Resources

This report provides a summary of the Inclusive Coasts Initiative efforts since 2020. It also includes key takeaways from our workshop series and conversations with stakeholders.

A National Blue Carbon Action Plan is a recommendations drafted from the 2021 meeting of the Blue Carbon National Working Group. It includes opportunities for Congress, federal and state agencies, and the Administration to implement sound blue carbon science into national and state policy.

The updated 2021 Report demonstrates there is some good news. We can mitigate the dire impacts of climate change by protecting and restoring our coasts. We also recognize the increased value natural-infrastructure has for coastal communities and the global economy. While estuaries only make up 4% of America’s total landmass, they are home to 40% of the U.S. population and produce 47% of the country’s GDP.

The National Wetland Inventory is a publicly available resource that provides detailed information on the abundance, characteristics, and distribution of the nation’s wetlands.

This study begins to provide a framework for project design by identifying legal considerations for blue carbon offset projects on public coastal wetlands.

The USFWS Coastal Program has updated their Farm Bill Brochure to reflect the Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018 (Farm Bill).

Dr. Lindquist provides an overview of research and innovation leading to the development of a structurally versatile biodegradable hardscape.

Capt. Al Modjeski with the American Littoral Society (ALS) provides insights and lessons learned based on his efforts to engage veterans in ALS’s living shorelines efforts.

This review provides results from the Tampa Bay Blue Carbon Assessment, which quantified existing carbon stocks and identified the future carbon sequestration trajectories with respect to sea-level rise over the next 100 years. Examples are provided of how these data can be used to prioritize restoration efforts, support and enhance management decisions, and potentially attract new partners to support wetland restoration projects.

Katie Spidalieri with the Georgetown Climate Center discusses legal and policy tools for managed retreat that state and local governments can consider to address the impacts of “coastal squeeze”.

This report summarizes available blue carbon data that is relevant to decision-making within the Galveston Bay region within the context of previous research that has been conducted on ecosystem services in the Galveston Bay region and along the Texas coast.

This report analyzes the scientific evidence regarding whether these marine ecosystems and ecosystem components are viable long-term carbon sinks and whether they can be managed for climate mitigation. Findings could assist decision makers and conservation practitioners in identifying which components of coastal and marine ecosystems should be prioritized in current climate mitigation strategies and policies.

The U.S. became the first nation to use these guidelines to include coastal wetlands into the National GHG Inventory. Recognizing wetlands within national inventories can empower countries to recognize the benefits of improved wetland management. The 1990-2015 U.S. National Greenhouse Gas Inventory including coastal wetlands is available online (see sections 6.8 abd 6.9 for wetlands).

The goals of this project were to quantify blue carbon stocks in restored coastal salt marshes in Galveston Bay, Texas.