A class on the beach surrounding an instructor

Technical Assistance

The Education Coordinator assisting a teacher attendee during a class

Does your community need support to make critical decisions about coastal resources? The Coastal Training Program (CTP) provides technical assistance to get your community moving toward your goals. We provide the following services to coastal communities and organizations:

  • Stakeholder engagement
  • Meeting facilitation
  • Coordination of planning processes
  • Training development
  • Connecting decision makers with tools, information and expertise

Don't see what you're looking for? Contact the Coastal Training Program Coordinator, Kaitlyn Dirr, at DirrK@dnr.sc.gov.

Current Projects

Living Shorelines

Alongside Clemson Extension, the CTP is developing a living shorelines installation course for contractors and other professionals. The course will include online modules and a field day. We anticipate completing course development in June of 2023 and opening registration for Fall 2023. Please contact Kim Morganello at kcounts@clemson.edu with questions or to be notified when the course opens.

Beaufort County Adapts: Sea Level Impacts Beneath our Feet

This project, funded through a $300,000 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration grant, is intended to shed light on the “so what” part of how sea level rise affects communities by studying how these systems (e.g., transportation, wastewater, drainage, etc.) may be disrupted due to extreme events and sea level rise. By taking a proactive, “break it first” approach, we can then help communities better plan for these failures and, thus, reduce the disruption and damage that will come as sea level continues to rise. The Coastal Training Program is assisting project partners with stakeholder engagement and outreach.

Edisto Island Watershed Plan

The waterways on and around Edisto Island are affected by pollution from several sources. There are currently 24 locations in the area that are listed as impaired for either fecal coliform bacteria, enterococcus bacteria or turbidity. Clemson Extension and partners, including SCDNR, the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium and the Edisto Island Open Land Trust, completed the Edisto Watershed Plan in 2023. We intend to continue working with the community on identified strategies to address water pollution.