Coastal Resilience Mapping Portal: New Jersey
Provided by: The Nature Conservancy|Published on: February 14, 2022|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Data, Graphs, and Maps
Subjects: Science, Geography
Authors: The Nature Conservancy
Location: North America > United States > New Jersey
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This interactive mapping tool allows students to view a wide variety of environmental, demographic, and risk mitigation data for the New Jersey shoreline.
- Students can view the map using a number of tools, including "Marsh Explorer," "Living Shorelines," "Regional Planning", and "Risk Explorer."
- A range of layers and limiters allow students to focus the map data on specific areas and/or types of risk.
Teaching Materials
Positives
- There is a feature under "Regional Planning" that allows you to see the extent of flooding from Hurricane Sandy, as well as projected amounts of flooding from hurricanes of various strengths.
- Clicking on the wrench icon on the right-hand side of the screen will allow students to measure an area, zoom, bookmark a map, or create a map.
Prerequisites
- Clicking on the word "Tour" located at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen will launch an overview of the mapping applications.
- This resource can be a little tricky to navigate so teachers should spend time familiarizing themselves with the many mapping options available in order to find the ones that fit best with the lesson.
- The "Living Shoreline" tool has a user's guide which can be accessed from the tool's three-lines (hamburger) menu button.
- This 36-page Community Resource Guide provides background material about planning a "living shorelines" project that may help students better understand the purpose of the resource.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Earth science classes could use the "Regional Planning" tool to discuss what will happen to New Jersey if the sea level increases. Students can locate the data by selecting "Coastal Resilience" then "Coastal Hazards".
- Social studies classes could layer the demographics data in the "Coastal Resilience" section of the "Regional Planning" tool with hurricane storm surge data in order to understand how vulnerable populations are affected by storm surge.
- Other resources on this topic include this interactive mapping portal that will allow students to look at data for coastal regions around the world, this Vox video on chronic flooding in New Jersey, and this article on solutions for protecting coastal communities.
The map explores coastal areas at risk of erosion and sea level rise and provides evidence-based information on reforestation needs, ecological disturbances, and coastal resilience in New Jersey counties. Variables adopted to calculate the vulnerability index and risk are appropriate. Thus, this resource is recommended for teaching.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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