bird Nesting Island in Aransas Bay

Mangrove, Seagrass, and Coral Restoration in the Vieques Bioluminescent Bay Natural Reserve

Graveyard Spit Restoration and Resilience Project

Conservation in the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Baldwin County, Alabama

Ossabaw Island Living Shoreline: A Collaboration to Model Resiliency through Ecosystem Restoration

Critical Conservation for Climate Resilience in the Northeast Florida Blueway

Manchester Central Street Bridge Replacement and Sawmill Brook Restoration Project

American Samoa Wetlands Delineation

Acquisition of 2,001 Acres Protects Wisconsin’s Sand River Headwaters

The Takeaway: This significant acquisition is providing critical ecological benefits and promoting community resilience efforts.

Revolutionary Land Cover Data for Alaska

The Takeaway: This is the first time Alaska’s coastal zone has been mapped in this way. The NOAA-provided land cover data promises to be a game changer for those who want to protect this coast.

New Hampshire Towns Benefit from Tidal Crossing Flood Reduction Project

The Takeaway: A $2.9 million project will replace three small tidal culverts with larger, upgraded structures to reduce flood risk and provide other benefits.

Indiana Coast Comes Alive in Poster Series, with NOAA’s Help

The Takeaway: Full-color ecosystem portraits draw thousands of teachers, students, and outdoor explorers to a coastal stewardship message.

Program Draws People of Faith to Stories of Illinois Coast

The Takeaway: Thousands took part in the “Migration & Me,” program spotlighting the journeys of butterflies, bees, and people, with support from the Illinois Coastal Management Program.

Trail Heralds New Possibilities for Pennsylvania City

The Takeaway: An outdoor haven for walkers, runners, and cyclists adorns the City of Chester, which is designated an “environmental justice community” by the state.

Lake St. Clair in Michigan Sports Accessible Floating Dock, Launch, and Walkway

The Takeaway: This project brings the Michigan Coastal Program’s total water trail investments to $1.5 million, affecting 4,000-plus miles of scenic wonders.

Texas Scientists Investigate Record-High Numbers of Stranded Loggerhead Turtles

The Takeaway: The Mission-Aransas Research Reserve joins forces with other scientists aiding loggerhead rescue, rehabilitation, and research into stranding causes.

Gulf Coast Towns Lower Flood Insurance Rates, with NOAA’s Help

The Takeaway: Dozens of communities in three states get the information they need to boost hazard resilience and drive down flood insurance costs.

NOAA Gulf Coast Resilience Grants Go Far

The Takeaway: Five communities gained the assessments they need to guide resilience action, thanks to NOAA funds and community partners.

Restoration Efforts for Great Lakes Shoreline

The Takeaway: This shoreline report, co-authored by a Digital Coast scientist, makes plain the critical importance of NOAA’s nature-based restoration projects in the Great Lakes region.

Coastal Zone Management Makes a Difference

The Takeaway: The Coastal Zone Management Act has guided this nation’s approach to how we protect coastal economies and natural resources. These programs have served us for fifty years and continue to do so.

Massachusetts Map Tours Boost Accessibility, Safety, Program Transparency

The Takeaway: These colorful virtual tours, filled with facts, welcome everyone who has felt left out of coastal adventures and cast a bright light on a state coastal zone management program’s importance.

Virginia Collaborative Promotes Economic Perks of Lower Chickahominy Conservation

The Takeaway: The Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program and partners—buoyed by evidence that conservation funnels millions of extra dollars into the local economy—have signed a memorandum of understanding that promotes ecotourism’s economic benefits and helps preserve Indigenous and ecological assets.

Wade into Estuary Recreation at a Research Reserve

The Takeaway: Paddling azure waterways. Casting a line for that delectable campsite dinner. Spying an elusive warbler in a birder’s paradise. These adventures and many more await.

NOAA’s Historical Hurricane Tracks Tool

The Takeaway: This popular tool pulls in a wide net of users, from vacation planners and storm-history buffs to technical experts modeling storm risks.

North Carolina Oyster Farms Provide Several Ecosystem Benefits

The Takeaway: A research team’s discoveries are helping agencies and committees guide oyster aquaculture expansion in the state.

NOAA Helps Maine Communities Assess, and Expand, Working Waterfront Economy

The Takeaway: NOAA’s economic-analysis resources and workshops uncover the power of working waterfronts.

North Carolina Partners Analyze and Address Stormwater Pollution Threats

The Takeaway: Participants in this research reserve partnership project sized up the nature of the threat and produced resources designed to lessen risks for outdoor-recreation fans and the Rachel Carson portion of the North Carolina Research Reserve.

