Coastal Adaptation Strategies: Case Studies

At Dry Tortugas National Park, investments to repair historic Fort Jefferson are strategic in nature and informed by climate change considerations.

NPS Photo by Marcy Rockman

Many national park units across the country protect coastal resources of significant value. These areas are increasingly feeling impacts from climate change, including sea level rise, shoreline erosion, ocean acidification, warming temperatures, groundwater inundation, and changing precipitation patterns.

Many park units are taking innovative action to prepare for--and respond to--climate change. These solutions span a broad gamut of management, including baseline data collection, historic preservation, archeological surveys, habitat restoration, infrastructure design, and long-term planning.

In September of 2015, the National Park Service released the following summary report detailing 24 coastal adaptation efforts occurring in 15 states across the country. This report was compiled to generate inspiration and dialogue among park managers and other coastal management agencies responsible for stewarding natural and cultural resources amidst the hazards of climate change. Individual case studies and project contacts are detailed in the table below.

Coastal Adaptation Strategies: Case Studies

National Park Service Report, NPS 99/129700

September 2015

(PDF, 2.4 MB)

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Explore the Case Studies
Each link below will open the case study in PDF format

Case Study	Park	Primary Contact
Rehabilitating Stream Crossings on Historic Roads	Acadia National Park, Maine	Rebecca Cole-Will
Reservoir Water Level Change Impacts on Cultural Resources	Amistad National Recreation Area, Texas	Jack Johnson
Incorporating Climate Change Response into a General Management Plan	Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland & Virginia	Deborah Darden
Relocating Visitor Facilities Threatened by Erosion	Assateague Island National Seashore, Maryland & Virginia	Deborah Darden
Collecting Baseline Biological and Geologic Data to Understand Coastal Change	Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska	Dr. Tahzay Jones
Cultural Resources Inventory and Vulnerability Assessment	Bering Land Bridge National Preserve, Cape Krusenstern National Monument, Alaska	Dael Davenport
Shell Mound Sites Threatened by Sea Level Rise and Erosion	Canaveral National Seashore, Florida	Dr. Margo Schwadron
Reducing Vulnerability of Coastal Visitor Facilities	Cape Cod National Seashore, Massachusetts	Lauren McKean
Relocating the Lighthouse	Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina	John Kowlok
Consideration of Shackleford Banks Renourishment	Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina	Patrick Kenney
The Need for Storm Recovery Plans	Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina	Patrick Kenney
Strategic Planning and Responsible Investments for Threatened Historic Structures	Dry Tortugas National Park, Florida	Kelly Clark
Developing Sustainable Visitor Facilities	Everglades National Park, Florida	Fred Herling
Incorporating Climate Change into Florida's State Wildlife Action Plan	Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission	Brian Branciforte
Lighthouse Stabilization Design Incorporates Sea Level Rise	Fort Pulaski National Monument, Georgia	Mike Eissenberg
Restoring the Jamaica Bay Wetlands	Gateway National Recreation Area, New York	Patricia Rafferty
Developing a Multi-Agency Vision for an Urban Coastline	Golden Gate National Recreation Area, California	Kristen Ward
Establishing Alternative Transportation to Fort Pickens to Supplement Vulnerable Road Access	Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida	Dan Brown
Large-scale Restoration of Barrier Island Systems and Cultural Resource Protection through Sediment Placement	Gulf Islands National Seashore, Florida	Dan Brown
Recognizing Coral Adaptations to Environmental Stressors	National Park of American Samoa	Tim Clark
Storm Surge and Sea Level Change Data Support Planning	NPS Geological Resources Division, Colorado	Dr. Maria Caffrey
Preparing for Impacts on Archeological Sites and Traditional Resources	Olympic National Park, Washington	Dave Conca
Restoring the Giacomini Wetlands from Agricultural Lands	Point Reyes National Seashore, California	Lorraine Parsons
Eroding Shoreline Threatens Historic Peale Island Cabin	Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming	Steven Iobst

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Report Editors

Courtney A. Schupp National Park Service Geologic Resources Division 7333 W. Jefferson Ave, Suite 450 Lakewood, CO 80235

Rebecca L. Beavers National Park Service Geologic Resources Division 7333 W. Jefferson Ave, Suite 450 Lakewood, CO 80235

Maria A. Caffrey University of Colorado Boulder Geological Sciences Department UCB399 Boulder, CO 80309