Forester Media is adding a new component to the annual StormCon conference, this one dealing with coastal erosion.
The focus will be mainly on protecting coastal infrastructure—buildings, utilities, port facilities, and the like—rather than on protecting habitat, which could encompass an entire conference in itself.
Many states and some coastal cities have been preparing plans to deal with the potential effects of rising sea levels. Of course, even without the threat of sea level change, some areas have been battling coastal erosion and constantly changing shorelines for hundreds of years, losing and reclaiming land from the sea. How to protect the structures we’ve built—and how to do it without causing or exacerbating damage elsewhere—is an ongoing question.
The effect of rising sea levels on coastal wetlands, and on the protection they currently provide, is of particular concern. Coastal marshes and wetlands provide some protection against storm surges, as those living in hurricane-prone regions are very much aware, and their loss in places like Louisiana can mean greater flooding and inland damage during a large storm. Increased salinity of rivers and coastal aquifers is also a possible consequence of rising sea levels.
The conference will take place in Anaheim, California, on August 23 – 24, 2011. You can find more information on the coastal conference here [http://stormh2o.com/blogs/the-stormcon-blog/preparing-for-the-rising-tide-coastal-protection-symposium-76464.aspx], and more information on StormCon at www.stormcon.com.