Natural Resources of Coastal Plains

Coastal plains—low, flat lands bordering oceans—harbor diverse resources:

Minerals

• Sand, gravel (construction)
• Limestone (cement, aggregate)
• Clay (ceramics, brick)
• Coal (Gulf Coast, Atlantic)
• Oil & natural gas (Texas, Louisiana, Gulf of Mexico)

Water

• Rivers (navigation, irrigation, municipal supply)
• Lakes & reservoirs
• Aquifers (Floridan, Gulf Coast, Atlantic Coastal Plain)—critical groundwater

Forests

• Pine (loblolly, slash, longleaf)—timber, pulp, plantations
• Oak, hickory, gum (bottomland hardwoods)
• Cypress, tupelo (swamps)
• Mangroves (tropical/subtropical coasts)—coastal protection, nurseries

Wetlands

• Marshes (salt, brackish, fresh)
• Swamps (forested wetlands)
• Bogs, pocosins (SE US)

Wildlife

• Fish (commercial/recreational)
• Shellfish (shrimp, crab, oyster, clam)
• Birds (migratory waterfowl, waders, shorebirds)
• Mammals (deer, bear, otter, manatee)
• Reptiles (alligator, turtles, snakes)
• Amphibians (frogs, salamanders)

These resources underpin regional economies—fisheries, forestry, energy, tourism, agriculture—while providing flood buffering, water filtration, and carbon sequestration.