Preparing Communities for Sea Level Rise

Whether directly or indirectly, we will all feel the impacts of continued sea level rise. In order to build resilient communities that can adapt and respond to rising sea levels, we must increase our collective understanding of sea level rise impacts. Informed decision-making at individual, community wide, and regional scales will require continuous collaborative efforts where ideas, solutions, adaptive techniques, and experiences can be exchanged and discussed freely.

"Preparing Coastal Communities for Sea Level Rise" is a community education event that builds participant knowledge about the science of sea level, future projections, and local impacts.

Using global scientific data paired with local history and case studies ensures the event provides regionally relevant information to participants. Interactive data sets and maps combined with facilitated discussions help residents visualize the impacts of sea level rise and weather events on local community resources like roads, hospitals, schools, and other valued assets, and how climate projections will increase these impacts over time.

While many have heard about sea level rise and storm surge, it's challenging to internalize what this means for their own communities. We believe that making sure our communities are informed and know what they can expect as sea levels continue to rise will allow our region to more carefully and effectively prepare for this critical challenge.