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In 1989 the Exxon Valdez oil spill highlighted the need for detailed baseline data on Alaskan coastal resources to help guide response and recovery efforts. Baseline information also helps managers detect change over time, both natural and human-related. In 2002, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve completed its sixth field season of the Coastal Resources Inventory and Mapping Program. The program focuses on the development and implementation of an accurate, repeatable, and affordable inventory protocol that can be passed on for use on other coastlines in Alaska and beyond. To date, more than 880 miles of coastline in Glacier Bay National Park has been mapped, including all of Glacier Bay proper.
During low-tide “windows,” teams of two scientists walk the coast, dividing the shoreline into segments based on changes in substrate and slope. For each segment a variety of physical and biological attributes are described and digital images are recorded. The precise boundaries of the segments are drawn on aerial photo enlargements of the coastline. After data processing, all of the information is accessed via an easy-to-use database that allows one to “walk the coast” and display for any segment its exact location, an aerial photo of that segment, ground photos showing what the beach actually looks like, and all coastal resource data associated with the segment.
In 2003, fieldwork using the current protocol will wind up. The more exposed, homogeneous shoreline of the outer coast of the park will likely be mapped using aerial videography. A public version of the database will be online in the next year or two, giving other researchers, oil spill responders, and the public easy access to the data with the ability to focus on what interests them most. Additional information is available at http://www.nps.gov/glba/learn/preserve/projects/coastal/index.htm.
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