Introducing First-Generation College Students to Science-based Careers

The Takeaway: The “Step into STEM” mentoring and workshop series, initiated and co-led by a Margaret A. Davidson Fellow, guided these students on crucial first steps toward science, technology, engineering, and math careers.

NOAA Strengthens Resilience Before, During, and After Disasters

The Takeaway: NOAA initiatives and state partnership programs are making a difference throughout the nation’s coastal zone.

Oregon Adds Emergency-Supplies Guide to Disaster Resilience Efforts

The Takeaway: Already, 10 jurisdictions have incorporated tsunami considerations for safer land-use plans. Now, all of Oregon’s coastal communities have “disaster cache” guidance to increase local survival odds in the wake of tsunamis and earthquakes.

Delaware’s Climate Action Plan Takes Off

The Takeaway: The Delaware Coastal Management Program helped develop the plan, and public-private leaders have embraced it, proposing initiatives that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and fast-track adaptation steps.

NOAA Cheers Citizen Scientists

The Takeaway: These coastal volunteers walk the talk of science and stewardship by gathering data to help ecosystems remain vibrant and communities grow more resilient.

Blue Plan Maximizes Coastal Coordination, Minimizes Conflict

The Takeaway: This inventory of the natural resources and uses of the Long Island Sound represents a guide for the future.

Largest-Ever West Coast Oyster Data Map

The Takeaway: The findings could spark restoration efforts that are much more strategic and effective, thanks to project leaders and partners that include California’s Elkhorn Slough Research Reserve.

Blue Carbon Enterprises Lessen Climate Change Damage

The Takeaway: Coastal wetlands research, restoration, tools, data, workshops, and partners—NOAA brings every blue carbon asset to the fight against climate-change-related hazards and harm.

NOAA Research Reserve Receives Enthusiastic Welcome in Connecticut

The Takeaway: NOAA’s Connecticut National Estuarine Research Reserve, the nation’s 30th, signals an exhilarating new era for the state’s coastal education, research, and ecotourism sectors.

NOAA’s “Green” Expertise Meets New Infrastructure Era

The Takeaway: Some U.S. infrastructure funding that is headed NOAA’s way will maximize the benefits of nature to lessen climate change damage.

Befriending Coastal Birds

The Takeaway: At a critical time for many species, NOAA collaborates with partners to protect coastal bird habitats and populations.

Native Americans Play Critical Roles in Many NOAA Projects

The Takeaway: We take a look at the great things that can happen when NOAA and Indigenous communities work together on coastal issues.

NOAA Boosts Coastal Hardiness

The Takeaway: The agency and its partners help coastal communities lessen hazard dangers, curb carbon emissions, and protect the coast’s environmental and economic assets.

3D Model of Bay Sheds Light on Eelgrass Restoration Strategies

The Takeaway: A NOAA-supported analysis of California’s Morro Bay estuary found links between seagrass collapse and later erosion that will inform bay-area adaptation strategies and could influence global seagrass conservation strategies.

Programs Improve Public Access for All

The Takeaway: NOAA safeguards coastal public access and inclusive adventures through the efforts of the National Coastal Zone Management Program and National Estuarine Research Reserve System.

Environmental Educators Tailor Lessons to Diverse Student Needs

The Takeaway: Students of the coast love to learn when educators reach them where they are—whether that’s online, in the field, or through the wisdom of their own culture and stewardship traditions.

Four Research Reserves Produce $165 Million in Yearly Economic Benefits

The Takeaway: The four Florida and Oregon reserves studied feature innovative programs and a combined 423,475 acres of habitat, all of which keep nature-based businesses, researchers, and nonprofits humming along.

NOAA Provides Assistance to Coastal Communities

The Takeaway: Some U.S. coastal communities have plentiful data for creating robust resilience plans. Others are struggling to catch up. NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management is focused on providing equal access to the data, tools, and expertise they deserve.

First-Ever Carbon-Offset Initiative by U.S. Pro Football Team

The Takeaway: The Philadelphia Eagles football team will expand mangrove and seagrass restoration efforts at Puerto Rico’s Jobos Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in order to offset travel-related emissions, in a partnership with the Ocean Conservancy and The Ocean Foundation.

Report Card Increases Stewardship of Galveston Bay Ecosystem

The Takeaway: Data on saltwater and freshwater wetland losses, from the Digital Coast, inform this scientific analysis and the stewardship actions that follow.

Digital Coast Informs Texas Decisions on Conserving Bird Habitat

The Takeaway: Coastal managers can assist migratory bird survival by learning more about changing marshes, land cover, and sea level rise. Digital Coast data helps.

