Better Beach Management
The issues and opportunities facing beaches around the province provide a lens from which to understand broader coastal issues in the province. Their extreme sensitivity to human impacts and intensifying development and recreation pressures mean better beach protection is urgently needed.
On the Front Lines: Strategies for Healthy Beaches in Nova Scotia
The Coastal Issues Committee believes that beaches are “On the Front Lines” in Nova Scotia for at least three reasons:
First of all, because beaches are so squarely in the public eye, both for residents of this province, and to visitors who flock here to find the shores that are featured on our tourist ads and guidebooks. At the same time, flocks of shorebirds including the endangered Piping Plover are attracted to many of the same shores. People are very attached to beaches, and have expressed a lot of care and concern for their health across Nova Scotia. This is evidenced in part by the many community groups have formed around beach protection, wildlife stewardship and access issues.
Secondly, beaches are on the front lines of coastal management, because beaches, - particularly sandy ones- contain diverse wildlife and are incredibly sensitive to human impacts. And, our feeling is, if we can’t get a handle on how to manage for healthy beaches, how will we ever coordinate the sustainable management of our entire 8,000 odd- km of coastline?
Thirdly, but perhaps most importantly, beaches are on the front lines of maybe the biggest environmental challenge we are all facing today- that of climate change. In this small coastal province, healthy beaches with room to move and respond to coastal change are absolutely key to adapting to climate change impacts like rising seas and storm events.
Read More - Publications:
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Beaches on the Front Lines: Ecology Action Centre Says We Must Act Now to Save Scotia’s Troubled Shorelines by Sadie Beaton [pdf 3.3 MB] -March 2, 2009 |
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“True Grit": Ecology Action Centre Hosts Nova Scotia’s First Province-wide Beach Management Workshop by Sadie Beaton (pdf, 3 MB) -November 27, 2008 |
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Natural Resource Strategy Consultation (Coastal)
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Coastal and Water Issues Committee
Phone: (902) 442-5046
Fax: (902) 405-3716
How do you like your coast? Take action on coastal issues that matter to you. The Coastal Issues Committee meets at the EAC on the last Thursday of every month at 5:30PM.
