By: Kara Lankford
Recently, I had the opportunity to attend a workshop about marine mammals in the Gulf of Mexico. While sitting in the room listening to the scientist’s presentations about whales in the southern Gulf and dolphins in the bays and estuaries, I realized something. On a day-to-day basis I don’t think about the vastness of the Gulf of Mexico. I tend to stay tuned into my little world on the Alabama Coast and don’t spend much time thinking about the Gulf as a large complex system. I know it is. I went to college and studied about the Gulf and have lived on the coast my entire life. I’ve worked in the environmental sector on the Gulf Coast for almost 10 years. But I’m guilty of not seeing the big picture as often as I should. In fact, I would say we are all guilty of tunnel vision. It’s easy to fix your eyes on the task at hand and forget to look up every once in a while.
Our science team at Ocean Conservancy has been hard at work developing a new tool that will help environmental decision-makers and managers to keep their eyes set on the big picture. As we know, wildlife do not know state borders or where the lines of federal waters begin and end; they move throughout the Gulf ecosystem, making use of the coastal, nearshore and offshore environments. That is why restoring this vital region requires a holistic approach that takes into account the entire ecosystem.
In response to this need, Ocean Conservancy has developed The Gulf of Mexico Ecosystem: A Coastal and Marine Atlas to aid decision-makers as they navigate restoration and management strategies for the region.
The maps in the atlas depict the locations of important habitat areas like oyster reefs and sea turtle nesting areas, and illustrate the seasonal distribution of wildlife like dolphins and bluefin tuna. These natural history maps contrast with maps showcasing environmental stressors like sea level rise and temperature changes, as well as human uses, such as the distribution of navigational channels, port facilities, and oil and gas drilling platforms.
Ocean Conservancy hopes the atlas will impart to our decision-makers the need for an ecosystem-based approach as we begin the long journey toward restoration.
Kara Lankford is Ocean Conservancy’s Constituent Outreach Specialist. She’s a lifelong resident of the Alabama Gulf Coast.
Ocean Conservancy educates and empowers citizens to take action on behalf of the ocean. From the Arctic to the Gulf of Mexico to the halls of Congress, Ocean Conservancy brings people together to find solutions for our water planet. Informed by science, our work guides policy and engages people in protecting the ocean and its wildlife for future generations.