Protection & Resilience

Image
Coastal wetlands
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/coastal-wetlands-too-valuable-lose

The ocean is central to slowing climate change because it has absorbed most of the earth’s excess heat. But we need to keep it healthy and, where needed, restore ocean ecosystems. If we stop overfishing, polluting and destroying habitats that undermine the ocean’s ability to bounce back from the impacts of climate change already underway, oceans and coasts will help mitigate the climate crisis.

Coastal Protection

According to the 2019 IPCC report: as the climate changes, rising sea levels, combined with high tides, storms and flooding, put coastal communities increasingly at risk.

Wetlands, coral and oyster reefs, and seagrass and kelp beds help shield our coasts from the full force of intensifying storms and sea level rise. Kelp and seagrass beds dampen wave force.  Wetlands buffer coastlines from sea level rise and storm surge, making communities more resilient. Coral reefs protect coasts from storm waves and surge. Oyster reefs also can protect coasts in the same way. Restoring and protecting these habitats is critical to coastal resilience.

Image
Living Shorelines
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/insight/understanding-living-shorelines

Living shorelines (also called nature-based infrastructure) are essential to protecting the coast from storm surge and rising seas. They connect the land and sea “to stabilize shorelines, reduce erosion, and provide valuable habitat that enhances coastal resilience.”

Coastal resiliency is a strategy for adapting to the changes already here. The old way of protecting the shoreline was using shoreline hardening and built defenses which often don’t work. Communities around the world are working to make their coasts resilient: you can volunteer to help and “get your hands dirty.”

Blue Carbon

Most of us are familiar with the concept of carbon capture and sequestration on land by forests — when carbon dioxide is naturally captured from the atmosphere through biological, chemical and physical processes and stored. Blue carbon is the carbon captured and stored by coastal vegetation including tidal salt marshes, seagrass meadows, mangrove forests, and kelp forests. Coastal ecosystems sequester surprisingly large amounts of carbon – up to 20 times more carbon per acre than land forests. Kelp forests are especially good at storing carbon as parts of kelp, and other macroalgae, are carried out to sea and eventually sink to the deep away from disturbance. Blue carbon is an essential reason to keep these coastal ecosystems healthy.

Saltwater wetlands store large amounts of carbon. But when they’re are cut-off from the sea, some begin releasing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Marine Protected Areas

Image
Diagram of marine protected areas
https://oursharedseas.com/primer-climate-change-and-marine-biodiversity/

 

We know that Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) are a good tool for building ocean resilience to climate change. MPAs are geographically defined areas of the ocean where natural resources are given greater protection than the surrounding waters. According to NOAA, MPAs are a key tool for maintaining and restoring ecosystem resilience in a changing climate.” One of the ways that MPAs can help is by providing refuge for species moving away from warming waters. 

Lesson Plans

  • Image
    Lesson Plan
    Carbonated Communities

    Through cutting-edge scientific research, students are introduced to climate change’s effects on the intertidal (ocean acidification and temperature increase) and what is known about how ocean organisms are impacted.

    Full Lesson Plan

  • Image
    Lesson Plan
    Save Our Coral Reefs

    Using this tool, students will practice and deepen their understanding of coral reef basics, what is contributing to their loss, and what is being done to preserve this resource.

    Full Lesson Plan

  • Image
    Lesson Plan
    Carbon Cafe

    In this lesson students learn about the effects of different diets and foods on our Climate Crisis and how to make positive changes

    Full Lesson Plan

  • Image
    Lesson Plan
    What's the bigger picture

    In this lesson, students combine art and science to interpret and illustrate graphical art. In this way, students will build understanding of the power of data infused art to convey the "bigger picture" of climate change. 

    Full Lesson Plan

  • Image
    big momma
    Lesson Plan
    EXPLORING OCEAN MYSTERIES CURRICULUM

    “There are seven principles of ocean literacy including: the ocean is a major influence on weather and climate; and the ocean and humans are inextricably interconnected.  The Ocean Mysteries Curriculum makes it easy to teach the seven principles while meeting NGSS, Common Core and Climate Literacy Standards.”

    Go To Resource

    Full Lesson Plan