Monmouth University - Urban Coast Institute

COASTAL WATER QUALITY

Real-Time Monitoring Program

The Urban Coast Institute is operating a network of eight long-term, near real-time water quality monitoring stations in the northern estuaries of New Jersey.

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NEW! GLOBAL SUSTAINABILITY MINOR

Globe In Hands The new Global Sustainability Minor at Monmouth is designed to be accessible and complementary to students studying natural sciences, political science and public policy, social work, health studies, communications, business, and economics, or to any student that is interested in expanding their ability to analyze critical issues facing our society in a multidisciplinary and holistic way.

Learn More About This Minor

JEAN-MICHEL COUSTEAU: KEYNOTE SPEAKER AT FUTURE OF THE OCEAN SYMPOSIUM

Monmouth University’s Urban Coast Institute (UCI) hosted the 7th Annual Future of the Ocean Symposium and Champions of the Ocean Awards Luncheon on Friday, October 21 2011. The symposium, featuring keynote speaker Jean-Michel Cousteau, was held in the Great Hall of Woodrow Wilson Hall

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Mission: To improve the management of coastal environments through science, education and stewardship.

FEMA's Coastal Flood Mapping Website now LIVE!

FEMA provides flood hazard information to help communities plan for and reduce the risk from flooding. As part of that effort, the FEMA Region II office has initiated a coastal flood study to update the information shown on the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRMs) for 14 coastal New Jersey counties and New York City. The FIRM is used to determine who must buy flood insurance and where floodplain development regulations apply.

FEMA now has a LIVE website, which will be updated as progress on the coastal flood study continues, will include links to the online preliminary FIRM panels (once completed), and details on public meetings to review those preliminary results.

www.region2coastal.com

COASTAL WATERSHED CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION INITIATIVE

Conservation and Restoration and Priority Index to identify areas near the shoreline with potential for conservation and habitat restoration, and ecologically important estuarine areas where land management strategies may be improved.

Download and Read the Initiative

The Urban Coast Institute

Supporting Stewardship of Coastal Ecosystems

UCI focuses its efforts on the following areas:

Coastal Law Policy

Disseminate quarterly legal and policy briefs

Convene symposia and workshops

Host annual Coastal and Ocean Symposium and Champion of the Ocean Awards.

Coastal Watershed Management

Support development of model coastal harbor management plans

Innovative assessment of sources of pathogen indicators in impaired waterbodies

Coastal water quality monitoring in partnership with NJDEP and others.

Coastal Communities and Economies

Assess training needs and identify best practices for sustainable coastal communities;

Socio-economic “white papers” addressing priority needs

Regional survey of coastal awareness, attitudes and behaviors

Coastal EcosyStems and Reg Management

Conduct workshops and studies that support effective management of land use and coastal development

Convene Regional Ecosystem Management Symposia that focus on key issues including offshore energy, sea level rise and shoreline management, and living marine resources conservation.

OCEAN POLICY TASK FORCE

President Obama has established an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force, led by the Council on Environmental Quality. The Task Force is charged with developing a recommendation for a national ocean policy and coastal and marine spatial planning.

Click here for more information or to submit comments on the Interim Report.

Mission

To serve Monmouth University and the public interest as a forum for research, education, and collaboration in the development and implementation of science-based policies and programs that support stewardship of healthy, productive, and resilient coastal ecosystems and communities.

The Urban Coast Institute (UCI) was established in September 2005 as one of Monmouth University's "Centers of Distinction."

The UCI builds on the University's program in Marine and Environmental Biology and inter-departmental strengths in marine biology, environmental science, business, economics and real estate, public policy, and the arts and social sciences.

The UCI maintains a principal focus on the interactions between humans and the coastal and ocean environment, and sustainable coastal development along New Jersey's coasts and watersheds. Monmouth County and the New Jersey-New York region is an ideal "laboratory" for study of these issues.

The UCI has a unique focus on how good science can inform public policy and the "human dimensions" of coastal ecosystem-based management, including the impacts of human use and development on coasts.

The UCI seeks to foster collaboration among citizens, watershed and community organizations, governmental agencies, business, the scientific community, and other parties interested in coastal and watershed management, conservation, and restoration.