Introduction to Economics for Coastal Managers. Social Science Tools for Coastal Programs

摘要

Managing coastal resources often means making hard decisions about the best way to use those resources-especially when there are competing demands. For example, do you: Maintain the green space or build more homes. Develop a new marina or keep the existing oyster beds. Construct a mall that would draw in new industry or preserve the wetland. Although there is no simple way to answer these questions, economic methods can help coastal resource managers understand the trade-offs and make better-informed decisions about managing the resource. This document provides a basic introduction to economic ideas and methods that can be applied to coastal resource management. These economic concepts are illustrated by several case studies. After reading this document, coastal resource managers should have a better understanding of the powerful economic methods at their disposal.