Download - Coastal Policy, Legislation, Targets and the future in Sri Lanka.Coastel manage london ice
COASTAL POLICY, LEGISLATION, TARGETS AND THE FUTURE IN SRI LANKA
By: V.Mohan
B.Sc (Eng), DIPPCA (SL),
M.Sc (PPM for SD, Turin, Italy),
C.Eng.,FIE(SL),
FCIHT(Lond), Int.P.Eng(SL)
Project Director, RDA.
Ministry of Ports and Highways,
Sri Lanka.
15 –16 November 2011, Belfast, UK
Objectives of The Coastal Management – Sri Lanka as the first country in South East Asia to enact special legislation for CZM
• To make awareness of the need to strike a balance among competing coastal users in ways that
recognize commercial and strategic interests, potential coastal hazards and the need to protect
important natural habitats to ensure sustained food yield had lead many countries to enact special
legislation for Coastal Zone Management (CZM) and prepare Coastal Zone Management Plans.
• To make the attention to laws and management plans have to be founded on the political, social and
economic setting of the individual country.• Identify the key tasks in designing an integrated coastal management program;
• Understand how local environmental, economic, and administrative context matters in shaping
coastal management strategies;
• Understand how an integrated coastal management program is designed and implemented;
• Identify the key “management tools” for coastal management; and
• Identify key elements of “effective” management efforts
To analyze the Coastal Management through Coastal Policy,
legislation, Targets and future in the Sri Lankan Coastal areas
and outlines the evolution of coastal zone legislation and the on
going efforts to strengthen and modify the scope and content of
this law as experience is gained from its implementation
OBJECTIVE FOR THIS SESSION
INTRODUCTIONLocation of Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka is situated between the latitudes of 5°55' and 9°51' North and thelongitudes of 79°41' and 81°54' East
INTRODUCTION
Sri Lanka, which is Formerly known as "Ceylon", is in
the Indian Ocean separated from the southeastern
coast of peninsular India by the Palk Strait and is an
island with coastline areas, which are generally low-
lying, and landscapes exhibit considerable variety
characterized by bays, lagoons, headlands, coastal
marshes, peninsulas, spits, bars, and islets and
dunes.
INTRODUCTION
Bay: A bay is an area of water mostly surrounded by land. Bays generally have calmer waters than the
surrounding sea, due to the surrounding land blocking some waves and often reducing winds. Bays also
exist as an inlet in a lake or pond. A large bay may be called a gulf, a sea, a sound, or a bight. A cove is a
circular or oval coastal inlet with a narrow entrance; some coves may be referred to as bays.
Arugam Bay is a one of the bay situated in the dry zone of Sri Lanka’s southeast coast. The bay is located
320 km due east of Colombo. It is a popular surfing and tourist destination.
Arugam BayArugam BayKokkilai
INTRODUCTION
lagoon : A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of
barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying
salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle, or, less
frequently, by rocks. Salinity may vary from brackish water to hyper salinity depending on rainfall,
evaporation and through the addition of fresh seawater from storms, temporary flooding by the sea in winter
or tidal exchange"
Negombo Muthurajawela Beruwala
INTRODUCTION
Headland:A headland is a point of land, usually high and often with a sheer drop, that extends out into a
body of water. The word is often used as a synonym for promontory. A headland is often referred to as
simply a head, either in context or in names such as Beach Head or Koko Head.
Weligama Hambantota Tangalle
INTRODUCTION
Coastal Marshes : Coastal Marshes are a crucial ecosystem which influence, and are influenced by, many
natural forces and human industries. Coastal marshes are wetlands with fresh water, brackish water or salt
water along tidal shores. A transect of a 'typical' coastal marsh could include seawater, short salt marsh
grasses, taller salt marsh grasses and other plants, brackish water plants on slight elevation, and, finally,
taller brackish water plants on land above high tide. The biome includes plants which thrive on salty or
brackish water, and the many animals which inhabit this rich environment.
