The Partnership Process

Coastal America 2005-2008 Progress Report

What is Coastal America?

The Coastal America Partnership is:

• an action–oriented,
• results-driven collaboration process
• dedicated to restoring and preserving coastal ecosystems, and
• addressing critical environmental problems needing multi-faceted solutions.

Coastal America is a unique partnership of federal agencies, state and local governments, and private organizations. The partners work together to protect, preserve, and restore our nation's coasts.  The partnership accomplishes tasks that no one group could accomplish alone.

Coastal America addresses the challenges of our coasts by leveraging the capabilities and expertise of all the partners to solve local and regional coastal problems, and encourage ocean literacy and stewardship. This is accomplished by sharing information, pooling resources, and combining management skills and technical expertise. With federal, state, and local partners working together, there is a wealth of expertise and services available to Coastal America projects. This results in cost-effective, innovative solutions.

Coastal America exemplifies collaborative government. It's all in the partnership.

Coastal America National Coordinating Office

Coastal America's national office supports and coordinates the resources and expertise of federal agencies, Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers, and corporate partners.  The National Office Staff consists of environmental professionals drawn from a variety of federal agencies, including the National Oceanographic & Atmospheric Administration, Department of Agriculture, Department of the Interior, Environmental Protection Agency and US Corps of Engineers.   They bring a depth of experience and knowledge to the partnership including marine science, marine conservation, public involvement, collaboration, climate change adaptation, training and project management.

Coastal America Regional Teams

• Dam removal to allow upstream migration and spawning of anadromous fish
• Restoration of historic tidal circulation channels in a salt marsh to provide expanded breeding habitat for a variety of fish and shellfish
• Shoreline stabilization and aquatic habitat restoration benefiting migratory waterfowl, oysters and fish

The Coastal America Partnership

• Department of Agriculture
• Department of Commerce
• Department of Defense
• Department of Energy
• Department of Health and Human Services
• Department of Homeland Security
• Department of Housing and Urban Development
• Department of the Interior
• Department of Justice
• Deparmtne of Labor
• Department of State
• Department of Transportation
• Environmental Protection Agency
• National Aeronautics & Space Administration
• National Science Foundation
• Executive Office of the President

Our Nongovernmental Collaboration Framework

1. COASTAL ECOSYSTEM LEARNING CENTERS: Spanning our coasts, this network was established as an outreach channel to help raise public awareness and increase public stewardship for coastal and marine resources. Currently, over 25 million people a year visit the Learning Center network.  Special events such as the Student Summits and Ocean Art Contest bring additional focus to coastal and marine issues. The institutions below make up the Learning Center network: