Gulf Coast's Mississippi Tourism and Recreation

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Tourism and Recreation
National parks, forests, and seashores—as well as the unprotected natural heritage of the state—form the basis of Mississippi's tourism and recreation industries. Climate change could affect them in multiple and often synergistic ways:

Rising sea levels will increase coastal erosion along the mainland and the Gulf Islands National Seashore, leading to beach loss where sediment supplies are low and to increased risk of damages from severe coastal storms. Beach tourism would be directly affected and significant investment would be necessary to maintain beaches.
The few remaining wet prairies provide valuable habitat for several endangered species, such as the Mississippi sandhill crane. Should climate change produce drier conditions, the chance of wildfires would increase, thereby helping to maintain these prairies, but possibly eliminating some of the nesting grounds.
Wetland loss due to increased rates of sea-level rise and limited ability of wetlands to migrate inland would reduce habitat for waterfowl and other wildlife essential to hunting, trapping, and recreational fishing.

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Photo Credits:
Magnolia - Copyright M. Harris, Floridata.com.
Sand Hill Cranes - USFWS Photo.

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Union of Concerned Scientists