Mangroves Seagrass Coral reef
INTRODUCTION
Peninsula: A peninsula is a piece of land that is bordered by water on three sides but connected
to mainland
Keerimalai, JaffnaTrincimalee Kasureena, Jaffna
INTRODUCTION
MannarChilaw Bentota
Spit: A spit is a deposition landform found off coasts. At one end, spits connect to land, and extend into the sea. A spit is a type of bar or beach that develops where a re-entrant occurs, such as at cove's headlands, by the process of long shore drift. Long shore drift occurs due to waves meeting the beach at an oblique angle, and backwashing perpendicular to the shore, moving sediment down the beach in a zigzag pattern. Long shore drifting is complemented by long shore currents, which transport sediment through the water alongside the beach. These currents are set in motion by the same oblique angle of entering waves that causes littoral drift and transport sediment in a similar process.
INTRODUCTION
KathiraveliAmbalanthoda Chilaw
Bar: A bar is a somewhat linear landform within or extending into a body of water, typically composed
of sand, silt or small pebbles. A spit or sands pit is a type of shoal. Shoals are characteristically long and
narrow (linear) and develop where a stream or ocean current promotes deposition of granular material,
resulting in localized swallowing (shoaling) of the water. Alternatively a bar may separate a lake from the
sea, as in the case of an area.
INTRODUCTION
BeruwalaNainathivu, Jaffna Pigeon Island, Trincomalee
Islet: An islet is a very small islandRock : A "rock", in the sense of a type of islet, is a landform composed of rock, lying offshore, uninhabited, and having at most minimal vegetation.Sandbar : An exposed sandbar is another type of islet.Sea stack : A thin, vertical landform jutting out of a body of water.Subsidiary islets : A more technical application is to small land features, isolated by water, lying off the shore of a larger island. Likewise, any emergent land in an atoll is also called an islet.
INTRODUCTION
Point pedro, JaffnaGurugoda, kirinda Gurugoda, kirinda
Dunes: Dunes form where constructive waves encourage the accumulation of sand, and where
prevailing onshore winds blow this sand inland. There need to be obstacles for example, vegetation,
pebbles and so on to trap the moving sand grains. As the sand grains get trapped they start to accumulate,
starting dune formation. The wind then starts to affect the mound of sand by eroding sand particles from the
windward side and depositing them on the leeward side. Gradually this action causes the dune to “migrate”
inland, as it does so it accumulates more and more sand. Dunes provide privacy and shelter from the wind.
15
Western Central Southern SabragamuwaNoth-Western Eastern Uva Northen North - Central0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
1588
466 449384
303
159 153 140 123
Province
Popu
latio
n de
nsity
(Inh
abita
nt /
Km
2)
INTRODUCTION (General)
2008
20,217 Million P.G 1%
Average 322/Km2
Population (Source: Department of census and statics – 2008)
INTRODUCTION (General)
2006 2007 2008 2009 20100
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Agriculture Industry Services GDP
Perc
ent
Annual Growth Rate (Source: Central Bank Annual Report of Sri Lanka – 2010)
INTRODUCTION (Coastal Zone)-Administration
Administrative boundary of the coastal region
• A long coast line of approx. 1620 Km
(Including the shoreline of bays an inlets, but excluding lagoons)• 24% of land• 32% of population• 80% of tourism practice• Commercial ports and fishery harbors • Richest areas of Bio-diversity ( Coral reef, Lagoons, Mangroves, etc)A Brief Overview of Coastal Conditions• 1,562 km of coastline• Moderate to severe erosion along 500 km.• 65% of urbanized land area in coastal areas• Factories producing 2/3 of industrial output• 40% of nation’s 18 million inhabitants live in southwest coastal districts from Colombo to Galle
Legal Boundaries of the Coastal Zone :
Sri Lanka’s coastal zone is defined in the Coast Conservation Act No. 57 of 1981 as “that area lying within a limit of three hundred meters landwards of the Mean High Water line and a limit of two kilometers seawards of the Mean Low water line and in the case of rivers, streams, lagoons, or any other body of water connected to the sea either permanently or periodically, the landward boundary shall extend to a limit of two kilometers measured perpendicularly to the straight baseline drawn between the natural. entrance points thereof and shall include the waters of such rivers, streams and lagoons or any other body of water so connected to the sea".
INTRODUCTION (Coastal Zone)
The area defined for management purposes as the coastal region comprises all of the 74 administrative divisions (Divisional Secretary) with a coastal boundary. This area extends about 50 km inland from the coast and contains about: 23% of the islands 65,610 km2 land area and, Approximately one fourth of the population, including 65% of the total urban population.
