Baker, Laura Estuaries and Nearshore Marine Conservation Project, The Nature Conservancy
A Story of Alaska's Coast through Science: ShoreZone Habitat Mapping
The convergence of freshwater, forests, glaciers, and marine waters in Southeast Alaska has defined and shaped the culture and livelihoods of the Tlingit people. ShoreZone is a coastal habitat inventory which relies on the collection and interpretation of aerial imagery of these coastal environments. ShoreZone tells stories through photos and commentary by documenting the location of habitats such as eelgrass, kelp beds, salt marsh, and tidal flats. These habitats, which support herring, salmon, shellfish, marine mammals, and birds, provide subsistence and commercial resources to people around the region. The ShoreZone photos also document some historic uses and archaeological sites along the coast, including stone fish traps, fish weirs, and clam gardens, and modern coastal development. This information can then be applied when addressing questions of how to inventory and protect these cultural and historic resources; along with important habitats that support the fisheries and wildlife on which people rely.
