Abstract

Over 50 coastal zone managers and stakeholders from North Carolina were invited to participate in a workshop to discuss and identify potential modeling and mapping tools to plan for, and mitigate the regional impact of future sea level rise and extreme events. The participants were presented with information about the NOAA Sea Level Rise Project, sponsored by the Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research (CSCOR), and then identified four priority applications for scientifically informed decisions: 

1. Tools should incorporate information ascertained through scientific research and modeling that can be easily applied by state and local government and large land owners when planning future land use and deciding on policy and regulations that affect coastal resources. 

2. Tools should forecast expected habitat changes, especially potential loss of habitats important for ecological services. 

3. Tools easy to translate to decision makers. 

4. Tools to enable easy understanding of potential risks to people and development due to future flooding and related hazards. 

5. Continued engagement of NOAA and their research partners with Workshop attendees via email and websites.