Oregon's public beaches are a pinnacle of our state's shared values and they are shrinking along many regions of the coast. These sandy beaches have been the assumed birthright of Oregonians for decades, first claiming their place as a public highway and later immortalized for the benefit and customary recreational use of the public through the Beach Bill legislation. But climate change driven ocean conditions and the static development of our shoreline is threatening these sandy beaches iconic to Oregon's coast. Erosion, increased storm activity, and sea level rise are some of the major drivers for these hazards and how we respond to them today will have a direct impact on the future of our public beaches. What is an accessible beach today, may not be accessible in the future and what's a beach today may not even exist as a beach in the future. Decisions we make today in this fragile margin between the ever-changing ocean and the developed shoreline will directly impact the future of public beaches - and science and policy can help us guide a future that still includes public beaches. Join Surfrider as we bring together some of the key planners, permitters and scientists leading important discussions and decisions for the future of Oregon's public beaches.
- Charlie Plybon, Oregon Policy Manager Surfrider Foundation - Climate Change and Oregon Beaches - 10 min. Intro to issue
- Jay Sennewald, Ocean Shores Coordinator, Oregon Parks and Recreation Department (invited) - 10 min. Beach bill, shoreline hazards responses
- Meg Reed, Coastal Shores Specialist, Oregon Coastal Management Program, Department of Land Conservation and Development - 10 min. Local authority, statewide planning goals, SLR guidance
- Peter Ruggiero - Professor Oregon State University, College of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences - 30 min. Science of decision making, Modeling future decisions for beach accessibility
- Panel Discussion: 30 min. - All presenters will be available for a Q and A (Charlie Plybon to moderate)
If you missed the event, check out the recording: