The Economic Value of Coasts & Estuaries

From the Executive Summary of The Economic and Market Value of Coasts and Estuaries: What's At Stake? by Linwood Pendleton

"Our nation was built from the coast. Americans, like people around the world, are drawn to the coast because of its beauty, productivity, and because our coasts are gateways to the world. The coast nurtures our frontier spirit, our need for outdoor recreation, and the constant American appetite for sweeping ocean views and quiet bayfront vistas. Coasts, coastal oceans, and estuaries are essential to ocean fisheries and aquaculture. Coasts and their waters also generate oxygen, sequester carbon dioxide, and provide habitat to plants and animals both marine and terrestrial."

A copy of this report is available here: http://www.estuaries.org/the-economic-value-of-coasts-a-estuaries.html

This post relates to Topic 2: Human dimensions to be discussed during theSynthesis Sessions at CERF 2011.