Summary

As with most shorelines around the world, New Jersey beaches are slowly, but inexorably, being eroded, threatening coastal structures and development. In some years more sand is deposited than removed, but all of the state's monitoring devices show that sea level is gradually rising and pushing the New Jersey shoreline inland. The shore is a valuable resource, and its natural, cultural, and economic attractions draw a multitude of permanent and temporary residents each year, extending housing and commercial development onto areas that were once swampland. Not surprisingly, development at the water's edge has been accompanied by an increasing exposure to the natural hazards of the coastal zone--erosion, flooding, and wind damage.

In this book, Norbert Psuty and Douglas Ofiara incorporate perspectives from the areas of coastal sciences, economics, public policy, and land-use planning in creating a systematic plan for coastal management and protection. It has been more than a decade since New Jersey developed the nation's first state shore protection plan, and this volume provides a timely evaluation of its achievements and future challenges. This self-contained book provides all of the relevant theories, models, and examples so the reader will not need to refer to any other literature to gain an understanding of the issues and policies surrounding shore protection. It is the authoritative handbook for practitioners and policy makers in many fields, including coastal science and management and engineering, as well as public policy and economics.

Choice Review

Psuty (Rutgers Univ.) and Ofiara (Univ. of Southern Maine) offer a useful and accessible compendium (11 chapters and two appendixes) of the multiple issues associated with coastal management efforts in New Jersey. The state's engineering efforts to mitigate shore erosion and the latest scientific understanding of the origin, evolution, and processes of the dynamic New Jersey shoreline are conjoined to economic, public policy, and management practices designed to oversee the ecologic health and integrity of these fragile coastal environments. Focusing on a specific sector of the Atlantic shoreline is a useful approach to unpacking the complexity of scientific, management, and policy decisions, as community and state representatives strive to balance the private and public uses of the New Jersey shore with the area's ecologic vitality. This easy-to-read resource has an extensive (more than 250 entries), updated reference list. Particularly useful are the final chapters, which reassess coastal management strategies of New Jersey, including options and future directions for the long-term stewardship of the region. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All levels. P. R. Pinet Colgate University