Integrated Land-Sea Planning Working Group

Two of the greatest needs for implementing ecosystem-based management (EBM) in coastal-marine environments are the ability to predict the effects of land use/land cover changes (from development, conservation, restoration, disturbance, and succession actions) on marine ecosystems and the ability to mitigate the potential negative impacts of sea level rise and other coastal hazards such as storms and tsunamis on coastal communities and ecosystems.  Few tools have been developed to meet these needs because crossing the land-sea interface requires spatial analyses that incorporate both terrestrial and hydrological processes.  The lack of tools in this area has ramifications for both land use and conservation/restoration planning. The goals of the Integrated Land-Sea Planning Working Group parallel the goals of the EBM Tools Network:

• promote the development of tools for integrated land-sea planning;
• increase awareness of these tools
• promote the effective use of these tools

The philosophy of the working group is that developers of integrated land-sea planning tools and methods should be communicating with potential users of the tools throughout the tool scoping and development process to understand the needs and constraints of tool users and ensure that the tools that they are developing meet those needs and constraints. Some near-term objectives and relevant activities of this working group include:

• Working with potential users of integrated land-sea planning tools and methods (such as municipal officials, natural resource managers, and conservation practitioners) to understand their needs and constraints for tool use and learn how tools can actually be used in EBM process.
• Developing a knowledge base of existing tools and methods for estimating the impact of land use/land cover changes on marine ecosystems.
• Disseminating knowledge of existing tools/methods to EBM practitioners

Please contact Ken Vance-Borland (kenvb at consplan dot net) with questions about or to provide your input on the Integrated Land-Sea Planning Working Group.