Sustainable Brunswick: Coasts At Risk; the Changing Tides of Climate

Please join us Wednesday March 20th from 6-7:30 pm for lecture #3 in our sustainability series, “Coasts At Risk; the Changing Tides of Climate” where we will learn about the effects of climate change on submerged aquatic vegetation, flooding, and coastal bluff erosion, its impact on vulnerable coastal ecosystems and property, and how public interest and involvement concerning these issues can better inform and protect our community.

  First, Pete Slovinsky from the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation, and Forestry will share important information concerning the pressures and related impacts of sea level rise on our coastal regions, as well as his involvement in our Town’s Living Shorelines project; learn about past and current project efforts, the benefits of nature-based solutions to shoreline stabilization, and how coastal landowners can become stewards of the coastal environment. Next, you’ll hear from Angie Brewer of Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection as she shares with us the importance of eelgrass meadows to our local ecosystem, changes in distribution witnessed overtime, how changing ocean conditions are impacting this critical resource, and what we can do to protect it. Lastly, enjoy a presentation from Gayle Bowness from the Gulf of Maine Research Institute as she discusses Brunswick’s involvement in the Coastal Flooding Community Science Project, a citizen-led science initiative that utilizes community observational data and public perspectives on flooding to understand the current impacts of flooding during high tides and storms; learn what opportunities exist for residents to become more actively involved in this monitoring program, how observations of coastal flooding and flood impacts in your made in your own backyard can be used to understand flood thresholds, inform decision-making, and promote coastal resilience.   Don’t miss this opportunity to learn more about how staying informed and involved can aid our community’s ability to identify locations and resources most at risk and enable informed planning for a more resilient future.