A Brief Overview of Coastal Conditions
• 85% of hotel rooms and tourism infrastructure
• Mix of visitor industry facilities
• Severe coastal erosion along southwest coast
• Raw sewage and solid waste in urban areas
• Continuing loss and degradation of coral reefs, sea grass
beds, mangroves and wetlands
An Overview of the History of Coastal Management
• Coastal erosion control began under Colombo Port Authority in 60s and 70s
• Coast Conservation Department established in late 70s
• Coast Conservation Act (CCA) in 1981 (and subsequent amendments over time)
• CCA established “coastal zone” from 2 km seaward to 300m inland
• Permits required from CCD for development activities in coastal zone.
• While regulation continued, CCD initiated five year planning process
• Plan focused on erosion control, habitat management and protection of scenic, cultural and historic
sites.
• CCD undertook major self-review and analysis in Coastal 2000 report in 1992
• Initiation of Special Area Management
• Second generation plan in 1997 and third in 2004
INTRODUCTION (Coastal Areas of Sri Lanka)
Gall face, Colombo Nilaweli, Trincomalee
Bentota, Galle Hikkaduwa, Galle
Coastal Policy
Coastal management is one of the greatest social, economic, political and
environmental challenges facing our generation. Being increasingly aware of global warming,
climate change and environmental challenges facing the region, which mainly include sea-level
rise, deforestation, soil erosion, siltation, droughts, storms, cyclones, floods, glacier melt
and resultant glacial lake outburst floods and urban pollution.
Much degradation - coastal erosion, pollution, and species loss-can be attributed to the
national economic development strategies pursued since liberalization in 1978, particularly an
emphasis on coastal industry and tourism development.
Coastal Policy
The coastal management policy framework born in the late 1980s and early
1990s out of the joint US Agency for International Development (USAID)/Sri Lanka Coast
Conservation Department (CCD), Coastal Resources Management Project (CRMP),
engages a discourse of sustainable development, particularly sustainable eco-tourism
development, that some critics suggest may be inherently unattainable .
The idea of coastal management is both beguiling and elusive. Surely, we think, coast
should be managed, just as we seek to manage some human activities to protect
air , water quality, to promote human health, or
to insure the sustainability of renewable resources such as forests and fisheries.
The Major Coastal Issues
The unsustainable manner of resource utilization, lack of planning and
management initiatives created serious environmental problems in the coastal zone.
These issues are discussed in the subsequent section, can be summarized as follows:
1. Coastal Erosion
2. Loss and degradation of coastal habitats such as coral reefs, mangroves, sand
dunes, lagoons and marshes
3. Loss and degradation archaeological, cultural and scenic resources
4. Coastal Pollution
1. Coastal Erosion
Coastal erosion is a process of change that occurs at the land sea interface and is a
severe problem in Sri Lanka that results in damage to or loss of houses, hotels and other coastal
structures and roads, contributes to the loss of land and disrupts fishing, navigation, recreation and
other activities. The impact of coastal erosion is most severe along Sri Lanka's western and south
western coasts. It has been estimated that 685 kilometers of coast line in the south, south west and
the west coast, about 175,000 - 285,000 square meters of coastal land are lost each year. The
principal causes of erosion includes - Natural process due to monsoon generated wave attacks-
Man-induced changes occur due to extraction of sand and corals from the coastal zone and
improperly cited buildings and maritime structures. While coastal erosion is caused by natural
process, human activities such as mining of beach and river sand, mining of corals and construction
of ill-planned maritime structures are major factors contributing significantly to coastal erosion.
2. Loss and degradation of coastal habitats
2.1 Sand Mining : The major source of material supply for the nourishment of beaches in
Sri Lanka is from the network of rivers flowing to the sea. River sand is a prime material used in the
building industry while beach sand is used for filling purposes. These resources have been
traditionally considered as "free" resources and being utilized with no value added for the material
itself. In the recent past the rapid growth of the housing and building industry led to increased
amount of sand being removed from the rivers and beaches thus affecting the coastal stability and
creating environmental problems. Major impacts could be as follows;
a) Coastal erosion
b) Salt water intrusion into the upstream areas and intakes
c) Increase flooding originating from the sea.
