The first scheduled update and revision of the original environmental indicator system produced in 1995. It provides a comprehensive perspective of the important environmental, growth management, economic, and social values associated with the coast. It provides a means of evaluating Florida's progress in protecting its coastal areas; a basis for making strategic decisions about programs and financial resources; and information about coastal issues and problems to other decision-makers and the general public. Includes: updating the data in the indicators; deleting indicators with poor or nonexistent data sources; and adding new indicators.

In 1995, the Florida Coastal Management Program contracted with the Florida Center for Public Management to develop Florida Assessment of Coastal Trends (FACT), the nation's first environmental indicator system. This document (FACT 1997) is the first scheduled update and revision of the original indicator system. This revision includes updating the data in the indicators; deleting indicators with poor or nonexistent data sources; adding new indicators to improve the system; and reformatting the individual indicator sheets to improve their graphic effect.

A call to live with the coast, as opposed to living at the coast; unless Florida coastal communities conserve beaches and mitigate storm impacts, the future of the beach-based economy is in question.

A new look at the West Florida and Alabama Gulf shoreline, in the context of burgeoning development and revised coastal regulations.