Building a Resilient Coast: Maine Confronts Climate Change

Coastal property owners along southern Maine’s sandy beaches are witnessing higher storm surges and increased erosion, and a recent landslide in Stockton Springs was a reminder that other parts of the coast are vulnerable to extreme weather patterns like this summer’s incessant rain.

Despite being concerned, many people surveyed feel helpless about what, if anything, they can do about it. Not that some haven’t tried...and who wouldn’t want to protect their property from washing away? Rebuilding seawalls, adding riprap, planting dune grass, and replenishing sand are temporary and expensive options at best. While Maine’s rules for building on beaches are some of the strictest in the country, actions are most effective when coordinated, because changes to one property can affect other properties. By treating the shore as one living system, entire neighborhoods can protect themselves and prepare for the next storm.

These issues are addressed in a new DVD produced by the Oregon and Maine Sea Grant programs, in partnership with University of Maine Cooperative Extension and the Maine Coastal Program at the State Planning Office. The five-part video series describes Maine’s unique climate and coastal hazards, such as storms and sea level rise. Property owners are given construction techniques and other strategies for safeguarding their homes, such as moving back or building up, and municipal officials offer their perspective on what steps are needed to protect their communities.

The Maine study described here is part of a larger research project with Oregon Sea Grant, funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminstration, to develop models of state-based outreach on climate change issues.

To learn more, visit http://www.seagrant.umaine.edu/extension/coastal-community- This one-hour program will be rebroadcast on Maine Public Broadcasting Network on:

Saturday, August 14 at 11 am

and

Tuesday, August 17 at 9 pm

The video is also available for download in 5 short segments at www.seagrant.umaine.edu/program/sarp