Introduction
Florida's coast is home to many vital
ecologic and economic resources.  Visitors
and new residents flock to the coast. Ports and marinas are important
transportation hubs. Many of our citizens make their living from
the sea, through commercial and recreational fishing. These human
activities depend on healthy coastal ecosystems, as do the very
lives of many species of wildlife. From manatees to sea turtles,
the coast is home to a wide variety of marine life that it is our
responsibility to protect. We know more today about our coast than
we ever have, and we can see with the clarity of hindsight that
some of our past decisions about coastal planning and development
have been shortsighted. There are many opportunities to improve
the coordination of coastal resource management, not only among
public agencies but also between government and the private sector.
This book provides a brief explanation of Florida's coastal resources.
It describes how they work, what public programs exist to protect
them and, most importantly, what you can do to help on a personal
level and in your community. The guide is divided into several sections.
The first chapters describe the coastal ecosystem and its habitats.
These are followed by discussions of the coastal economy, coastal
communities and disaster planning. Each centers around a personal
story highlighting coastal experiences that is framed with tips
on what you can do or who you can contact to find out more. The
Guardians of the Coast section takes all the aspects of Florida's
coast and tells about the major efforts to protect it. It also describes
how you can get involved in your community to safeguard coastal
resources. One of the most helpful parts of this guide is the reference
section beginning on page 79. Here you will find a list of many
of the public and private groups that work to protect Florida's
coastal resources. You can find out what the groups are, their special
interests, and how to get in touch with them for more information
or materials. We hope this guide will help you find not only a greater
appreciation for the richness of Florida's coastal areas, but the
means to get involved in protecting them.
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