d) Water quality problems
e) River bank erosion
2 Loss and degradation of coastal habitats (Sand Mining)
Kelani river bank erosion due to sand mining. water quality effected by sand mining
Increase flooding in Batticolasalt water logged costal area well
2. Loss and degradation of coastal habitats
2.2 Coral Mining: Mining of coral to obtain Calcium Oxide for building and for other
industrial and agricultural purposes. Until recent times it was done on a limited scale and was
continued in areas where dead coral deposits in coastal wetlands were found. Within the past three
decades, the use of lime has increased tremendously as a rapid growth rate of building industry. A
study conducted in 1984 revealed that a quantity in excess 18,000 tons of coral is extracted in the
coastal reach between Ambalandoga and Dickwella. Due to the controlling measures taken by the
Coast Conservation Department this amount has been reduced by 48% in 1994.
2. Loss and degradation of coastal habitats (Coral Mining)
Coral stone in Mannar Coral mining at small islands between India and Sri Lanka
Coral stone at KalpittiBlast fishing
2. Loss and degradation of coastal habitats
2.3 Construction of maritime structures: Construction of maritime structures such as
sea walls, break waters, revetments and jetties has long been undertaken on an ad-hoc basis to
deal with the problem of a particular beach stretch. The Master Plan for Coastal Erosion (1989)
revealed that more than 49,000 meters of revetment and 6,360 meters of grayness have been
constructed. Most of these structures were poorly designed and in some cases led to an increase
of coastal erosion. Poorly designed fishery harbours have not only created coast erosion
problems but also induced wave refraction and entry of sand bearing currents into the harbours
causing siltation.
2. Loss and degradation of coastal habitats (Construction of maritime structures)
Colombo Harbour Hambantota
Oluvil Harbour ConstructionOluvil Harbour Construction
2. Loss and degradation of coastal habitats
2.4 Loss and degradation of coastal habitats :The important coastal habitats of Sri Lanka are
small and vulnerable to degradation. The areal extent of biologically productive mangrove
systems, estuaries, coral reefs, and sea grasses is decreasing. In 1986, it was estimated that
12,000 ha of Mangroves, 23, 00 ha of salt marshes, 7,000 ha of Sand dunes, 158,000 ha of lagoons
located in the coastal region. These habitats are being depleted in the recent past due to over
exploitation. According to the current information, current rate of depletion will reduce mangrove
habitat by up to 50%.
3. Loss and degradation archaeological, cultural and scenic resources
Sri Lanka's coastal zone contains many and diverse sites of archaeological, historical and
scenic significance. These sites provide valuable evidence of the pattern and the progress of Sri
Lanka culture and represent part of Sri Lanka's common heritage. The inventory of places of
religious and cultural significance and areas of scenic and recreational value within the coastal zone
has been identified 91 sites as high priority for conservation. Today, many of these important sites
are threatened with inappropriate development. In some locations, important scenic areas are being
degraded and public access to the beach obstructed.
4. Coastal Pollution
Coastal pollution is a direct result of population pressures and misuse of land and water
resources. The major sources of coastal water pollution along the south west and south coasts are
domestic sewage, industrial waste, solid waste and agricultural chemicals. Growing urban
population densities coupled with inadequate housing and lack of water and sewage disposal
facilities, has led to fecal contamination of surface and ground water. As a result of contamination of
ground water and surface water in the coastal zone major public health problems such as typhoid
and hepatitis can be found. About two thirds of Sri Lanka's industrial plants are located in coastal
regions, primarily in the Greater Colombo metropolitan region. The main industries contributing to
water pollution are textile, paper, tanning, distilleries, paints and chemical production. A study
conducted for the Central Environmental Authority (1994) identified 336 industrial facilities in coastal
areas as "medium" or "high" pollution potential.
4. Coastal Pollution
Sewage Water Pollution industrial waste water
FertilizersSewage pipe spewing pollution from a factory directly into a river
LegislationsThe Sri Lanka enacted Coast Conservation Act No 57 in September’ 1981 and law went to
effect in October 1983 and its amendments, in 1988 provided the legal foundation for activities within the coastal zone, which comprises mainly "the area lying within a limit of three hundred meters landwards of the Mean High Water line and a limit of two kilometers seawards” of the Mean Low Water line.
The Act 1981 shifted the emphasis from coast protection to coastal zone management (CZM). The Act decreed the appointment of a Director of Coast Conservation with the following responsibilities:
1. Administration and implementation of the provisions of the Act.2. Formulation and execution of schemes of work for coast conservation within the
coastal zone.3. Conduct of research, in collaboration with other departments, agencies and institutions for the purpose of coast conservation.
