COASTAL EROSION WORKING GROUP

2008

(DRAFT) Terms of Reference

Background

Within the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence (SGSL), much of the coastline is comprised of sand, till cliffs or sandstone. Tide gauge data in the region also indicates that relative sea level has been rising over the past century.  As a result, this coast is particularly vulnerable to erosion. While erosion is not new to the Southern Gulf, the number of large new homes, cottages and other infrastructure being built along the coast has resulted in increasing pressure to protect the coastline. Artificial structures are now a common site along large sections of this coast.

It is well known within the scientific community that the coast is a highly dynamic and an interconnected environment. Artificial structures are a common reaction to coastal erosion, however these structures can alter natural shoreline processes and can also affect other areas along the coast. In addition many artificial structures can be costly for individuals to maintain and can create significant costs for the public if the structures negatively affect other coastal areas. To effectively live with erosion and to minimize cumulative impacts, coastal land owners and decision-makers need a much better understanding of the entire coastal system and the implications of their management choices. During the SGSL Coalition AGM 2004, need for improved awareness of the natural coastal system and tools to enable more informed decision-making were identified as a key issue for the region. Subsequently, the Coastal Erosion Working Group was formed.

Mission

As a part of the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence Coalition on Sustainability (SGSLCS), our efforts work towards achieving the organizations mandate of promoting sustainability by balancing social and economic goals with the environment.

The goal of the Coastal Erosion Working Group is to promote appropriate responses to coastal erosion by increasing awareness of the natural coastal system and to develop products to improve decision-making.

Goal

The main goals of the Coastal Erosion Working Group will be to:

·        identify existing and emerging issues,

·        raise awareness,

·        facilitate information exchange and provide access to relevant and current information`, and

·        develop  products to improve decision-making

on coastal erosion within and for the entire Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence region.

Specific activities of the Coastal Erosion Working Group will include:

Membership and Responsibilities

Membership in the Coastal Erosion Working Group will be opened to anyone with knowledge, experience and/or interest in coastal erosion issues in the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence region. Representation will include individuals from the four Southern Gulf provinces - Quebec, NB, NS and PEI. Duration of membership will be for as long as deemed appropriate by the individual member and/or the Working Group.

Members will assist the Coastal Erosion Working Group in achieving its mandate as identified above, and must agree to work together in a collaborative and respectful manner. Members will be asked to participate in regular teleconferences and may also be asked to lead and/or participate on specific Working Group activities. Face-to-face meetings may also be organized in association with Coalition workshops or the AGM if deemed necessary. Observers may also be invited to participate as required by the Working Group.

A Coastal Erosion Working Group Chair will be identified from and approved by Working Group members. The duration of this position will be for a long as deemed appropriate by the individual(s) and/or the Working Group.

The Chair will be responsible for:

·        initiating meetings, developing a draft agenda and circulating relevant pre-meeting materials

·        convening and chairing meetings

·        ensuring meeting minutes and other relevant materials have been reviewed by and final versions distributed to Working Group members

·        coordinating specific Working Group activities and input of Working Group members

·        coordinating the development of the Terms of Reference and updating as necessary

·        coordinating the development of the long-term plan and annual workplans

·        reporting on progress and emerging issues

Meetings  

Meetings will be conducted primarily by teleconference. Teleconferences will be initiated by the Chair or Co-Chairs and will take place on a regular basis or as required. Face-to-face meetings may also be initiated by the Chair or Co-Chairs in association with Coalition workshops or the AGM if deemed necessary. A proposed agenda and other relevant information will be sent out in advance of each meeting. Members may identify additional agenda items for the proposed agenda or at the beginning of a meeting. Minutes of the meetings will be recorded and provided to the Coastal Erosion Working Group by the Coalition Coordinator.  

Reporting

The Coastal Erosion Working Group will report to the Coalition’s Steering Committee through the SGSL Coordinator. Regular updates will be provided for Coalition Steering Committee meetings and a written update prepared for the AGM and Annual Report.

This Working Group currently consists of the following people:

• Dominique Berubé, Ressources Naturelles-Province of NB
• Jennifer Graham (WG Co-Chair), Ecology Action Centre
• Jocelyne Gauvin, Groupe de développement durable du Pays de Cocagne
• Chantal Gagnon, Coalition-SGSL
• Nadine LaPlante, Coalition-SGSL
• Jean-Pierre Savard, OURANOS -Consortium sur la climatologie regionale et l`adaptation aux changements climatiques
• Brenda Penak, Province of Prince Edward Island
• Bob Taylor, Natural Resource Canada
• Gilles Lejeune, Citizen
• Kathryn Parlee, Environnement Canada
• Marianne Janowicz, Gouvernement NB
• Robert Capozi, Gouvernement NB
• David Garbory, St. Francis Xavier University

For more information about the Coastal Erosion Working Group, please contact:

Jennifer Graham (Co-Chair)

Ecology Action Centre
coastal@ecologyaction.ca

Interested in getting involved with a Working Group, but aren`t sure where to apply your expertise? Contact us!

Check out the annotated bibliographie developed in 2006 by the Coalition: Coastal Erosion Literature and Resource Materials.