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Managing Shore Zones for Ecological Benefits [Guide]

A guide for shore zone managers and users for protecting the ecological benefits that healthy shore zones can provide.

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Why shore zones?

The shore zone is the place where land and water meet. It includes the shallow waters offshore, the vegetation or human structures on land, and the shoreline itself. Shore zones contain high ecological diversity and value, and have been used and esteemed by people for thousands of years.

Careless human uses have badly damaged many shore zones. The shore zone is also a region that will be heavily affected by the coming changes in climate, as sea level rises, and changes in temperature and rainfall cause inland shorelines to advance or recede.

As we move forward, it makes sense to try to preserve or enhance the ecological value of shore zones as much as we can while still meeting human needs.