The inherent dynamism of coastal environments makes documentation of change especially challenging. At the same time, the loss of historical and ecological landscapes is particularly evident in the coastal zone. The disappearance of wetlands, native vegetation and wildlife, and the alteration of natural processes have greatly affected the ecology of remaining coastal zone habitats, while the historical introduction of numerous species of plants and animals has transformed much of the open landscape. Cultural and historic structures and land uses have vanished through modern development, change and decay. We are assembling the ecological and cultural history of a small fragment of the southern California coast, part of the Santa Barbara Coastal LTER, with the goal of developing a model approach for informing restoration and preservation efforts. The coastline offers a wide variety of habitats including sandy beaches, dunes, rocky tidepools, kelp forests, cliffs, a saltwater slough, coastal mesas, and freshwater marshes and pools. It also includes a long and rich human history. The setting is on the edge of a highly urbanized and quickly developing area, a liminal space that is a literal and symbolic borderland. Documenting change in this dynamic environment requires a multi-disciplinary process that incorporates a wide variety of sources and inference. This type of integrative approach may become increasingly relevant in the face of anticipated impacts of global climate change on coastal ecosystems.