Coastal Communities & Economies

More than half of the population in the United States resides in coastal areas. Development to accommodate population growth and migration to these areas has changed traditional coastal activities and altered key ecosystem functions.

In Maryland, the once self-sustaining coastal communities of the Chesapeake Bay are undergoing a transformation, as local economies and natural landscapes continue to change. Maryland Sea Grant assists communities in their quest to grow while preserving a sense of place, and to confront these forces of change in a proactive manner. Methods such as community visioning, resource inventories, and urban design provide tools to facilitate community planning for growth.

The wellbeing of Maryland's varied coastal communities is also integrally linked with the health of water-dependent businesses, such as seafood processing, and recreational activities, such as boating, that depend on a healthy coastal ecosystem for their vitality.