Ecosystem Integration & Assessment

Coastal managers need the best science - both existing information and that not yet available - to protect, restore, conserve and manage coastal and marine resources. Armed with environmental and economic data about the Gulf of Mexico, they can make decisions about how to best balance the use of resources. At the same time, they will be able to validate the actions taken.

To enhance critical thinking skills in students, the Gulf of Mexico Alliance Environmental Education Network (GOMAEEN) provides coastal educators with a clearinghouse of vetted resources that contain economic facts and ecosystem data for use both in the classroom and in outreach presentations. Real coastal data can be used in math problems, incorporated into geography lessons, and integrated into presentations expressing the importance of the Gulf Coast. The digital library links to resources containing coastal geospatial data, oil and gas production figures, and commercial fishing statistics as well as other data.

Problems