For the Instructor
These student materials complement the Coastal Processes, Hazards and Society Instructor Materials. If you would like your students to have access to the student materials, we suggest you either point them at the Student Version which omits the framing pages with information designed for faculty (and this box). Or you can download these pages in several formats that you can include in your course website or local Learning Managment System. Learn more about using, modifying, and sharing InTeGrate teaching materials.University Park ONLY: Formative Assessment
Mapping Vulnerability
Objective:
Identify and use techniques for determining where and when to apply policy options.
Assignment:
When attempting to prioritize protections for coastal areas, communities often use maps to identify the most vulnerable areas. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association's Sea Level Rise Viewer (NOAA SLR Viewer) is an example of the type of interactive map that communities might use to identify which areas are most vulnerable to sea level rise and related hazards.
In addition to showing which areas will be permanently inundated by the selected amount of sea level rise (physical vulnerability), the NOAA SLR Viewer also maps the Social Vulnerability Index (SoVI) score for coastal areas. The SoVI uses a combination of demographic and employment information to create a standardized social vulnerability score. Because the SoVI is calculated in the same way for locations across the United States, its vulnerability scores are not as detailed and place-specific as measures of social vulnerability produced using a participatory VSD. However, the SoVI can provide a good first approximation of the extent and distribution of social vulnerability in a coastal community.
This short activity will show how stakeholders in Miami, Florida could use the NOAA SLR Viewer to identify which areas have the highest physical and social vulnerability to sea level rise, and therefore should be protected first. To get started, click the next item in the list below or use the menu.
Files
Download the Worksheet (Microsoft Word 2007 (.docx) 13.3MB Sep7 16)
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