Imitating Nature to Decrease Future Flooding

The Takeaway: A $450,000 NOAA grant was used to ID alternative erosion-control approaches and where sea level rise is mostly likely to impact salt marsh.

New Jersey coastal communities used a NOAA grant of over $450,000 after Superstorm Sandy to identify nature-based ways of increasing community resilience. Communities were introduced to hard erosion-control structure alternatives. Community-specific information about nature-based techniques were developed. At least 19 communities are using this information to move forward on innovative shoreline initiatives.

The project also created a tool for identifying the salt marsh areas most likely to succumb to sea level rise. Two guidance documents were developed measuring the success and benefits of coastal restoration and enhancement projects in New Jersey and the nation. The New Jersey Chapter of The Nature Conservancy led a broad coalition of partners for this effort. (2017)

More Information: coastalresilience.org

Partners: The New Jersey Chapter of The Nature Conservancy