Coastal Governance

"Those of us engaged in the field of coastal and ocean management and policy are fortunate to be able to draw upon many fine books, journals and reports that both inform us and enlighten our efforts. Many of these publications are directed towards professionals, while others, serving as textbooks, focus on training students to become the next generation of ocean leaders. Seldom can a single book successfully function as both. Rarer still is the volume that transcends the usual descriptions of coastal and ocean issues by pragmatically illuminating the vital but often elusive connections between coastal science, the human dimension and policy-making, while also moving the reader from the 'old' method of sector based management strategies to a more holistic view. Dr. Rick Burroughs . . . has written such a book."
Coastal Society Bulletin

"Coastal Governance provides the fundamentals needed to understand this complex process in a concise and exceptionally accessible form. Burroughs skillfully blends scientific understanding, appreciation of human dimensions, and revealing case studies, making the book an enlightening read even for professionals. He provides a lucid and up-to-date explanation of the evolution from single sector management to spatial and ecosystem approaches."
Donald F. Boesch, President, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science

"Thorough and perceptive…Through careful analysis and in-depth review of past and current coastal policy, Burroughs takes stock of what works and what doesn't, and points the way ahead to a more effective coastal management approach. This is an essential policy primer for anyone working on coastal issues."
Timothy Beatley, Teresa Heinz Professor of Sustainable Communities, University of Virginia

"This engaging primer not only explains current coastal policies, it illustrates how effective policy is developed. This is just the kind of clear-eyed analysis needed to reform coastal management and bring our shores back to life."
Biliana Cicin-Sain, Director, Gerard J. Mangone Center for Marine Policy, University of Delaware

"The policy concepts in Coastal Governance resonate strongly with the latest thinking about complexity theory as applied to the adaptive management of social-ecological systems. Burroughs succinctly and thoughtfully analyzes the ingrained habit of applying rigid, shortsighted policies to the management of the multiscale, self-organized intricacies of coastal ecosystems."
Choice