This presentation is part of the Supporting Sediment Transport organized session.
Given what we now understand about the dynamism of Great Lakes coasts, we ask: “How could the policies governing management of these coasts empower communities to think and act in a way that maintains the ecological health of the coastal zone?” Through a comprehensive review of federal, state and local policies governing coastal management in the Great Lakes States, we have evaluated the matrix of protections across states. While this review has revealed gaps in protections, contradictory intents, inherent conflicts between the public trust and private property rights, and tensions between state and local rule, we also have discovered model policies. This presentation will briefly summarize the matrix of policies that govern shoreline protections, dredging and coastal placement, coastal wetlands and beach nourishment highlighting model policies and opportunities for their expansion as urgency grows to increase climate resiliency for people and nature.
