Coastal Access

The coasts belong to us all, but not everyone has equal access. Through a variety of projects, we are studying Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) issues and solutions for coastal access, in California and elsewhere. 

Coastal Access Equity

The coast belongs to all of us and is held in trust by the state for the public to use and enjoy. But our ability to do so is predicated on our ability to access itand not everyone has the same amount of access. Understanding coastal access and its availability will become increasingly important as California and other coastal societies face ever-growing pressures from climate change and coastal development. In an ongoing series of collaborations with GIS researchers, geomorphologists, and coastal policy wonks, we are analyzing the distribution of coastal access points, different demographic groups of Californians, and projections of environmental change to measure inequities in "access to access," to understand the implications of climate change for environmental justice, and to generate management-relevant policy recommendations to address these issues. Coastal development and climate change combined with shifting populations and management priorities will continue to shape the landscape of coastal access in California and elsewhere, making this a compelling topic for further inquiry.

Sea level rise impacts on coastal access.

Beach Sustainability Assessment: The development and utility of an interdisciplinary approach to sandy beach monitoring.

Coastal access equity and the implementation of the California Coastal Act.

BSA-CAMP

Quantifying the accessibility of California’s coastline.

In another cool study, colleague Wiley Jennings tested the ability of beach-going volunteers to provide reliable data about beach water quality:

Participatory science for coastal water quality: freshwater plume mapping and volunteer retention in a randomized controlled experiment.

What does the future hold for equitable access to California's beaches?

Access to public places was restricted due to the pandemic.

How was the surfing community affected by covid lockdowns?