How Little We Know: Humans and Recreation on the California Coast

North Laguna Beach, California, aerial photo showing the densely populated coast and turquoise waters lapping white sand beaches
North Laguna Beach, California (Credit: Don Ramey Logan, Wikimedia Commons )

The California coast extends across 1,200 miles (3,000 miles depending on what is counted).  There have been extensive investments in understanding the physical and biological dimensions of the coast.  There are numerous world-class ocean science institutions in California furthering understanding of those dimensions.  However, there has been little effort to understand one of the key components of the marine ecosystem: human use.

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Read the full study:  Coastal Recreation in California: Beyond the Beach