ResilientWoodsHole in the News
Local, Regional, National
Woods Hole Residents Share Climate Resiliency Efforts In Walking Trail
The RWH Climate Walking Trail Highlights Resident and Organization Experience with Climate Change (Falmouth Enterprise, Oct. 2023)
Cape Cod’s first climate change tour opens in Woods Hole
ResilientWoodsHole Climate Walking Trail Officially Launched in October, One of the First Climate Change Walking Tours. (WCAI, Oct. 2023)
Here are 8 environmental projects to watch in 2023
Cape Cod Times identifies ResilientWoodsHole as a project to watch in the new year (Cape Cod Times, Dec 2022)
How a Cape Cod restaurant is preparing to face rising seas alongside Woods Hole scientists
Cape Cod Times reporter Heather McCarron explores RWH's climate resilience plans (Cape Cod Times, Oct 2022)
Community and Climate Risk in a New England Village
Inside Climate News reporter Hannah Loss explores RWH's Comprehensive Climate Change Adaptation Plan (Inside Climate News, Oct 2022)
ResilientWoodsHole Symposium Releases New Interactive Maps for Public Engagement
Resilient Woods Hole Releases New, Interactive Tools to Engage Community in Planning for Climate Change (Environmental, Coastal and Offshore Magazine, Feb. 2022)
Inside Look At Impacts Of Climate Change In Woods Hole
Symposium To Give Residents An Inside Look At Impacts Of Climate Change In Woods Hole (Falmouth Enterprise, Nov. 2021)
'No Easy Answers'
'No Easy Answers' WHOI Building Project Designed for Sea-level rise (Cape Cod Times, Aug. 2021)
From the Partner Institutions
RWH Climate Walking Trail Launch:
Interactive Climate Tour Opens in Woods Hole (MBL, Oct. 2023)
RWH Awarded CZM Grant:
Resilient Woods Hole Awarded Grant from Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (WHOI, Oct. 2022)
Adapt or Retreat:
Adapt or Retreat: No Solution is Off the Table to Prepare for Sea Level Rise in Woods Hole (WHOI, Nov. 2021)
Pro-Active Climate Resiliency Planning for Woods Hole
Public Symposium on 11/18 (MBL, Nov. 2021)
Collaborate on Coastal Resiliency Plans
Woods Hole Institutions and Town of Falmouth Collaborate on Coastal Resiliency Plans (MBL, Sept. 2021)
Begin Adaptation Plans for Coastal Flooding
Woods Hole Institutions Begin Adaptation Plans for Coastal Flooding of Campus Assets (MBL, Oct. 2020)
ResilientWoodsHole Events
2026 Community Open House Event
About this event
RWH invites community members to the annual Community Open House, hosted on August 13th, 2026 at Community Hall from 3:30-6:30. This open house event will have 7 stations focusing on coastal resilience:
- RWH aims to strengthen the ability of Woods Hole and Falmouth residents to respond to climate-related emergencies like extreme storms, flooding, and sea-level rise. Our ResilientWoodsHole 101 and Spring 2025 Town Workshop Report tables will provide key insights into our mission and background, as well as details about Town collaborations.
- Barnstable County Floodplain Coordinator Shannon Hulst will provide neighborhood and homeowner solutions for coastal resilience and will be accompanied by Coastal Resilience Specialist Rachael Hamilton.
- Floodproofing.com representative Sam Anderson will bring along floodproofing equipment and demonstrate options for properties in Falmouth. He'll also discuss specific residential situations and floodproofing pricing.
- Town Coastal Resilience Specialist Joshua Wrigley will discuss actions the Town has taken towards resiliency pathways, how Town residents can prepare for flooding, as well as the Town’s partnership with RWH.
- Woods Hole Steamship Authority will present the steps it has taken to successfully protect its docking area and newly renovated infrastructure in order to adapt to coastal flooding.
- An emergency preparedness table will detail the Falmouth Fire Department's recommendations for anticipating and dealing with coastal flooding during extreme weather. Here, community members can access booklets and handouts with specific steps and emergency contact information.
Stop by any time between 3:30 PM and 6:30 PM to chat with experts, meet your neighbors, and share your thoughts!
