By Emma Bouthillette 

Staff Writer

Sunbathing on the sand may not seem like an activity to boost local economy, but presenters at the Maine Beaches Conference July 10 beg to differ.

“Maine beaches have economic value, but it is becoming more important to quantify it …  unfortunately beaches differ in that economic value derives from aesthetic values,” Maine State Economist Michael LeVert said. “We don’t have the data to fully quantify it. We can explore the impact in different ways.”

While aesthetics, such as enjoying the beach during the summer or the beautiful coastal views are mostly free, LeVert said assessing the tourist industry in coastal communities, the seasonal changes and the property assessments in proximity to the coast help determine the value of beaches. He said nearly $500 million is spent in coastal communities, which supports more than 8,000 jobs.

Katie and Chris Fairbanks, of Boston, enjoyed a perfect beach day last Friday at Fortune’s Rocks Beach in Biddeford with their dog Ernie. Katie Fairbanks said she has been visiting the same beach “since she was born” and finds her trips to Fortune’s Rocks to be “sentimental.”

“I love the beach,” she said, adding that in route to Biddeford, they take Route 1 starting in Hampton, N.H.

Along the coastal route and while in Biddeford, Katie Fairbanks said they have certain places they like to frequent, such as Allison’s Restaurant in Kennebunkport. 

 Money spent benefits not only business owners, but also benefits employees, who in turn spend more money locally, LeVert said. He said nearly 10,000 jobs are added in York County coastal communities during summer months, while jobs in non-coastal communities do not increase seasonally. 

Linwood Pendleton, a senior fellow at The Ocean Foundation in Washington, D.C., has been studying beaches of southern California to determine the value of the coast, as well as the impact of sea level rise and major storms. 

“Southern California beaches in Los Angeles and Orange County have 150 million visits to beaches that generates $4 billion annually,” Pendleton said of the 51 public beaches in the area.

Pendleton used data from a yearlong study of 900 residences to compare current conditions to one meter (3.3 feet) of sea level rise in the future. He said he found sea level rises affect the widths of beaches. As smaller beaches nearly disappear with sea level rise, beachgoers tend to visit the larger beaches more. 

“From an economic perspective there are winners and losers,” Pendleton said of the shift. 

He also analyzed what would happen with a big shift in weather and a major storm in addition to the rise in sea level. He said big beaches would potentially lose a lot of sand, and predicted visitors would head to smaller beaches. 

“In Maine there are fewer beach substitutes and the substitutes are farther apart,” Pendleton said. While most people would have to drive to another beach in Maine, he said, it is easy to walk between multiple beaches in southern California. 

He said the lack of substitute beaches could be offset by increased access to existing public or private beaches, improved water quality and beach cleanliness, as well as offer more activities, such as beach volleyball, bicycle paths, wildlife viewing, retail and surfing access. 

Some beaches restrict activities such as surfing, but the waves at Fortune’s Rocks Beach are a surfing destination for most. Sebastien Lord was trying his hand at hanging ten for the first time during his vacation, renting a house at Fortune’s Rocks. Lord traveled to Biddeford from Quebec City.

“I used to come here with my family when I was young,” Lord said. “I like the sun, and it’s beautiful here.”

Biddeford City Planner Greg Tansley, Saco City Planner Bob Hamblen and Old Orchard Beach Director of Planning and Community Development Gary Lamb discussed what their communities are doing to maintain beaches in anticipation of rising sea levels and harsh storms.

Hamblen said Maine officials have predicted the sea level will rise at least two feet in the next 100 years. Saco’s focus is the Camp Ellis area, Hamblen said. Measures there include the possibility of improving the jetty or taking further steps to deter erosion. 

In Old Orchard Beach, he said Walnut Street and West Grand Avenue are two streets that see flooding with high tides or excessive rain. In addition to roads flooding, he said 74 beach access paths act like shoots for waves to flow through. 

The town already has taken steps to protect the beach, include planting “tens of thousands” of dune seedlings that have taken very well, Hamblen said. Looking forward, some solutions to flooding concerns include raising Walnut Street and West Grand Avenue one or two feet and maybe “zig-zagging” paths so water doesn’t flow through as easily.

This past winter, Saco installed three large tubes filled with sand intended to absorb the force of waves and prevent Surf Street from washing out, Hamblen said. 

“It’s a continuous situation. There’s relatively few steps we can take because the DEP doesn’t want to see more rocks or retaining walls. They want us to work with nature,” Hamblen said.

Biddeford has yet to plan any projects to protect the city’s beaches, but Tansley said the idea of working in conjunction with Lamb and Hamblen to develop a comprehensive floodplain management ordinance for Biddeford, Saco and Old Orchard Beach is a great opportunity. 

“We all agree there is benefit to that,” Tansley said. “And fortunately we have a good working relationship.”

Staff writer Emma Bouthillette can be reached at 282-4337 ext. 237.