Gilbert F. White National Flood Policy Forum (2013)

Human Adjustments in Coasts - Adaptive Management of Changing Hazards, Risks, and Ecosystems

HOLISTIC COASTS: A Summary Report based on the 4th Assembly of the Gilbert F. White National Flood Policy Forum

Holistic Coasts is a bold vision - an integrated management approach and philosophy that breaks stove pipes, promotes individual and collective accountability and responsibility, and balances human use, environment and economy into a resilient system. Readers of this report will not find all answers regarding how to achieve holistic approaches, but will see a starting point for a vision and partnership that, if undertaken successfully, will help secure a sustainable future for our nation.

Holistic Coasts: Adaptive Management of Changing Hazards, Risks and Ecosystems

The 4th assembly of the ASFPM Foundation Gilbert F. White National Flood Policy Forum at George Mason University's Arlington VA Campus Feb. 19-20, 2013. This forum addressed "Human Adjustments in Coasts - Adaptive Management in Response to Changing Hazards, Risks and Ecosystems." 100 invited experts spend a day and a half developing recommendations on approaches the nation can use to adjust human occupancies and management of the coasts. These suggestions should prove instructive to decision makers at all levels of government as we prepare the nation for increased coastal population, diminishing resources and increased storms and risk. A background paper about the forum topic is below, along with the program agenda.

2013 Forum Topic Background

2013 Forum Program Agenda

Many forum participants prepared a short paper on some aspect of the topic in order to help shape the discussions. This compendium of papers is available here:

2013 Forum Participant Papers

Participants List

A new addition to the program this year was a Flood Policy Roundtable on day two, where the findings and recommendations were announced and Council on Environmental Quality Chair Nancy Sutley spoke. This session was more public and open to additional professionals as well as media representatives. Although the forum focus on coastal issues was identified long before the latest Hurricane Sandy disaster, we recognized that the storm and its aftermath would be topics of significant discussion at the forum.

4th Gilbert F. White Flood Policy Forum Presenters at the 4th Flood Policy Forum held Feb. 19-20, 2013 in Washington D.C. (pictured L to R): Margaret Davidson, Acting Director, Office of Ocean & Coastal Resource Mgt., NOAA Nick Hardiman, Coastal Policy Advisor, Environment Agency, United Kingdom Denise Reed, Chief Scientist, Water Institute of the Gulf Larry Larson, Director Emeritus and Senior Policy Advisor, ASFPM

Assembly Presentations

Larry Larson, ASFPM
Principles for Managing Coastal Risk and Resources

Denise Reed, Water Institute of the Gulf
Coasts as Natural Systems

Nick Hardiman, Environment Agency, UK
Getting England to Adapt at the Coast

Margaret Davidson, Office of Ocean & Coastal Resource Mgt., NOAA
Coastal Vulnerability

Capstone Agenda
Capstone Agenda

Chad Berginnis, Executive Director, ASFPM
Coastal Flood Policy Roundtable Introduction

Acknowledgements