Pérez, F., García, M., Castillo, A., Abogado, M.T. and Duarte, J.F., 2013. Tools to characterize sandy beaches: towards integrated management of Venezuelan beaches

In Venezuela, the coastal public domain constitutes a priority area to develop management strategies. To achieve this goal an Inventory and Characterization of Sandy Beaches has been initiated among other actions. This project comes from the need to generate a systematic database, in order to provide inputs for sustainable management and coastal resource recovery. This will set bases for the design of Strategies for Sustainable Management of Sandy Beaches in the country. The methodology was designed by a multidisciplinary team and validated by the Working Committees of Coastal Zones, which includes the participation of all institutes with interests in this space, universities and communities. A concept of sandy beaches had been defined, considering national and international references, adapted to the geography of the country. The methodology includes three tools: 1) Form, 2) Technical Manual and 3) Field Guide. The Form serves as a checklist easy to handle by planners, managers, students and communities. The Technical Manual provides detailed knowledge of each component analyzed in the form. The Field Guide shows a series of pictures and graphs illustrating the variables, in order to facilitate identification and evaluation of each component. A process of regional training began in 2011, conducted by theoretical and practical workshops. By April 2012, 368 persons have been trained and 365 sandy beaches have been characterized nationwide. All these activities have been developed under the premise of the National Plan of Integrated Coastal Zone Management of Venezuela, “a space with its own identity”