Ohio Water-Quality Grades Educate and Inspire Action

The Takeaway: “A to F” report cards enlighten residents on the “where” and “what” of water-quality problems, as well as actions to take that could help improve grades.

NOAA Commemorates Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month

The Takeaway: Community pride and the centuries-old practices of Native Pacific Islanders inform several NOAA-supported projects to protect this region’s natural treasures.

Research Reserve Restoration Funds Strengthen Tribal Partnership

The Takeaway: California’s Elkhorn Slough Research Reserve was awarded $1.3 million to safeguard habitat and bolster stewardship efforts in a partnership with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band.

Record Number of Turtles Saved from Cold

The Takeaway: More than 900 cold-stunned sea turtles were rescued and treated, thanks to quick mobilization by Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve staff members and volunteers.

Social Science Course Illuminates “People Part” of Managing the Coast

The Takeaway: In Florida, past course participants are enhancing partnerships to safeguard mangroves and the community benefits that spring from these ecosystems.

Exploring Macroalgae as Renewable Energy Source

The Takeaway: The cultivation of marine macroalgae, such as seaweed and kelp, could benefit both human energy needs and ocean ecology.

The Digital Coast Strengthens Students’ Case Studies

The Takeaway: NOAA’s Sea Level Rise Viewer and other resources deepened student insights on the environmental and societal implications of climate change, and on potential adaptation strategies.

NOAA Report Informs Florida’s “Blue Economy” Strategies

The Takeaway: Study team recommends connecting ocean economy leaders and cultivating businesses and employees in “high return on investment” fields.

MarineCadastre.gov Played a Part in Reef Project’s Success

The Takeaway: Scientists used vessel-traffic data and maps when considering the best test reef spot for boosting the vulnerable Lake Sturgeon population in Michigan.

Grants Bolster Illinois Port District’s Financial and Community Assets

The Takeaway: Funding and assistance by the Illinois Coastal Management Program strengthens operations and helps remedy infrastructure problems.

Illinois Boosts Ecology, Community along Lake Michigan Industrial Corridor

The Takeaway: Habitat restoration, multiuse trails, an accessible kayak launch, a more effective port district—the Illinois Coastal Management Program helps bring a fresh new spirit to this area.

Shipwreck Project Preserves Indiana’s Maritime History

The Takeaway: Researchers conducted a survey of shipwrecks in the coastal waters of Lake Michigan to update records and understand how to continue conserving these underwater museums.

Thirty Years of Horseshoe Crab Surveys Reveal Increase in Species

The Takeaway: Each year since 1990, volunteers from around the Delaware Bay estuary join forces to count and document these important, joint-legged arthropods.

Students Care for Watersheds Using Traditional Hawaiian Practices

The Takeaway: Participants in the Bay Watershed Education and Training program learn that culturally-based practices benefit the Heʻeia community’s environment and quality of life.

Socially Distanced Volunteers Clean Up 9,000-Plus Pounds of Trash

The Takeaway: Much credit for the impressive haul goes to the commonwealth’s coastal zone management program and the volunteers, who followed strict health and safety protocols.

Washington Coastal Resilience Project Ups Hazard Readiness

The Takeaway: New sea level rise projections and guidance are informing community policies, plans, development, and funding projects, with help from NOAA programs and grants.

Redesigned Parking Lot Improves Stormwater Management

The Takeaway: When flooding caused parking and runoff issues, the Florida Coastal Management Program stepped in to fund a parking lot redesign with irrigation, a rain garden, and porous pavement that allows rainwater to pass into the ground below.

Hawaii Scientists Cultivate and Replant Heat-Resistant Corals

The Takeaway: Groundbreaking experiment in coral “assisted evolution” is made possible by the long-term support of NOAA and Hawaii partners.

Alaska’s Digital Coast Fellow Boosts Community Storm Resilience

The Takeaway: Community storm histories, an online tool, and flood-risk maps prompt a $1 million-plus resilience grant to aid 44 additional Alaska Native communities on the hazard frontlines.

NOAA Helps Alaskans Plan for Imminent Threats and Future Resilience

The Takeaway: A project to collect critical water-level information in remote communities is backed by NOAA’s geospatial services contract, technical assistance, and oceanographic data program.

Pandemic Presents No Obstacle to North Carolina’s Achievements

The Takeaway: In a year complicated by quarantine, the state’s research reserve personnel rack up awards and accomplishments.

New Metrics and Models Help Quantify Coastal Ecosystem Benefits

The Takeaway: Research reserves are using these aids to understand and communicate how their projects promote cleaner water, improve resilience, expand habitat, and more.

