WHAT IS THE NOAA HABITAT BLUEPRINT?
Protecting our natural infrastructure—our global life support system—is vital to protecting our communities and their economies as well as fisheries and recreational opportunities along our coasts. With continued widespread loss and deterioration of coastal and marine habitats, we are in danger of losing this infrastructure. Congress has charged the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) with protecting habitat for fish, threatened and endangered species, marine mammals, and other natural resources within the coastal zone.
About the Habitat Blueprint
Featured Habitat Focus Area
Muskegon Lake, Michigan
Connected to Lake Michigan by a man-made channel, Lake Muskegon’s modest size hides some huge problems. About 5.5 miles long and fed by the Muskegon River, the lake became a lumber and industrial center after 1850, and pollution accumulated to dangerous levels. Cleaning the lake has been underway for several years, and it is approaching a major milestone for its water quality. A focus on restoring the lake’s habitat is expected to improve fishing, tourism, and the area’s quality of life.
Living Shorelines Project Map
Living Shorelines
More than 120 living shoreline projects around the country demonstrate NOAA Restoration Center collaborations with partners since 1998. These projects range from small-scale designs and projects on private property, to projects spanning several miles of shoreline. The map features projects funded by the NOAA Restoration Center, mainly through the Community-based Restoration Program.
About Landscape Cooperatives
Landscape Conservation
A network of large-scale conservation areas brings together scientists, land and water managers, and cultural leaders to address climate change and other landscape-scale issues. These 22 Landscape Conservation Cooperatives span the majority of North America, the Pacific Islands and the Caribbean. Working at this scale unites the public and private sectors in developing solutions to address conservation challenges and help sustain these landscapes and seascapes for future generations.