Sustainable Coastal Management

Sustainable coastal management is an initiative taken to control the usage and maintenance of the coastline. Various governments and organizations have taken different steps to ensure better management of the resources found in coastal regions. Some of those strategies include cultural and social wellbeing of people living in those locations, reduction of environmental impacts, and ensuring safety. There are also various resources that governments and organizations require to ensure better coastal management. They include monetary power, enough human resource, and modern technology. Coastal management requires various governmental and organizational approaches to ensure the sustainability of the existing ecosystem.

Previous Approaches to Coastal Management 

Control of the Erosion near the Coastline 

Various experts have identified erosion as one of the main threats to proper coastal management. Erosion results in the movement of soil from higher to lower grounds. Such occurrence can threaten the coastal ecosystem thus making those regions unsustainable to animals and plants. Various factors contribute to erosion near the coastline. First, human activities like cultivation may result in soil moving to lower grounds and making the different coastal regions inhabitable by plants and animals(Gracia, Rangel-Buitrago, Oakley, & Williams, 2018). For instance, erosion may cause the movement of acidic soil thus inhibiting the growth of coastal plants. It may also result in the death of marine animals which form part of the coastal ecosystem. Secondly, natural factors like floods may also cause erosion by water moving the soil to the coastal regions. Such occurrences can pollute those areas and thus endangering marine life. Governments and institutions have previously responded to this problem by developing strategies that minimize erosion. First, they have formulated laws and guidelines that control particular human activities in regions near the coastline (Lu et al., 2018). This strategy ensures that people practice safe cultivation to avoid the movement of the soil to the coastal regions. The government may also ban the use of certain farm inputs to prevent the pollution of the coastal ecosystem.

Fig. 1. Coastal erosion. Courtesy of https://www.films.com/ecTitleDetail.aspx?TitleID=53012 

Employment of Different Personnel for the Coastal Management 

The government may develop various strategies like formulating laws and regulations that govern the use of coastal resources. However, it will need different personnel to ensure that such guidelines are followed. Many governments have trained and recruited people on proper coastal management thus protecting the ecosystem around such areas. Such individuals may be entrusted with inspecting human activities around coastal regions to determine the ones causing pollution (Yee, Carriger, Bradley, Fisher, & Dyson, 2015). That personnel is also responsible for developing strategies the government can use in bringing sustainability to coastal regions. Having enough human resources for the management of coastal life will lead to improved care for the marine ecosystem. Governments have also been sponsoring research projects to equip the coastal management personnel with better skills.

Coastal management Plan and Legislation 

The government has realized the need to formulate plans that outline the measures to take in protecting the coastal ecosystem. It has achieved this goal by employing experts who undertake researches on the status of the coastline (Godschalk & Burns, 2019). Some of the duties that personnel can do include the assessment of the level of pollution, compiling a report on the issue, and communicating their findings to the relevant bodies. Experts can also formulate recommendations for the actions the government can undertake in protecting the coastal ecosystem. With such information in place, the relevant bodies can implement the appropriate measures that will guarantee the survival of the population occupying the coastline(Masud, Aldakhil, Nassani, & Azam, 2017). The government can also formulate legislations that govern the use of coastal resources. Such regulations include the mode of construction and the number of activities people can undertake within the coastline. The government may also zone certain areas where human beings can occupy to prevent further pollution or conflict between people and marine species.

Fig. 2. Coastal zoning. Courtesy of https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0308597X18301830 

My Intended Approaches 

Educating Communities Living near the Coastline 

Many governments have undertaken protective measures without realizing the need to educate the local communities in the coastal region. This assumption has led to the continuous pollution of the coastline thus endangering the ecosystem. First, the government and organizations can educate people on the proper interaction with marine species to prevent conflicts. Individuals will realize the need to protect the coastal ecosystem for their benefit and that of other species. Therefore, people will only engage in activities that guarantee the survival of other marine organisms. For instance, human beings will avoid using farm inputs like fertilizer and pesticides which can poison animals and plants near the coastline(Drakou et al., 2017). Secondly, the government and organizations can educate the coastal communities on proper waste management. Pollution has been identified as a major threat to the sustainability of the coastal ecosystem thus the need to control it. People living on the coastline may lack knowledge on proper waste disposal and therefore endanger the marine species. Such strategies will ensure better coexistence between various members of the coastal community while avoiding conflicts.

