Citizen science in shifting sands

April 28, 2020

Sea Grant volunteers in three states track our changing coasts

Story by: Tim Briggs, New Hampshire Sea Grant

In a changing climate, sea-level rise, storm surge and erosion all threaten our coasts’ sandy beaches. How can researchers hope to keep a finger on the pulse of the shifting sands? Across the Sea Grant network, volunteer citizen scientists from local communities are getting involved. Teams from New Hampshire, Maine and California Sea Grant programs brave sub-zero temperatures, gale force winds and packed tourist seasons to collect year-round beach profile data.

Beach profile volunteers survey the contour (or slope) of a beach, monitoring how beaches change over time. Long-term beach profile data are then used by scientists and resource managers to better understand beach dynamics and to make important decisions about beach management.

Read the full, interactive story about how Sea Grant volunteers are helping communities learn more about their valuable beaches and changing coastlines, here.

Group of people removing ghost nets from a beach.

Alabama

Biden-Harris administration invests $27 million to support community-driven marine debris solutions through Investing in America agenda

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced $27 million in funding for projects to prevent and remove marine debris in coastal and Great Lakes communities as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

This funding will support innovative research and foster local coalitions to address urgent marine debris issues by using NOAA Sea Grant’s partnered approach to bring science together with communities for solutions that work.

Shoring up the future, together: Collaborative efforts in coastal resilience across the Mid-Atlantic

Community members and city leaders gathered during a listening session to identify key climate readiness needs in Erie, Pennsylvania during June of 2023. (Photo by

Biden-Harris Administration invests $60 million to build a climate-ready workforce through Investing in America agenda

Today, the Department of Commerce and NOAA announced $60 million in funding to help train and place people in jobs that advance a climate-ready workforce for coastal and Great Lakes states, Tribes and Territories as part of President Biden’s Investing in America agenda under the Inflation Reduction Act. To date, awards like these from President Biden’s Investing in America agenda have created more than 270,000 jobs across the country.

The funding will support nine projects around the nation, with $50 million going directly to the projects and $10 million for technical assistance to support the grantees.