Abstract

The economic and political landscapes for coastal construction management are very different than for fisheries management (e.g., billions annual vs. millions annual; Army Corps of Engineers and real estate lobbyists in contrast to fishery agencies). The real estate industry is the primary economic and political driver of hundreds of coastal construction projects at any time in East Florida despite rising sea levels. There is evidence of chronic differences between the professional and political cultures of real estate and engineering when compared to resident water users. Distinctions are not binary and many fit both categories. Stakeholder outreach has historically migrated away from resident, non-wealthy coastal water users (many with TEK) in favor of owners immediately on the dune despite lower numbers of water-users, year-round residents, and children in coastal neighborhoods degraded by increasing density. Water-users, biologists, geologists, and others are coordinating to: 1) improve local-stakeholder participation in coastal management; 2) increase the quantity of independent research; and 3) apply improved information to key issues. The legal prevention of a coastal dredge and fill project in Lake Worth, FL, derives from objectives 1-3 above. Litigation products with new state and national coastal management precedents include: advances in reef turbidity and sedimentation policies, modeling guidelines to more realistically represent water/sediment transport, and the rights of experienced water-users to now testify as technical experts. The landscape for sustainable coastal management can become more information-based and climate-responsive with more non-traditional partnering.

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