Towards defining a coast: Delineating the North Carolina coast through policy, cultural and scientific perceptions

Managing coastal zones is an increasingly difficult and complex task as population, development and ecologic pressures continue to increase. Currently, delineating the coast for management purposes is accomplished through discipline-specific interpretations that address narrow coastal issues. Identifying and quantifying diverse spatial features of the natural and/or cultural coast may therefore be useful. But even more applicable may be integrating these features into a comprehensive coastal delineation. It is proposed that such comprehensive management of innately complex coastal zones cannot be accomplished without establishing, at least in general, a more inclusive spatial interpretation of the coast. This may only be accomplished through innovative approaches that incorporate factual and perceived coastal elements.;This study aims to apply novel data collection techniques in conceptually mapping North Carolina's coast. The sources of coastal interpretation include individuals from the scientific community, the general population, local government and public policy. Data collection includes policy analysis, mental map surveys and landscape interpretation. Statistical spatial analyses is used to address five research hypotheses: H1: Scientists' delineations are not spatially random. H2: Concentration of maritime icons on the landscape and distance from the ocean are correlated. H3: County Commissioner delineations and distance of respective counties from the ocean are correlated. H4: County Commissioner delineations are not spatially random. H5: Social, policy and scientific interpretations of coastal North Carolina are not spatially random.;Results from this research reveal interesting patterns with a lack of consistency among the scientific community in regards to coastal perception. Conversely, it reveals a consensus among county government officials. Cultural landscape observations of maritime/marine icons demonstrate a spatial diffusion that is statistically correlated with coastal proximity. Overall spatial comparisons between sample groups, albeit with diverse sampling methodologies, show a relatively narrow spatial variance among coastal policy and perceived coastal delineations.