Coastal Managers Take on Challenges to Beach Health.

MIAMI -- National Healthy Beaches Campaign Helps Focus Efforts at Community, National and State Park Beaches Through Certified Healthy Beaches Campaign

As national attention turns to coastal management following the release of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy report, and the first day of summer signals family vacations, the National Healthy Beaches Campaign (NHBC) today releases its 2004 Certified Healthy Beaches list. Located at Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research, NHBC is dedicated to working with beach managers, coastal communities and governing organizations to help initiate and sustain best practices for coastal management, and bringing information on these quality places to the public.

Seventeen states and one U.S. territory are represented, including California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, Wisconsin and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A total of 81 beaches met the stringent 60-point criteria for beach health, and committed to ongoing beach monitoring of water quality, public services, safety, litter control, and proactive environmental management.

Millions of beach-going vacationers from around the world look for a reliable source of information on U.S. beach destinations. NHBC coastal scientists are continually engaged in gathering information on beaches and coastal communities, whose livelihoods often depend on the health of their shores. NHBC's mission is "a balance between the recreational use of America's beaches and maintaining the environmental quality of this prized resource." Both sides of this equation are of prime importance to founder and director, Dr. Stephen Leatherman. Well known as "Dr. Beach," he is one of the nation's foremost coastal experts. He, the NHBC board of advisors and their colleagues study beach problems around the world. Governments and policy makers regularly call upon Leatherman concerning beach problems including storm impacts, coastal erosion, sea level rise and rip currents. A significant number of U.S. beaches identified as meeting quality criteria are included in NHBC listings of "Recognized" beaches. But it's beaches whose managers agree to go the extra mile, with year-round effort toward maintenance and monitoring, that earn a place on the list of "Certified" beaches. Both lists can be found on the Campaign's Web site www.NHBC.fiu.edu, along with the detailed criteria used for evaluating beaches and for monthly monitoring.

While Leatherman visits over 100 beaches a year, experts from the Campaign's board of advisors and partner organizations assist in scheduled and random quality control inspections of regional beaches. Visits help assess progress and keep tabs on situations that deserve a watchful eye. "We can spot erosion trends, for example, and may be able to preempt problems by helping management plan ahead," Leatherman explains. For beach communities faced with environmental challenges such as extreme weather and offshore pollutants, vigilance for beach health has become a primary concern. For beach-goers, such expert oversight is invaluable.

The 2004 list includes thirty beaches within 18 national parks. National Park Service Director Fran Mainella said, "Dr. Leatherman's certification is wonderful news. Every beach studied in National Park Service areas was certified. This validates that National Park System beaches are among the best in the world. We are pleased to extend the invitation for everyone to enjoy safely America's national park beaches this summer." (NPS Contact: Edie Shean-Hammond, 215-597-0865)

In addition to this new association with the National Park Service, NHBC partners include Florida State Parks, NOAA (National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration), Ocean Conservancy, Ocean Alliance, Surfrider Foundation, National Geographic Society and AAA.

New initiatives and partnerships for 2004 are underway, including participation in beach nourishment and reef development projects, progress for coastal conservation. Public awareness of the individual's role and responsibility in the care of our beaches is also a primary focus. People are responsible for tons of waste materials, plastics and general litter left on beaches and dumped carelessly into our oceans. Early education programs in schools and communities and with individual beaches have had notable success, and expansion of these programs will be a goal. Oregon's Cannon Beach and Florida's Barefoot Beach Nature Preserve are excellent examples of programs that leave a lasting impression on citizens young and old.