Values and Benefits of Maine Beaches Focus of July 10 Conference
Contact: Catherine Schmitt, 581-1434, catherine.schmitt@umit.maine.edu
ORONO — Every summer, millions of people visit the sandy beaches of southern Maine, and thousands more own or rent homes in beach communities. Yet it is not always clear how these visits to the beach translate into dollars.
At the 2009 Maine Beaches Conference, Friday, June 10, in South Portland, Michael LeVert, Maine State Economist; University of Southern Maine economist Charles Colgan; and Linwood Pendleton, Senior Fellow at The Ocean Foundation will discuss how beaches contribute to the state’s economy, how sea level rise and coastal erosion may affect those values, and actions communities can take to protect their beach assets.
Other presentations include a summary of trends at many of Southern Maine’s beaches highlighting beach profiles, shoreline erosion, dune restoration, and water quality. Richard Lindzen of MIT and Beth Nagusky of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection will present different perspectives about climate change, sea level rise, and related public policies. Paul Kirshen of Battelle Memorial Institute will discuss the costs of various strategies for adapting to sea level rise. Ideas and tools for preserving beach communities will be shared, such as a new resource for property owners and beach users seeking more information about access to the Maine coast; Kennebunkport’s Watershed Improvement Program; and how Ogunquit residents are protecting their barrier dune system.
Steve Dickson of the Maine Geological Survey will lead a walking tour of hazard-resilient coastal activities and construction projects, and state regulators will be on hand to explain how state and federal laws affect coastal property owners.
“Sandy beaches are such a unique resource along our mostly rocky Maine coast. This year’s conference provides an opportunity for us to more fully appreciate the related economic, social, and ecological values Maine’s beaches provide,” saidconference coordinator Kristen Grant of Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
The biennial Maine Beaches Conference provides continuing~opportunities for beach stakeholders with diverse interests to exchange the most current information. Valuing Maine’s Beaches: Assets, Challenges, and Actions for Today and Tomorrow takes place July 10, 2009, at Southern Maine Community College in South Portland. For more information and to register, see http://www.maine.gov/doc/nrimc/mgs/explore/marine/beach-conference/beaches-2009.htm or contact Kristen Grant, 207-646-1555 x115.
The conference is sponsored by Southern Maine Community College, Maine Coastal Program, Maine Sea Grant and University of Maine Cooperative Extension, SOS Maine, Maine Geological Survey, Surfriders Northern New England Chapter, and Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve.