Why ShoreZone Is Important

Alaska has more coastline than the continental United States. For the first time ever, the Alaska ShoreZone Project is taking an inventory of the biology and geology of Alaska’s coast.

More than 20 partners are helping to make millions of photos, video, and digital data, all geo-referenced, available to the public, through the internet. The Alaska ShoreZone Project received the 2009 Coastal America Spirit Award from the Dept. of the Interior.

Increasing storm frequency and coastal erosion issues associated with changes in climate are a concern for Alaska’s coastal communities. Also, projected increases in shipping traffic and offshore oil and gas development make it vital that coastal managers have access to data to support planning and response efforts. This baseline data will greatly improve our ability to understand, respond to and plan for the dynamic coastal changes taking place in Alaska. 

You can fly the coastline, download spatial data and view photos for:

• Oil spill and emergency planning, response, and recovery
• Community planning for climate change impacts
• Search and rescue
• Fisheries habitat management
• Desktop reconnaissance
• Invasive species detection and monitoring
• Marine debris clean-up

Stories from the Field

From Ellen Anderson

“I wanted to send you a note expressing my gratitude and appreciation for Shorezone. As the Botanist for the Forest Service Juneau, Admiralty National Monument, and Yakutat Ranger Districts, I do many botanical field surveys in the north end of the Tongass; from Skagway south to the end of Admiralty and Port Houghton on the mainland and Yakutat area.  Many of my access points for the surveys are along the shoreline. I would be lost without Shorezone to show me shoreline conditions suitable for boat or floatplane access. It is especially helpful to see the sites at low tide. Pilots and boat captains also appreciate the detailed views. Sometimes I get dropped off at onepoint and need to know where a good pick-up point might be farther along the shore." (Read full story)