Georgia Coastal Research Council
The Georgia Coastal Research Council helps connect scientists to better serve resource management.
The Georgia Coastal Research Council (GCRC) was established in 2002 as a forum for the integration of science and management in the state of Georgia.
Baseline support for the program is shared by Georgia Sea Grant and the Coastal Resources Division of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, with project-specific support from the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems Long Term Ecological Research Program and other agencies. In addition to core project staff, the GCRC currently has 99 affiliated scientists and managers representing 15 universities, six federal agencies and four state agencies.
The GCRC’s primary goals are to:
- facilitate interactions between scientists and managers
- synthesize technical information
- conduct research on emerging coastal resource issues
The GCRC concentrates its research efforts on the following focus areas:
- marsh dieback
- hammock ecology
- freshwater inflow
- coastal water quality
The GCRC website is a comprehensive resource of research summaries, technical documents and media reports relating to the council’s work and coastal research.
The South Atlantic Regional Research Program
The GCRC also manages the South Atlantic Regional Research Program. The program, which is separately funded by the National Sea Grant Program, identifies priority regional-level research needs for the Atlantic coast from North Carolina to Florida and fosters cooperation among regional partners. The GCRC has established a Regional Advisory Group with representation from federal and state agencies and academic institutions. GCRC staff also maintain the project’s website.