There is no current atlas or database of seabird nesting sites for the entire southeastern U.S. (NC, SC, GA, Atlantic Florida). The Deepwater Horizon oil spill highlighted the critical need for such a product in each coastal region of the U.S. An atlas also would be valuable for marine spatial planning issues including but not limited to sighting wind turbines, scheduling and sighting sand-dredging and beach nourishment operations, managing recreation and access, and land/marine conservation planning. Therefore, our objective is to develop a register (data, meta-data) and atlas (spatial inventory) of colony sites used by breeding seabirds throughout the study area. The register and atlas will be available on-line and would also serve as the foundation for future development of a dynamic and continuing database that would support the R4 Inventory & Monitoring Network.
