Skip to main content
Duke University Libraries
DukeSpace Scholarship by Duke Authors
  • Login
  • Ask
  • Menu
  • Login
  • Ask a Librarian
  • Search & Find
  • Using the Library
  • Research Support
  • Course Support
  • Libraries
  • About
View Item 
  •   DukeSpace
  • Theses and Dissertations
  • Nicholas School of the Environment
  • View Item
  •   DukeSpace
  • Theses and Dissertations
  • Nicholas School of the Environment
  • View Item
JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.

An Assessment of the Effectiveness and Usage of the Surfrider Foundation Annual State of the Beach Report

Thumbnail
View / Download
2.4 Mb
Date
2008-04-24
Author
Bain, John
Advisor
Orbach, Michael K
Repository Usage Stats
482
views
1,127
downloads
Abstract
Every year since 2000, the Surfrider Foundation has released the State of the Beach Report. This annual report uses a suite of coastal health indicators to rate coastal state management information availability and status. After eight years, the Surfrider Foundation wanted to know how well the State of the Beach Report was measuring coastal health and to what extent it was utilized in creating coastal policy. I used three separate metrics to assess the State of the Beach Report. First, using the Handbook for measuring the progress and outcomes of Integrated Coastal and Ocean Management (UNESCO, 2006), I created a hierarchy of those many aspects of beach health of interest to the Surfrider Foundation. By coding the various indicators used in the State of the Beach Report I was able to determine that the report directly addressed 32 of the 34 subcategories and thus is an appropriate measure of coastal health. Secondly, I analyzed data from each of the previous eight State of the Beach Reports to determine where changes in indicator grades signified a trend. Once these trends were identified I identified the cause of each change. The majority of these changes were the result of states increasing the amount and availability of information related to coastal zone issues. The BEACH Act, and its associated positive changes in the Water Quality indicator, was the only specific piece of legislation or set of regulations I was able to identify. Finally, I surveyed nearly 200 coastal zone managers across the country to determine the visibility and influence of the State of the Beach Report in coastal zone management. I was able to determine that the Report has high visibility within the coastal management community and has a similar level of influence on policy formation as other Surfrider Foundation methods. Surprisingly, there is relatively little usage and awareness of the online version of the report. This analysis displays the value of the State of the Beach Report. With certain additions and changes, the report should continue to be one of the most comprehensive metrics for assessing coastal health in the United States.
Type
Master's project
Department
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences
Subject
Surfrider Foundation
coastal indicators
beach health
Permalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/491
Citation
Bain, John (2008). An Assessment of the Effectiveness and Usage of the Surfrider Foundation Annual State of the Beach Report. Master's project, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/491.
Collections
  • Nicholas School of the Environment
More Info
Show full item record
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.

Rights for Collection: Nicholas School of the Environment


Works are deposited here by their authors, and represent their research and opinions, not that of Duke University. Some materials and descriptions may include offensive content. More info

Make Your Work Available Here

How to Deposit

Browse

All of DukeSpaceCommunities & CollectionsAuthorsTitlesTypesBy Issue DateDepartmentsAffiliations of Duke Author(s)SubjectsBy Submit DateThis CollectionAuthorsTitlesTypesBy Issue DateDepartmentsAffiliations of Duke Author(s)SubjectsBy Submit Date

My Account

LoginRegister

Statistics

View Usage Statistics
Duke University Libraries

Contact Us

411 Chapel Drive
Durham, NC 27708
(919) 660-5870
Perkins Library Service Desk

Digital Repositories at Duke

  • Report a problem with the repositories
  • About digital repositories at Duke
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Deaccession and DMCA Takedown Policy

TwitterFacebookYouTubeFlickrInstagramBlogs

Sign Up for Our Newsletter
  • Re-use & Attribution / Privacy
  • Harmful Language Statement
  • Support the Libraries
Duke University