The ShoreZone mapping system has been in use since the early 1980s and has been applied to more than 40,000 kilometers of shoreline in Washington and British Columbia—now Alaska’s extensive coastline is also being imaged and mapped. This project has been funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and a number of other agencies and organizations throughout the years.

This standardized system catalogs both geomorphic (the landscape and other natural features of the Earth's surface) and biological (living organisms) resources at mapping scales of better than 1:10,000. The high-resolution, attribute-rich dataset is a useful tool for extrapolation of site data over broad spatial ranges and creating a variety of habitat models.

Low tide, oblique aerial imagery sets this system apart from other mapping efforts. You can "fly the coastline" (aerial video), view still photos, and access biophysical data using the interactive website. The site will include more of Alaska's coastline as new data becomes available.