States / Alabama
Alabama
Coastal Management
The focus is on managing coastal areas to increase resilience, with an emphasis on balancing environmental, economic, and human wellbeing. Mandated by the Coastal Zone Management Act, the two federal programs designed for this task are the National Coastal Zone Management Program and the National Estuarine Research Reserve System. Programs are administered, on the federal side, by NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, in partnership with the coastal states.
State Programs
Coastal Zone Management
Alabama Coastal Management Program. Approved by NOAA in 1979 and managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, State Lands Division, Coastal Section. The program’s policies are implemented in the legislatively defined Alabama coastal area, which extends from the continuous 10-foot contour seaward to the 3-mile limit in Mobile and Baldwin counties.
National Estuarine Research Reserves
Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Established in 1986 and managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the site comprises 9,317 acres and contains upland and bottomland hardwood forests, salt and freshwater marshes, submerged aquatic vegetation, and unique bog habitats. Efforts include long-term environmental monitoring, research, training, and educational programs, and comprehensive site stewardship. (See handout)
Impact Stories
Stories that showcase the recent work of this state's coastal management efforts.
- Designing Perdido Creek Floodplain Restoration to Improve Resiliency and Wildlife Habitat
- Shoreline Restoration to Enhance Coastal Resilience within the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
- Conservation of Coastal Pine Savanna and Emergent Marsh Habitat on West Fowl River, Mississippi Sound in Mobile County, Alabama
- Conservation in the Weeks Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, Baldwin County, Alabama
- Gulf Coast Towns Lower Flood Insurance Rates, with NOAA’s Help
- NOAA Gulf Coast Resilience Grants Go Far
- Blue Carbon Enterprises Lessen Climate Change Damage
- Befriending Coastal Birds
- Expanding Coastal Opportunities for People with Disabilities
Additional Resources
*Fast Fact Sources:
People: American Community Survey Five-Year Estimates
Beaches and Estuaries: Shoreline Mileage of the United States
Employment and Economy:
Marine Economy for the Coastal U.S.
States
Marine Economy for the U.S. Territories