Coastal Resilience
Explore Coastal Resilience strategies and consider the best approaches for YOUR coastline.
Coastal Resilience Defined
Coastal resilience is the capacity to anticipate and plan for change, resist damage, rapidly recover, and adapt to changing conditions on our coastlines.
Coastal Resilience in Hawai'i requires innovative and timely approaches as our climate changes, and intensified storms combined with rising sea levels present complex challenges. We believe an essential part of the solution is empowering youth to become Champions of Coastal Resilience.
Coastal Resilience Strategies
A variety of strategies have been implemented across the globe to protect coastal communities.
View the videos below for an overview of a variety of approaches taken by stakeholders.
Commonly Considered Coastal Resilience Strategies:
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Managed Retreat (For example: setbacks, relocation)
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Adaptation (For example: elevate buildings)
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Beach and Dune Restoration
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Wetland Restoration
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Natural Area Preservation
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Temporary Erosion Control (For example: sandbags, erosion blanket)
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Armoring (For example: permanent rock, seawall)
Can you identify which of these are nature-based solutions and which are not?
Explore the explanation of Nature Based Solutions in this Fact Sheet from the Environmental and Energy Study Institiute:
Fact Sheet | Nature as Resilient Infrastructure – An Overview of Nature-Based Solution
Coastal Resilience in Hawai'i
Visit the UH Sea Grant Hawaiʻi Center for Coastal and Climate Science and Resilience Portal or the Coastal Resilience Program page led by The Nature Conservancy. Consider browsing the "Guidance for Addressing Sea Level Rise in Community Planning in Hawaiʻi" document being used by local leadership. Explore the other collaborations and efforts underway.
Coastal Field Ecology
in Hawai'i
Courtney, C.A; Romine, B.M.; Lander, M.; Hintzen, K.D.; Owens, T.M.; Pap, R.A. 2020. Guidance for Addressing Sea Level Rise in Community Planning in Hawai'i. Prepared by Tetra Tech, Inc. for the University of Hawai'i Sea Grant College Program and State of Hawai'i Department of Land and Natural Resources and Office of Planning, with funding from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office for Coastal Management Award No. NA16NOS4730016.
Tara Owens of UH SeaGrant on coastal erosion.
Tara Owens of UH SeaGrant on Citizen Science and the King Tides Project.
Tara Owens of UH SeaGrant on coastal erosion in Maui Nui and community action.
Tara Owens of UH SeaGrant on the local challenges to coastal resilience.
Tara Owens of UH SeaGrant on climate policy advancements in Hawaiʻi.