Science Communication of Coastal Parks Conservation Value Index – CVI

Abstract

As climate stressors and environmental degradation intensify, coastal landscapes along the US shoreline require urgent conservation and strategic resource allocation. The Conservation Value Index (CVI), a geospatial dataset assessing coastal resilience across 88 US coastal national parks, is designed to inform conservation priorities. However, its complexity poses challenges for effective use by the client, the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), and other stakeholders. This project translates CVI data into science communication toolkits, enabling users to explore, interpret, and apply insights for high-level policy discussions and coastal resilience advocacy. This paper also examines the intersection of scientific data and communication, highlighting the role of visualization, narrative framing, and data quality in making complex datasets actionable.