Legislations
In the years since the law was enacted;
• The CCD has conducted a significant amount of research and has prepared a Master
Plan for Coast Erosion Management (MPCEM) and a Coastal Zone Management Plan
(CZMP).
• It has also issued 764 permits for development activities,
• Organized seminars and workshops on several aspects of coastal management, and
developed effective relationships with several agencies which have management
responsibilities in coastal areas.
Legislations
The Act requires the Director of Coast Conservation, on receiving an EIA Report,
to make it available for public inspection and to entertain comments on it. The Act also
requires the Director of Coast Conservation to refer the EIA report to the Coast
Conservation Advisory Council for comment. The Council is an inter-department, inter-
disciplinary advisory body. The Director of Coast Conservation may decide to.
1. Grant approval for the implementation of the proposed project subject to specified
conditions, or
2. Refuse approval for the implementation of the project, giving reasons for doing so.
LegislationsThe EIA process is part of the permit procedure mandated in Part II of the CCA for the
approval of prescribed development projects and undertakings within the Coastal Zone. The Act has
assigned the coast Conservation Department (CCD) three primary following responsibilities within
the designated coastal zone
a. Policy formulation, planning and research
b. Administration of permit procedures regulating coastal development activities
c. Construction and maintenance of shoreline protection works
Coastal Management Targets
As mandated by the Act,
•The Coastal Conservation Department developed a Coastal Zone Management Plan
(CZMP) based on a number of specific studies set forth in the Act.
•The Act mandates the establishment of an advisory council to assist the CCD in the process
of plan preparation.
•In the interim period while the plan is being prepared, the Act stipulates that anyone proposing
a development activity in the designated coastal zone must apply to the CCD for a permit.
Coastal Management Targets
Sri Lanka has a strong and vigorous coastal management program. A detailed examination of Sri
Lanka's program suggests that its strength and vigor are due in large part to:
1. The strong coastal orientation of the country;
2. The widely shared agreement about what the coastal problems are, what the
causes of the problems are, and to a lesser extent, what the appropriate roles of
government are in dealing with the problems;
3. A law that provides a strong legal basis for management;
4. Strong program leadership;
5. Adequate political support for planning and management; and
6. An adaptive, incremental approach to the development of the planning and
management program
Coast Erosion Management PlanThe Coastal Erosion Management Plan is an integral part of the CZMP and it was
prepared in 1986 with assistance given by Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA). It defines the problem of coastal erosion in Sri Lanka within the constraints of available information at that time, and sets out the best possible technical approach towards mitigation and capital investment needed for such action
The CEMP has categorized the coastal erosion problem under "key areas" and "singular cases". The key areas refer to a coastal stretch of several kilometers in length subject to erosion problem which predicts the need for complex solution in view of its morphological complexity. The Singular cases are those isolated problem cases covering limited stretches which would not interfere with the coastal processes to an extent that would require extensive studies prior to litigator actions. Once the Master Plan for Coastal Erosion Management was completed, DANIDA provided further assistance for two stages of coastal protection structures and beach nourishment.
Coast Erosion Management PlanStage 1 (1987 -1989), for the Negombo and Moratuwa coast protection schemes, cost an estimated Rs. 320 million ($US 6,660,000); and Stage 2 (1990 - 1992) for protection of the main road from Beruwela to Weligama, cost approximately Rs. 500 million ($ US 10,400,000). In 1994 the Coastal Erosion Master Plan was updated and presently further donor assistance is being sought for its implementation.
Future Coastal Management
The existing management tools which are being used presently to minimize major coastal issues could be categories as follows
1. Regulations
2. Direct Development
3. Research
4. Education and Awareness
5. Plan and policy development
The program responds to proposals made by other governmental agencies and private developers for construction activities and alteration of the coastline. The CCD attempts to minimize the environmental and social impacts of development projects through its permit procedures, set-back standards, prohibitions and in some cases subjects the development proposals to the Environmental Impact Assessment requirements. It also ensures that environmentally and structurally appropriate decisions are made.
Future Coastal Management Contd…….
A second major type of management tool is being used in the process of coastal zone management is direct development activities undertaken by government. With regard to coastal erosion management the major type of direct development is the construction of shore protection
works .
