Pro-Active Climate Resiliency Planning for Woods Hole: Public Symposium on 11/18

Diana Kenney, Marine Biological Laboratory
508-289-7139; dkenney@mbl.edu

Suzanne Pelisson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
973-801-6223; spelisson@whoi.edu

Teri Frady, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center
774-327-9404; teri.frady@noaa.gov

WOODS HOLE, Mass. – ResilientWoodsHole, a public-private partnership readying for the impacts of climate change in Woods Hole, will hold a free, public symposium on Thursday, November 18, 6:30-8:30 PM, in Clapp Auditorium, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole.

Registration for virtual or in-person attendance is here.

ResilientWoodsHole’s mission is to secure the future of the vibrant, blue-economy village of Woods Hole in the face of major challenges and threats -- both to village infrastructure and the natural habitat -- associated with climate change.

Jump-started by three local science organizations (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Biological Laboratory, and NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center), ResilientWoodsHole has now expanded to include key local stakeholders, including the business community, the homeowner community, and the Town of Falmouth.

The three science organizations have developed assessments of potential impacts of sea-level rise and coastal storms, which were delivered in a September 2020 symposium, “Rising Tides: Phase I.”

In the upcoming symposium (Phase II), attendees will get a look inside the climate science work happening in Woods Hole; be introduced to local, regional, and statewide climate resiliency planning efforts; and become engaged around local challenges, ongoing work, and potential solutions.

The symposium will include three panel discussions:

• I. Climate Science Panel with scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Biological Laboratory, and NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center
• II. Planning and Resources Panel with representatives from the state’s Office of Coastal Zone Management; the Cape Cod Commission; and the Town of Falmouth
• III. ResilientWoodsHole Initiative Panel presenting results to date and expected work to come in Phase III. A key outcome of Phase III will be a comprehensive, phased strategy for increasing coastal resiliency, including village-wide design concepts and planning.
• IV. Q & A with audience members

In-person attendance will be limited to the first 225 registrants to accommodate social distancing, and attendees must be masked. Parking will be available in any MBL lot. For more information, please contact: info@resilientwoodshole.org.

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