Coastal Management Fellowship

2005-2007 Fellowship Project Summaries

California: Sara Polgar, from the University of California, Santa Barbara, worked with the San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission (BCDC) to develop a comprehensive plan for the San Francisco Bay Water Trail. Sara led a collaborative planning process with other agencies and organizations to develop policy and implementation recommendations for the Water Trail. Key topics addressed in planning a water trail included trailhead connectivity and design; management structure and funding strategies for development and long-term maintenance of the trail; and education and outreach methods to promote the trail and ensure safe and proper usage by boaters. More information about this project can be found at www.bcdc.ca.gov/water_trail/water_trail.html.

Connecticut: The fellow from the University of Michigan, worked with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection Office of Long Island Sounds Programs (OLISP) to develop techniques to assess the visual impact of proposed development on scenic resources and landscape qualities of Connecticut's coast. The Visual Impact/Visual Assessment (VIVA) project sought to develop legally defensible language about visual impacts and tools to manage the coastal landscape. Phase one of the project entailed research of theory and practice of visual impact assessment. In phase two, Terry created a GIS-based program, checklists, and worksheets to be used by state permit staff members and municipal land use agencies to implement visual resource policies.

Maryland: Lindsay Leiterman, from Duke University, worked with the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Coastal Zone Management Division to develop and distribute a watershed planning toolbox for local governments, watershed organizations, and others to assist them with their watershed planning efforts. Maryland's TOOLS (Targeted Outreach and On-Line Support) strives to increase active management by building capacity among local-level decision makers to independently assess and manage natural resources. Lindsay also oversaw the grants for several Coastal Communities Initiatives (CCI) and provided technical assistance for a CCI by co-writing the text for the environmental chapter. In addition, Lindsay compiled the photos and native plant list for the Denton Pattern Book.

North Carolina: The fellow from the University of California, Santa Cruz, worked with the North Carolina Division of Coastal Management to assess the North Carolina shoreline datum. Patrick conducted a comparison study of the two most commonly used shoreline datums in North Carolina—the wet/dry line and the mean high water (MHW) line—to determine if results of the two methods are interchangeable. He also used a time series of historical data to calculate a long-term rate of shoreline change.