Interactive Decision Support Tools

Interactive decision support tools are increasingly being integrated into marine spatial planning processes.  These are typically web-based tools that increase process transparency, encourage stakeholder engagement, and provide a user-friendly platform to help decision makers address management questions. Functions of these tools can include:

  • Providing a platform for users to view and download data associated with the planning process
  • Capturing, comparing, and sharing stakeholder feedback during the planning process
  • Analyzing, comparing, and revealing trade-offs among possible management scenarios

Coastal Resilience

Coastal Resilience is an online mapping toolkit that facilitates municipal- and state-level efforts to adapt to coastal flooding and inundation associated with climate change.

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InVEST

InVEST is a suite of free, open-source software models used to map and value the goods and services from nature that sustain and fulfill human life.

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Mapping Ocean Wealth

Mapping Ocean Wealth is an online mapping tool to visualize the ecosystem services derived from the ocean in order to support smart investments and decision-making.

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Marine Cadastre

The Marine Cadastre is a web-based map viewer that shows legal, physical, ecological, and cultural data in a common geographic information system (GIS) framework.

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Marxan

Marxan is decision support software for designing new reserve systems, reporting on performance of existing reserve systems, and developing multiple-use zoning plans.

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Marxan with Zones

Marxan with Zones extends the capabilities of Marxan by providing zoning options in geographical regions for biodiversity conservation.

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Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal

The Mid-Atlantic Ocean Data Portal contains a compilation of data to inform regional marine planning from New York to Virginia.

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Northeast Ocean Data

The Northeast Ocean Data Portal is a decision support and information system supporting regional ocean planning in the Northeastern US.

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SeaSketch

SeaSketch is an online participatory mapping platform designed to allow planners and stakeholders to interact with data related to MSP processes.

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Washington Marine Planner

Washington Marine Planner is an online decision support tool designed in response to the State of Washington’s coastal and marine spatial planning process.

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Is there a tool here that you’d like to see featured? Please contact marineplanning@tnc.org

Photo credits: Mike Timberlake; Mark Godfrey/TNC; Erika Nortemann/TNC