The American Shore and Beach Preservation Association (ASBPA) is a private, nonprofit organization formed in 1926. It was founded to address coastal erosion and the loss of sand on America's beaches. Today, ASBPA is an association of beach and coastal practitioners, including beach towns and managers, coastal engineers, coastal geologists, dredging and ecological restoration companies, coastal academics and students. ASBPA advances coastal science and coastal engineering through its peer-reviewed journal, Shore & Beach, and an annual technical conference. It also hosts an annual coastal summit in Washington, DC to advocate for coastal policies.
History ASBPA was founded in 1926, and was initially instrumental in persuading the Congress to enact legislation authorizing federal funding of erosion studies and project works for shore protection. In 1930, ASBPA helped form the Beach Erosion Board. "The History of the Beach Erosion Board, U.S. Army, Corps of Engineers, 1930-63," by Mary-Louise Quinn, Miscellaneous Report No. 77-9, August 1977Moore, J.W., and D.P. Moore, "The Corps of Engineers and Beach Erosion Control 1930-1982," Shore & Beach, 51(January 1983), 13-17 ASBPA was politically engaged on coastal erosion and beach nourishment for most of the 20th centuryPilkey, O. and A. Cooper. The Last Beach. Duke University Press, 2014 and has had number of prominent coastal advocates and members of the Army Corps of Engineers on its board, including Morrough Parker O'Brien, who served as President from 1972 to 1983.Wiegel, R.L. and T. Saville "History of Coastal Engineering in the USA". In: Kraus, N (ed.) History and Heritage of Coastal Engineering American Society of Civil Engineers, 1996.
After a long partnership, ASBPA merged with the American Coastal Coalition (ACC) in 2003. In 2015, ASBPA formed memorandum of understanding with the Coastal Zone Foundation (CZF) to collaborate on a certification program for coastal practitioners.
Advocacy ASBPA (and the ACC, which it merged with in 2003) has been the leading advocate for the United States Army Corps of Engineers shore protection programDean, Cornelia Against the Tide: The Battle for America's Beaches, Columbia University Press, 1999 which builds and provides federal funding for beach and dunes systems as coastal flood protection for vulnerable communities. The focus on sand and sediment has led the organization to advocate for the beneficial use of dredged material and natural coastal infrastructure. In February 2017, ASBPA President Anthony P. Pratt was invited to testify before United States Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works on the value of beaches, dunes, wetlands and other natural coastal infrastructure to the nation. In 2019, ASBPA Executive Director, Derek Brockbank, testified before the United States House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, on issues related to beach and coastal restoration in the Water Resources Development Act
Publications
Shore & Beach is a peer-reviewed journal, published by ASBPA four times per year. It includes scientific articles and general interest features. Typically, one issue per year is a special issue devoted to single subject. Shore & Beach has been published since 1933."Summary of Shore & Beach issues and articles," Shore & Beach, 83(4), 3
"Coastal Voice" is a member newsletter distributed by ASBPA eleven times per year. It includes coastal policy updates, science and technology updates, information on conferences and workshops, and changes to the board and staff of ASBPA.
Best Restored Beach and Shore
ASBPA presents annual awards for Best Restored Beach to communities that have recently undergone nourishment or full restoration. And starting in 2019, ASBPA presents awards for Best Restored Shore to non-beach shorelines.
Inaugural 2019 Best Restored Shore winners were: Virginia Point Wetland Protection Project, Texas Mississippi River Long Distance Sediment Pipeline, Louisiana Money Point Shoreline Restoration, Virginia Mispillion Living Shoreline Project, Delaware
Recent Best Restored Beach winners have included:
2022 Winners
Duxbury Beach Dune Restoration Project, MA Ocean Isle Beach Shoreline Protection Project, NC Sodus Point Beach Project, NY Waikiki Beach Maintenance Project, HI
2021 Winners
Lido Key Hurricane and Storm Damage Reduction Project, Florida St. Joseph Peninsula Beach Renourishment Project, Florida Upham Beach Stabilization Project, Florida 2020 Winners
Cardiff State Beach, California South Benson Marina/Jennings Beach, Connecticut Keansburg, New Jersey Norriego Point, Florida Tybee Island, Georgia
2019 Winners Caminada Headland, Louisiana South Padre Island, Texas Waypoint Park Beach, Bellingham, WA Duval County, Florida
2018 Winners Dare County, North Carolina Beaches, NC Galveston Seawall Beach, TX Cardiff Beach, Encinitas, CA Sagaponack-Bridgehampton Beaches, NY Thompsons Beach, NJ
2017 Winners Dauphin Island, AL Phipps Ocean Park, Palm Beach, FL Popponesset Spit, MA Prime Hook Beach, DE Sandbridge Beach, Virginia Beach, VA
2016 winners: Babe's Beach, Galveston, TX Rosewood Beach, Highland Park, IL Seabrook Island, SC Topsail Beach, NC Redondo Beach, CA. 2015 winners: Galveston Island, TXFerguson, J.W. "Building tomorrow's beach: As one sand project is completed, another is set to begin", Galveston County Daily News May 22, 2015 http://www.galvnews.com/news/free/article_cb265e8c-0041-11e5-8659-97dd83cec1e5.html Santa Monica, CA"City of Santa Monica Beach Project Named One of America's Best Restored Beaches for 2015," Santa Monica Mirror May 27, 2015 http://www.smmirror.com/articles/News/City-Of-Santa-Monica-Beach-Project-Named-One-Of-Americas-Best-Restored-Beaches-For-2015/43409"Nonprofit Names Santa Monica Best Restored Beach," Santa Monica Lookout May 27, 2015 http://www.surfsantamonica.com/ssm_site/the_lookout/news/News-2015/May-2015/05_27_2015_Nonprofit_Names_Santa_Monica_Best_Restored_Beach.html Western Destin Beach, FL"Western Destin Beach Restoration Project is a Winner," ETB Travel News, May 25, 2015 http://america.etbtravelnews.com/250811/western-destin-beach-restoration-project-is-a-winner/ Folly Beach, SC"FOCUS: Folly Beach is one of nation's best restored beaches," Charleston Currents May 25, 2015 http://charlestoncurrents.com/2015/05/focus-folly-beach-is-one-of-nations-best-restored-beaches/ South Hutchinson Island/St Lucie, FLGill, E. "Hutchinson Island renourishment project named one of America's best," Vero Beach Press Journal, June 4, 2015 http://www.tcpalm.com/yournews/st-lucie-county/hutchinson-island-renourishment-project-named-one-of-americas-best-ep-1121613073-340648501.html
Chapters California Shore & Beach Preservation Association - www.csbpa.org Central-East Coast chapter of ASBPA Central Gulf Coast chapter of ASBPA Hawaii Shore & Beach Preservation Association - www.hawaiishoreandbeach.org Great Lakes Shore & Beach Preservation Association Northeast Shore & Beach Preservation Association - www.nsbpa.org Student Chapter of ASBPA at Stevens Institute of Technology - http://gradlife.stevens.edu/org/stevensasbpa Texas chapter of ASBPA - www.texasasbpa.org
External links ASBPA Web Site
References