|
Surfrider Foundation Releases Its 4th Annual "State of the Beach" Report
On May 22, the Surfrider Foundation released its 4th annual State of the Beach report. This unique report analyzes the status of beach health across the nation based on several indicators; including water quality, coastline erosion and access to beach and surfing areas. The report covers all twenty-one coastal states and territories where the Surfrider Foundation has chapters, and is by far the most comprehensive single collection of coastal zone information in the nation. The report is published in two versions; a printed version, which functions primarily as an executive summary, and the complete web version, which includes over 500 pages of information.
"Each year the report gets bigger and bigger," says Rick Wilson, co-author of this year's report. "This year we were able to add Alaska to the report. We also were able to expand our state by state coverage, including specific efforts and victories won by our chapters."
Another new feature in this year's report is the inclusion of a "media spotlight", which focuses on an important issue or threat facing America's coastal areas. Surfrider Foundation selected beach access. Four beaches were chosen to exemplify this growing problem. They include Latigo Canyon Beach in Malibu, California, New York City's Rockaway Beach, Texas's Galveston Beach and Ponte Vedra Beach in Florida. Each beach was selected because it represented a slightly different aspect within the larger issue of beach access.
"Privatization is absolutely the number one threat to beach access," explains Wilson. "In many areas of the country, over 75% of the beaches are privately owned and not open to the public. However, you also have other threats, such as arcane or unreasonable laws and ordinances that prohibit swimming or surfing at certain beaches."
As the report illustrates however, beach access is but one threat to our nation's coastal areas.
"Most people simply take for granted that our beaches are healthy, and unfortunately this is not the case," says Chad Nelsen, Surfrider Foundation's Environmental Director and co-author of the report. "While our waves and beaches may appear to be plentiful, they are constantly at risk of being lost due to the construction of seawalls and other armoring projects, erosion and coastal development. And although our ocean waters may look safe to swim or recreate in, they're not. Contamination from urban runoff and non-point source pollution has contributed to our seeing an all-time high for beach closures in 2002. The State of the Beach report is one of the few resources available for people to access and learn about critical issues threatening our oceans, waves and beaches."
Surfrider Foundation's State of the Beach report can be found online at http://www.surfrider.org/stateofthebeach
|
