The dates for the next Coastal Erosion Working Group meetings for 2012 are at 10:30 (AT) on:

If you are interested in participating in this meeting, please contact Thérèse by email at admin@coalition-sgsl.ca .

Within the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (SGSL), much of the coastline is comprised of sand, till cliffs or sandstone. Tide gauge data in the region also indicates that relative sea level has been rising over the past century. As a result, this coast is particularly vulnerable to erosion. While erosion is not new to the Southern Gulf, the number of large new homes, cottages and other infrastructure being built along the coast has resulted in increasing pressure to protect the coastline. Artificial structures are now a common site along large sections of this coast.

It is well known within the scientific community that the coast is a highly dynamic and an interconnected environment. Artificial structures are a common reaction to coastal erosion, however these structures can alter natural shoreline processes and can also affect other areas along the coast. In addition many artificial structures can be costly for individuals to maintain and can create significant costs for the public if the structures negatively affect other coastal areas. Local leaders and managers must realise that coastal erosion is tied to sea level rise due to land subsidence and climate change, ocean ice cover, storm severity, intense precipitation, severe wind, type of geology, human infrastructure along the coast and rivers, and so on.  To effectively live with erosion and to minimize cumulative impacts, coastal land owners and decision-makers need a much better understanding of the entire coastal system and the implications of their management choices. During the Coalition-SGSL's 2004 Annual General Meeting the need for improved awareness of the natural coastal system and tools to enable more informed decision-making were identified as a key issue for the region. Subsequently, the Coastal Erosion Working Group was formed.


Goals

Members of the group include scientists, local residents, watershed groups, government scientists and managers, and research organizations. The group's quarterly meetings are an opportunity to connect with like minded individuals from across the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence's four provinces. Here members can advise the Coalition-SGSL's direction regarding coastal erosion for the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence region. The main goals of the Coastal Erosion Working Group, concerning coastal erosion, are to:

 

One of the key actions of the group members is to bring coastal erosion issues to the attention of the Coalition-SGSL members. In this way, the Coalition-SGSL plays an important role in facilitating knowledge and actions geared towards adapting the communities of the Southern Gulf of St.Lawrence to living with coastal erosion.

Being a member of the Coastal Erosion Working Group is not only an opportunity to learn and exchange up to date information about research and management strategies around coastal erosion it is also an opportunity to contribute actively to the sustainability of the Southern Gulf of St.Lawrence.

Tools and Projects
More information about this group's projects can be found on the Coastal Erosion Monitoring and Education Program (CEMEP) page.   Multiple documents on coastal erosion can found on the Coastal Erosion Literature and Resource Materials page, and you can find an Annotated Bibliography.developed by the Coalition-SGSL in 2006 on our bibliography page.

For more information about the Coastal Erosion Working Group, please contact:

Jennifer Graham (Co-Chair)
Ecology Action Centre
coastal@ecologyaction.ca

Interested in getting involved with a Working Group, but aren't sure where to apply your expertise? Contact us!