California Opens Up Public Access in a Big Way

The Takeaway: Adventurers now exploring 1,000-plus miles of land and waterway trails owe much to the three agencies of California’s coastal zone management program.

A Road-Flooding Fix for California State Park

The Takeaway: Park visitors and bayside neighbors will enjoy a safer, more accessible area because a group organized by NOAA’s Science Collaborative studied and rated various adaptation options.

South Carolina Produces Award-Winning Report on Living Shorelines

The Takeaway: Data, case studies, and a decision tree will improve regulations, the permitting process, and the ability of homeowners to select effective treatments for various shoreline conditions.

Digital Coast Program Gets “Blue Carbon” Added to U.S. Emissions Inventory

The Takeaway: In a global first, NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management ensures that the carbon stored in coastal ecosystems is being counted, aiding U.S. conservation efforts, greenhouse gas cuts, and “blue carbon” market trading.

Making Virginia Beach “Sea Level Wise”

The Takeaway: Six-year study details urgently needed adaptation strategies, complete with potential benefits, costs, and challenges.

Coastal Program Chips in to Keep Beaches Clean

The Takeaway: Unspent travel funds from Texas’ coastal zone management program will aid with beach maintenance expenses so local governments are able to keep the public safe as beaches reopen.

California Balances Habitat Conservation with Public Beach Access

The Takeaway: The California Coastal Commission acted on the pleas of local residents in a win for both environmental justice and public health.

Program’s Leadership and Data Maps Lessen Ocean-Use Conflicts

The Takeaway: As offshore wind energy comes to the state, the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program helps a variety of sectors air concerns and document existing ocean uses.

Florida Experiment Lessens Shoreline Damage from High-Energy Waves

The Takeaway: A dual-defense strategy led to a 30- to-90-percent reduction in destructive wave energy.

Role-Play Workshops Accelerate County’s Adaptation Action

The Takeaway: Officials and residents in South Carolina’s Georgetown County practiced working through adaptation-related decisions and trade-offs with the help of a South Carolina research reserve and NOAA’s Science Collaborative program.

New Hampshire “Green Credits” Process Okayed by Two Regulators

The Takeaway: “Credit for Going Green” provides a strategy for earning regulatory credits by installing natural buffers, plus a way to calculate buffer pollution-removal rates, with support from four national estuarine research reserves and NOAA’s Science Collaborative program.

U.S.-Mexico Partners Cut Borderlands Plastic and Marine Debris

The Takeaway: The Tijuana River Research Reserve provides technical assistance and training for the effort.

Fire Safety Initiative Showcases Cultural and Ecological Connections

The Takeaway: Collaboration between Oregon’s South Slough Research Reserve and local tribal groups ensures a maximum use of forest resources and plentiful opportunities for environmental education.

Officials and Tribal Groups Restore Wisconsin Point

The Takeaway: This revitalized Lake Superior peninsula—a win for cultural, ecological, and recreational reasons—was made possible by $1.5 million in grants administered by Wisconsin’s coastal zone management program.

Maryland Hosts New NOAA National Marine Sanctuary

The Takeaway: Mallows Bay-Potomac River National Marine Sanctuary protects wetlands and the nation’s maritime history, aided by the state’s coastal zone management program.

Oregon Reserve’s Paddle Sport Investments Spur Eco-friendly Tourism

The Takeaway: The South Slough Research Reserve’s water trail system, tours, and outreach contribute to a growing South Coast market for canoeing, kayaking, and stand-up paddling adventures.

Protecting Reefs That Boost Resilience and the Economy

The Takeaway: A road improvement partnership on Puerto Rico’s Culebra Island lessens sediment and pollutants that harm this irreplaceable resource.

Rookery Bay Ecotours Are Rewarding, in More Ways Than One

The Takeaway: An innovative public-private partnership supports the work of the Rookery Bay Research Reserve while fostering estuary education and stewardship.

Expanding Coastal Opportunities for People with Disabilities

The Takeaway: Creating sign language for “estuary” and other coastal terms, and trails that accommodate wheelchairs and the needs of the visually impaired—these are just two of the contributions from research reserves and coastal zone management programs.

Learning about Estuarine Ecosystems in American Sign Language

The Takeaway: Three New England research reserves, the Center for Research and Training at The Learning Center for the Deaf, and Boston University created an immersive instructional experience for educators of the Deaf. The benefits keep adding up.

Urban Golf Course-Turned-Wetland Cuts Storm and Flood Impacts

The Takeaway: The project, supported by Texas’ coastal zone management program, provides recreational opportunities and slashes flood risks for thousands of area homes.