Tourism Management 

Coastlines are major tourist attractions as many people flock to such regions to enjoy warm weather and beaches. Therefore, visitors to such areas interact with different marine species and thus affecting them either positively or negatively. For instance, tourists may contribute to pollution by improper disposal of waste materials on the beach. Such materials may cause the death of marine animals. Interaction with various species on the coastline may also pose a threat to people by causing harm or death. This phenomenon may negatively affect tourism which is a major economic factor to every country. Therefore, the government needs to formulate proper tourism management plans that will ensure better interaction between visitors and various marine species. First, it can zone different locations for tourism while discouraging visits to others. This strategy will prevent conflicts that might occur during the interaction of people and different marine species. For instance, the government may fence areas where dangerous animals are likely to attack people. It may also prevent tourists from visiting different locations to prevent further pollution which may negatively affect sustainability on the coastline. Secondly, the relevant governmental bodies can train different personnel on tourism management to protect visitors and local communities in a given coastal region. Such individuals can guide tourists in different locations and the activities they can undertake in such areas.

Fig. 3. Coastal tourism. Courtesy. https://www.euneighbours.eu/en/south/stay-informed/news/sustainable-management-mediterranean-coastal-areas-eu-project-report 

Appropriate Budgetary Allocation 

Every plan requires enough and appropriate resources to ensure timely implementation. Therefore, there is a need for the government to allocate the required funds for sustainable coastal management to enable the proper formulation and implementation of various strategies. First, the government may require the services of different personnel thus incurring a particular amount as labor cost. Lack of enough funds means that the human resource will be inadequate thus a delay in plan formulation and implementation. Secondly, the government may require physical resources like machinery and other equipment to undertake various activities like proper waste management and protection of the coastal ecosystem. Governmental bodies may also require particular amount of funds to acquire advanced technology in sustainable coastal management.

Conclusion 

Coastal management requires various governmental and organizational approaches to ensure the sustainability of the existing ecosystem. Some of the previous strategies various bodies employed include control of erosion near the coastline, employment of different personnel, and passing various legislations to guide the use of resources in such areas. However, there is a need for tourism management, education of the local communities, and appropriate budgetary allocation. The public and the private sector also need to cooperate in bringing sustainability to coastal management. This cooperation ensures better policy formulation and implementation.

References 

Drakou, E. G., Liquete, C., Beaumont, N., Boon, A., Viitasalo, M., & Agostini, V. (2017). Mapping Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Services. In Mapping Ecosystem Services . https://doi.org/10.3897/ab.e12837 

Godschalk, D. R., & Burns, C. J. (2019). Coastal zone management. In Encyclopedia of Ocean Sciences . https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.11378-8 

Gracia, A., Rangel-Buitrago, N., Oakley, J. A., & Williams, A. T. (2018). Use of ecosystems in coastal erosion management. Ocean and Coastal Management . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2017.07.009 

Lu, Y., Yuan, J., Lu, X., Su, C., Zhang, Y., Wang, C., … Sweijd, N. (2018). Major threats of pollution and climate change to global coastal ecosystems and enhanced management for sustainability. Environmental Pollution . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2018.04.016 

Masud, M. M., Aldakhil, A. M., Nassani, A. A., & Azam, M. N. (2017). Community-based ecotourism management for sustainable development of marine protected areas in Malaysia. Ocean and Coastal Management . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2016.11.023 

Yee, S. H., Carriger, J. F., Bradley, P., Fisher, W. S., & Dyson, B. (2015). Developing scientific information to support decisions for sustainable coral reef ecosystem services. Ecological Economics . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2014.02.016