Event Specifics:
Community Open House Event 2026
Date and Time: August 13, 2026 at 3:30-6:30
Location: Community Hall (68 Water Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543)
2025 Homeowner Event
About this event
RWH invites homeowners to meet one-on-one with Shannon Hulst, Barnstable County Floodplain Coordinator to discuss floodproofing options on their properties.
Resources from the event can be found here.
Event Specifics:
Homeowner Event 2025
Date and Time: November 2025
Location: WHOI’s David Center for Ocean Innovation – DeepTech Social Hub
2025 Community Workshop
About this event
RWH invites community members to participate in an open-house style workshop at Community Hall. This workshop will have six different stations for participants to visit, including:
- Coastal Resilience Specialist Station: Meet Joshua Wrigley, the new Town of Falmouth Coastal Resilience Specialist, and share your thoughts on the actions you'd like to see in our community.
- Floodproofing Station: Explore practical floodproofing solutions for homes and businesses. Representatives from Floodproofing.com will showcase equipment, pricing, and strategies tailored to our region.
- Homeowner Strategies Station: Connect with Shelly McComb, Coastal Resilience Specialist with WHOI Sea Grant and Cape Cod Cooperative Extension. Learn about the Homeowner’s Handbook to Prepare for Coastal Hazards and explore practical strategies you can use on your property to better prepare for storms, flooding, and other natural hazards.
- Emergency Management Plan Station: View the Town of Falmouth’s Emergency Management Plan and get your emergency preparedness questions answered.
- Dynamic Adaptation Pathway Station: Review proposed adaptation pathways and give feedback on solutions you’d like to see in the short, medium, and long term for the Village.
- Feedback & Background Station: Provide input on community resilience and review our work to date—including vulnerability assessments, adaptation options, and ongoing projects.
A summary of the meeting can be found here.
Event Specifics:
Community Workshop Summer 2025
Date and Time: August 2025
Location: Woods Hole Community Hall
2023 Neighborhood Working Group Meeting #3
About this event
RWH invites community members from nine neighborhoods in Woods Hole to participate in the final meeting for the Neighborhood Working Groups. This final meeting will include all nine neighborhoods and will be held at Community Hall and will be open-house style. In this meeting, we will have several stations, including a station on vulnerability assessments, flood pathway maps, adaptation solutions, a homeowner resources station, and a spot to rest and talk with your neighbors.
More information can be found on the NWG webpage.
Event Specifics:
Neighborhood Working Group Meeting 3
Date and Time: August 2023
Location: Woods Hole Community Hall
2023 Neighborhood Working Group Meeting #2
About this event
RWH invites community members from nine neighborhoods in Woods Hole to participate in the second meeting for the Neighborhood Working Groups. These set of meetings will be more discussion-based and will be focused on gathering community preferences for adaptation solutions in Woods Hole.
These meetings will be hybrid. More information can be found on the NWG webpage.
Event Specifics:
Neighborhood Working Group Meeting 2
Date and Time: June 2023
Location: MBL Lillie Laboratory
2023 Neighborhood Working Group Meeting #1
About this event
RWH invites community members from nine neighborhoods in Woods Hole to participate in the Neighborhood Working Groups. These meetings will be an opportunity for RWH to present on its current work and for community members to provide their input and feedback on our initiative.
These meetings will be hybrid. More information can be found on the NWG webpage.
Event Specifics:
Neighborhood Working Group
Date and Time: March 2023
Location: MBL Lillie Laboratory
2022 Phase 3 Community Workshop #2: Adaptation Pathways
About this event
Earlier this year the Woods Hole residential, business, and science community engaged on the issue of local vulnerability to sea level rise and coastal storms through a virtual Community Visioning Workshop (2/9/22), interactive online maps, and an online stakeholder survey. ResilientWoodsHole has reviewed coastal vulnerability in the context of community vision and preferences, and drafted dynamic adaptation pathways – flexible and incrementally implementable responses to climate change impacts over time.
We invite you to join us in-person at the Gus Canty Community Center (5/19 at 5pm) to review and provide your input on the suite of strategies for coastal resilience in Woods Hole. This will be an interactive workshop.
