Historical coastal environmental changes: Human response to shoreline erosion
: Interpretations of Past Geographies

Meyer-Arendt, Klaus J. (author)
Dilsaver, Lary M. (editor)
Colten, Craig E. (editor)

The American Environment: Interpretations of Past Geographies

217

233

1992

The origins of coastal erosion as a perceived "problem" can be traced directly to the historical sequence of human settlement on wave-washed shores, a process stimulated by recreational predilections for this dynamic geomorphic environment and its idealized ambience. Concurrent with beachfront urbanization was a change in attitude toward the prevailing physical processes. Initial respect for marine forces prior to the late nineteenth century evolved into complacent acceptance and finally to combat and dominance-an attitude shift facilitated by a displacement of liability from the individual to government. Although the folly of this transition is today being realized, past legislative commitments to protect coastal communities from erosion are hard to undo. In this chapter, the evolution of policy responses to shoreline erosion in the United States will be outlined.

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