Santa Barbara Plans for Coastal Resilience

The Nature Conservancy is now partnering with the County of Santa Barbara and the Cities of Carpinteria, Santa Barbara and Goleta on Coastal Resilience Santa Barbara. The project will model, map, and plan for the future impacts of sea level rise and other pertinent coastal hazards.

There is much at stake in the region: Santa Barbara is home to many endangered species, pristine beaches, and unspoiled wilderness, as well as a sense of character and community beloved by both tourists and residents alike. The goals of the Coastal Resilience Santa Barbara project are to fill in gaps in current data, map and identify important coastal assets in the County, understand how these assets may be impacted by the effects of sea level rise and coastal hazards, and work with decision-makers to prepare for these vulnerabilities.

Father and son walking along Jalama Beach in Santa Barbara County. The Nature Conservancy has worked with local fishermen, businesses and communities to create no-trawl zones and conservation areas (such as Jalama Beach) to protect marine ecosystems and enables access for fishermen, beachgoers, divers, communities, businesses and industry. Photo Credit: R. Herrmann

This project comes at a crucial stage in coastal planning for the region. The County of Santa Barbara, City of Goleta, and City of Santa Barbara are currently updating their Local Coastal Programs to consider the impacts of sea level rise and related coastal hazards. In order to create meaningful plans and policies to protect coastal assets, decision makers in these jurisdictions need additional information, including the best available science and modeling to identify potential vulnerabilities and plan ahead. Santa Barbara is building on models and tools already developed through the Coastal Resilience California project, particularly the neighboring Coastal Resilience Ventura project, promoting cost savings and a consistent regional approach.

An adult, California leaste tern (Sternula antillarum brownii) feeds its young; this species of tern is listed as “endangered”, California. Photo Credit: G. Meredith

Click here to learn more about Coastal Resilience Santa Barbara, or visit Santa Barbara County’s Long-Range Planning website.

For the latest reports, publications, and other documents, check out the Coastal Resilience Resource Library on the Conservation Gateway.