—Bill Burgess, National States Geographic Information Council
Several nonprofit organizations joined forces with NOAA to build the Digital Coast, an initiative that addresses coastal issues while providing the data, tools, information, and training needed by coastal professionals. Digital Coast is an excellent example of how Federal, state and local agencies can work together to create information that is useful. This session will highlight the Inundation Toolkit that helps coastal communities visualize the impacts of inundation and easily obtain information for use in their management efforts. It will also explore how the partnership group works toward a common purpose and then focuses on the benefits of using a partnership approach which includes a strengthened coastal community, the ability to leverage resources, and the opportunity to participate in demonstration projects. Digital Coast is a model for stakeholder involvement that should be applied to other Federal geospatial initiatives.