Raising Awareness
Greenbelt works to show what is at stake for the future of Essex County by charting sea level rise, and with our Newsletters and Film & Lecture Series.
Sea Level Rise
The northeast is experiencing a range of climate related impacts, but is particularly susceptible to sea level rise and flooding. Higher-than-average rates of sea level rise measured in the Northeast have led to a 100% to 200% increase in high tide flooding in some places, causing more persistent and frequent impacts over the last few decades.
Mapping Climate Change
Greenbelt partnered with Salem State University students and professor Stephen Young to host an exhibit highlighting the use of innovative mapping techniques, satellite imagery and other climate data to show the future impact of sea level rise and storm surges in our region.
The Salem State University researchers showed how just a one-foot rise in sea level would bring flooding – ranging from minor to severe – to every coastal community in Essex County. In Essex, 27 percent of the town has been found to be at risk of coastal inundation.
Impacts Of A Warming Planet
The evidence of our changing climate is all around us. We may notice the impacts of drought in our streams, wetlands and wells; unusually early blooms in the garden; or more frequent “king tides” that flood roadways and parking lots. Certainly, the natural world is showing signs of climate stress.
Film & Lecture Series
The impact of climate change, both now and in the future, has been the subject of many Greenbelt Film & Lecture series events, including the 2020-2021 series funded by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Mangement.
Invasives
Join Greenbelt’s Dave McKinnon on a walk through Cox Reservation in Essex, to identify and discuss various invasive plants, including Oriental Bittersweet, Multiflora Rose, Garlic Mustard, Purple Loosestrife, Phragmites, Black Swallow-wort