Coastal Climate Resilience

Greenbelt is a land conservation organization that protects farmland, wildlife habitat, and scenic landscapes. We work in the 34 cities and towns of Essex County, Massachusetts, north of Boston.

In our almost sixty year history Greenbelt has protected nearly 18,000 acres of woodlands, marshes, farms, and fields. Like much of Essex County, our properties are seeing the impacts from the changing climate, such as increased flooding. Greenbelt is committed to addressing these impacts.

January 6, 6:30pm

This award-winning 2016 documentary explores coastal erosion and climate change, past and future, along the Eastern seaboard. Join the discussion with  Anne Giblin , Interim Director of the  Ecosystems Center  at the Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole and the Director of the  Plum Island Long Term Ecological Research Site  (LTER).

January 14, 6:00pm

Learn how  Mass Audubon ’s Climate Change Adaptation Ecologist Danielle Perry works across multiple sanctuaries within the Great Marsh to help determine how climate change and sea level rise are impacting this important ecosystem.

February 10, 2:00 pm

Discover the birds and animals that inhabit the coasts of the North Shore.  Nancy Pau , Wildlife Biologist at  Parker River National Wildlife Refuge , will introduce us to these creatures and explain how they are being affected by climate change.

February 23, 6:00pm

Discover the world of coastal geology with acclaimed science writer and  NOVA  consultant  Bill Sargent . Go back in time to learn how barrier beaches like Plum Island were formed and explore the future impacts of climate change.

The animation to the right was created to show the houses affected by sea level rise in Plum Island, Massachusetts. Using data from the  MassGIS Bureau of Geographic Information , an analysis was done to create a 1ft, 5ft, 10ft, and 15ft sea rise scenario.

March 3, 4:30 pm

Panelists:  Esmeralda Bisono  ( Resilient Together ),  Mickey Northcutt  ( NSCDC ), and  Zoe Davis (City of Boston) 

When it comes to climate change preparedness, no communities should be left out. Hear from two local organizations about the work they are doing to ensure equity in their climate change planning.

The map to the left depicts the southern part of Essex County, which includes the cities of Lynn, Peabody, Beverly, and Salem. These communities are projected to see increasing sea level rise and they also have significant environmental justice neighborhoods.

The sea level rise data was developed by the  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)  . The data show current mean higher high water (the average height of daily highest tide) plus one foot increments of sea level rise up to six feet.

 Environmental Justice Communities  are those that are overburdened by environmental risks or harms and that may have increased vulnerability. The state of Massachusetts has identified  Environmental Justice Neighborhoods  based on the 2010 census.

March 24, 6:30pm

This emotional 2016 film festival-winning documentary dives into the effects of climate change on Gloucester’s cod fishing industry. Join our watch party and moderated discussion about the future of our local fisheries.