Event Specifics:
Coastal Resilience in Woods Hole: Charting a Course Forward
Date and Time: Thursday, May 19, 2022 from 5:00pm – 7:00pm
Location: Gus Canty Community Center, Falmouth, MA (790 Main St, Falmouth, MA 02540)
View the presentation here: RWH_Ph3_Workshop2
To view the workshop materials and provide your input, click here.
2022 Phase 3 Community Visioning Workshop
About this event
A community-based discussion, with stakeholders from Woods Hole businesses, residential and science communities and the Town of Falmouth, on how they would like to see the village adapt to sea-level rise and coastal storms. The Woods Hole Group, a partner in ResilientWoodsHole, has developed interactive maps with comment tools for stakeholder feedback.
This workshop is part of ResilientWoodsHole’s efforts to engage the local community in a dialogue about coastal flooding risks; identify village flood pathways and vulnerabilities; and discuss long-term adaptation strategies.
View the presentation here: RWH_Ph3_Workshop1
Introductory remarks
Leslie McGee, Project Manager at WHOI and Manager of ResilientWoodsHole
Presentations:
- Joe Famely, Woods Hole Group
- Shannon Hulst, Deputy Director/CRS Coordinator at Cape Cod Cooperative Extension
- Amy Lowell, Wastewater Superintendent for Town of Falmouth
2021 Phase 2 Public Symposium
About this event
An in-depth discussion of how the ResilientWoodsHole initiative is planning to ensure the future of our vibrant seaside community. Woods Hole is a productive blue economy and residential village facing major climate impacts—including sea-level rise and coastal storms. Learn how Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Biological Laboratory, and NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center have partnered with the Town of Falmouth and local stakeholders to develop a comprehensive phased strategy for Woods Hole village that integrates resilient design concepts and community visioning.
View the presentation here: RWH_Ph2
Introductory remarks
Nipam Patel, Director, Marine Biological Laboratory
Panel Discussion
Moderator: Leslie McGee, WHOI
Climate Science Contributions: What are our very own Woods Hole Scientists doing?
- Carol Anne Clayson, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI)
- Jerry Melillo, Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL)
- Paula Fratantoni, NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center
- Intermission
Planning and Resiliency Support for Communities: What is happening locally, regionally and state-wide?
- Charlie McCaffrey, Former Chair, Falmouth Coastal Resiliency Action Committee
- Amy Lowell, Wastewater Superintendent, Falmouth
- Kristy Senatori, Cape Cod Commission
- Patricia Bowie, MA Office of Coastal Zone Management
ResilientWoodsHole: What is it? What do we know? Where are we going?
- Joe Famely, Woods Hole Group
- Rob Munier, VP Marine Operations and Facilities, WHOI
- Paul Speer, Chief Operations Officer, MBL
- Nicole Cabana, Dep. Director, NOAA NEFSC
Phase 1 Symposiums
Session 1: Resiliency Through Policy
What are the key challenges facing leaders at the federal, state, regional, and local level and how can resources best be put to use to address the multi-faceted challenges associated with climate change on Cape Cod? Hear from representatives at each level and their vision for leadership on this important issue.
Keynote
Congressman Bill Keating, Massachusetts 9th Congressional district
Panel Discussion
Moderator: Emiley Lockhart, WHOI
Panelists
- Megan English Braga, Chair, Falmouth Select Board
- Senator Susan Moran, Massachusetts State Senate
- Dr. Rob Thieler, Center Director, U.S. Geological Survey
- Kristy Senatori, Executive Director, Cape Cod Commission
Session 2: A Science Community Prepares
Woods Hole is home to world-class scientific research organizations that study a wide range of topics related to climate change and climate resiliency, as well as a thriving business community. Hear how WHOI, MBL, NEFSC, and local businesses are preparing for a future of climate change impacts.
View the presentation here: RWH_Phase1
Presentation
Research Findings on Climate Resiliency in Woods Hole
Kirk Bosma, Sr. Coastal Engineer & Innovation Director, Woods Hole Group
Panel Discussion
Moderator: Leslie-Ann McGee, WHOI
Panelists
- Paul Speer, Chief Operating Officer, MBL
- Nicole Cabana, Deputy Director, NOAA NEFSC
- Rob Munier, Vice President of Marine Operations, WHOI
- Beth Colt, Woods Hole Business Association