Assessing National Park Asset Flood Risk: Retreat, Adapt, Fortify?

Climate Adaptation Data Week This briefing is part of a series on coastal climate adaptation data needs and applications. Find out more about the other briefings in this series below: April 13 Localizing Sea Level Rise Projections for Decision-Makers April 15 Cultural Heritage and Climate Change April 16 Bridging the Gap Between Science and Decision-Making April 17 Weather and Social Data to Inform Participatory Planning Initiatives The National Park Service owns thousands of buildings and other infrastructure at risk from coastal flooding and sea level rise. Dr. Rob Young, Director of Western Carolina University’s Program for the Study of Developed Shorelines, led a project to map and evaluate the vulnerability of each coastal NPS asset—from the Statue of Liberty to remote roads in Alaska—in order to help park managers decide what should be protected, what should be abandoned, and what should be moved further inland.