A third type of management tool is to identify areas of research and conduct research. Research is necessary because often good management is precluded due to some coastal problems being inadequately understood
Future Coastal Management Contd…….
Also, 1997 revision of the CZM plan sets the strategy for coastal zone management in to
the next millennium. The objectives of the revised plan are to:
1. Identify coastal problems that will be the primary focus of the Coast Conservation
Department during the next four years.
2. Indicate why these problems are important.
3. Present the Coast Conservation Department's management
4. Identify what should be done by other Government and non-governmental
organizations to reduce the scope and magnitude of coastal problems.
5. Identify research activities to immediate importance to the management of coastal
resources.
Future Coastal Management Contd…….
The revised Coastal Zone Management Plan, like its predecessor of 1990, outlines the interventions to reduce coastal erosion, to minimize degradation of coastal habitats, and to minimize loss and degradation of archeological, cultural and scenic sites. A new focus is the reduction of coastal pollution. A second new focus is Special Area Management, including the recognition of the need for locally based collaborative management. Finally, the plan summarizes the objectives, policies, and actions to be implemented by the Coast Conservation Department and sets forth the priorities for action.
8. ConclusionsIt is too early to declare the Sri Lanka coastal management program a success, but there are enough program and following achievements to make the program worthy of close attention;
1. A strong permit system has been in place for 3 years and is functioning reasonably well,2. A plan has been produced that directs governmental and private development activity in
coastal areas, 3. A substantial investment plan for coastal erosion protection structures has been developed,4. Successful in shift the population to coastal areas,5. Coastal Area Management in Sri Lanka in the last 5 decades, particularly in the south and
southwest, the awareness and attention directed toward coastal management by preventing coastal erosion account for much of the initial interest and the increasing threats to life and property,
6. The formation of a single government unit to deal with coastal management and the vigorous, professional leadership the agency has received since its inception are important factors in accounting for what has been accomplished,
8. Conclusions contd......7. The development of the MPCEP was also based on more than 10 years experience in
balancing political demands with engineering principles and budget realities,8. Formal and informal coordination linkages have been developed with some agencies,9. Formal linkages are still maintained by means of permit referrals, workshops and meetings
and 10. Three factors, in particular, account for the successes of the incremental learning approach
to date. The first is the competence and commitment of CCD's professional staff. CCD's highly energetic and motivated leadership and staff are typical of new agencies with a mission. Second, the credibility of the agency among the public and the political and bureaucratic elite makes it possible for CCD to engage in more experimentation in program development than other agencies might be allowed. CCD's strong record of professionalism in erosion management and its ability to attract international grants and loans to support its projects contributes to that credibility. Finally, the CCD's long record of being able to cope with crises and adjust to changing circumstances gives the staff confidence that they can meet the challenges.
9. RecommendationsFor the successful integrated coastal management;
•The need for environmental awareness and education in support of Sri Lanka's Coastal Zone Management Program was clearly recognized in the Coastal Zone Management Plan.
•The implementation is depending on both understanding and support of the people of Sri Lanka. A common framework across coastal planning sectors is essential whereby administrative fragmentation is reduced while inter-departmental and inter-agency cooperation is increased.
•A collaborative effort on the part of several governmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations, and local communities is required and that the geographic area and issues addressed must be expanded.
•The adaptive, learning approach had several features. First, CCD staff chose to focus on a relatively small number of coastal problems rather than the full range of potential concerns. Second, they engaged in an explicit learning-by-doing approach to the implementation of the coastal permit system. They developed an explicit strategy for dealing cooperatively if possible with small landowners and hotel developers and, when cooperation was not possible, they identified minimum conditions that had to be met. Major planning events, such as the habitat workshop, help provide the context within which specific interagency agreements and understandings can be developed.
9. Recommendations Contd…..
•The adaptive, learning approach had several features. First, CCD staff chose to focus on a relatively small number of coastal problems rather than the full range of potential concerns. Second, they engaged in an explicit learning-by-doing approach to the implementation of the coastal permit system. They developed an explicit strategy for dealing cooperatively if possible with small landowners and hotel developers and, when cooperation was not possible, they identified minimum conditions that had to be met. •Major planning events, such as the habitat workshop, help provide the context within which specific interagency agreements and understandings can be developed.