coastal gems virginia’s coastal geospatial and educational mapping system nick meade coastal gis...
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Coastal GEMS
Virginia’s Coastal Geospatial and Educational Mapping System
Nick Meade Coastal GIS Coordinator
Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program
George Washington Regional CommissionFebruary 26th, 2009
Virginia’s Coastal Zone
Protecting, restoring, and strengthening our coastal ecosystems and economy
DEQLEAD
AGENCY
SHORELINE SANITATION Dept. Health
DUNESMRC &
Local Wetlands Boards
COASTAL LANDS
MANAGEMENTDept.
Conservation & Recreation
WETLANDS MRC, DEQ &
Local Wetlands Boards
NONPOINT SOURCEWATER POLLUTION
DCR & Local Governments
AIR POLLUTION
Dept. Environment
al Quality
FISHERIESDGIF & MRC
SUBAQUEOUS LANDSMarine
Resources Commission
POINT SOURCE WATER
POLLUTIONDEQ
What Resources Does VA CZM Have to Accomplish Its Goals?
• About $2.6 million/yr federal funds from NOAA
• $0 state funds from the General Assembly
• 6 staff positions
A Vision for Virginia’s Coastal Zone
Blue Infrastructure MapsWhat are the most important features in the water that
we need to protect?
Green Infrastructure MapsWhat are the most important features on the
land that we need to protect?
Big PictureNeed for an integrative tool to facilitate information sharing in the coastal zone
Blue Infrastructure
Oyster Reefs
INSTAR (Healthy Streams)
Submerged Aquatic
Vegetation
Fisheries Management Areas
and Shellfish Aquaculture Sites
Coastal GEMS
Contextual Data
Condemned Shellfish Areas
Historic Resources
Important Bird Areas
VCLNA – Natural
Landscape Assessment
Public Access sites
Conserved Lands
Prime Ag and Forest
Lands
Riparian Buffers
Maritime Forests
Essential Wildlife Habitat
Primary & Secondary
Dunes
Beaches
Embayment Flushing Rates
Green Infrastructure
Coastal GEMS(Geospatial & Educational Mapping System)
Launched February 2007
Connects users to a growing inventory of
• water and land based natural resource data (blue-green infrastructure)
• conservation planning tools• examples of good coastal planning decisions
Promotes community involvement in coastal land and water conservation decisions through
• fact sheets (coastal resource values, laws and policies)• direct links to agencies responsible for current data
