ResilientWoodsHole released the Phase 4 Report, which outlines the floodproofing demonstration projects at WHOI and MBL, the Stoney Beach Feasibility study, and our outreach and engagement projects. 

You can read the report here. 

ResilientWoodsHole completed floodproofing demonstration projects at WHOI's Bigelow building and MBL's Lillie building. At WHOI's Bigelow building, RWH identified key windows and doors that required floodproofing and deployable flood barriers were installed in June 2024. At MBL's Lillie Lab, RWH initially identified key doors and windows that required floodproofing, but opted for an alternative deployable flood barrier that attached to either ends of the external masonry of the building. 

You can read more about the project in our Phase 4 report and follow us on social media to keep up to date on RWH's projects. 

ResilientWoodsHole collaborated with the Nobska Lighthouse and Maritime Museum on a climate resilience exhibit.

This exhibit space includes information on climate change in Woods Hole, climate projections in form of a 3D model, and information on the RWH initiative. Visit the museum website for visiting hours and directions. 

ResilientWoodsHole presented an overview of the RWH to the Falmouth Town Select Board during their Select Board Meeting on February 12, 2024.

To view the meeting and the presentation (around the 40 minute mark), please click here. 

ResilientWoodsHole formally launched the RWH Climate Walking Trail on October 24th, 2023. Our new self-guided tour can be taken online or via the RWH app.

This trail highlights:

• Impacts from historic storms
• Discusses sea level rise and coastal storm flooding projections
• Evaluates current impacts of storms on organization, town, and residential properties
• Identifies some solutions to alleviate climate impacts.

This trail takes the user around 12 stops in Woods Hole Village, with each physical location marked by a post, and takes about 2 hours to complete.

You can read more about the RWH Climate Walking Trail launch here.

ResilientWoodsHole held its third NWG meeting with residents, business owners, employees, and other stakeholders in Woods Hole on August 29th. This meeting was an open-house format and combined all the neighborhoods in Woods Hole Village. 

This workshop had 5 main stations and objectives: 

• • Woods Hole Village Vulnerabilities: Learn about Woods Hole’s flood risk and envision a resilient Village.
  • Flood Pathways: Visualize Woods Hole’s flood risk in 3D and comment on designs that mitigate a flood pathway at Stoney Beach.
  • Property Owners: Get technical assistance on protecting your property from sea level rise and storm surge.
  • Adaptations: Share your input on ways to reduce your neighborhood’s vulnerability to sea level rise and storm surge.
  • Community: Talk to your neighbors and leave your parting thoughts.

To read a summary of the meetings, visit here.

ResilientWoodsHole held its second set of NWG meetings with residents, business owners, employees, and other stakeholders in Woods Hole.

Several areas of concern and action steps were identified in the meetings:

• • Mill Pond and the wetlands - increase ecological health of Mill Pond, increase filtration behind seawall
  • Culverts between Eel and Mill Pond - repair culverts and increase flow between the two ponds
  • Bar Neck Rd - elevate the road and restore dunes on either side of the road

To read a summary of the meetings, visit here.

Visit this page for updated resources.

ResilientWoodsHole has held its first set of meetings where it engaged residents, business owners, employees, and other stakeholders in Woods Hole from 9 areas in Woods Hole.

Several main themes were identified during the neighborhood working groups:

• • Need for collaboration between town, institutions, and community on the long-term vision of Woods Hole
  • Need for changes in regulation to help with climate resilience action
  • Need to establish community associations or improvement districts in Woods Hole neighborhoods to help fund resilience projects

To read a summary of the meetings, visit the ResilientWoodshHole Neighborhood Working Group Meeting Summary.

Visit this page for resources.

ResilientWoodsHole has create social media pages to connect with part-time and full-time residents, business owners, employees, and other stakeholders in Woods Hole.

Follow and like us on our Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter pages!

Hannah Loss from Inside Climate News visited Woods Hole to learn more about ResilientWoodsHole and learn how the community and institutions have taken steps to reduce the impacts of climate change. You can read the full article here. 

ResilientWoodsHole was awarded its second Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) grant to continue its work in implementing community climate resiliency solutions.

Phase 4 has three main scopes focusing on the short-term, medium-term, and long-term. For the short-term, RWH is conducting climate resilient demonstration projects in MBL, WHOI, and NOAA Fisheries.

For the medium-term, RWH is conducting a feasibility study for nature-based solutions on Stoney Beach.

For the long-term, RWH is continuing outreach and engagement efforts by conducting neighborhood working groups, establishing social media pages, creating a climate resilience podcast, and developing a self-guided walking tour. 

Woods Hole Group, a consultant for ResilientWoodsHole, completed an executive summary StoryMap that highlights work that has been completed to date and outlines next steps for RWH. You can view the StoryMap here. 

The Phase 3 report that outlines ResilientWoodsHole's extensive outreach efforts and proposed adaptation solutions was completed in June 2022 and can be found here. 

ResilientWoodsHole commissioned Nutter McClennen & Fish, LLP to conduct a regulatory review of federal, state, and town bylaws to evaluate how regulations help or impede climate resilience action. You can read the report here.

The second participatory workshop builds upon the first community workshop. The second community workshop included a review of coastal vulnerability and potential adaptation strategies in nine areas of Woods Hole. 

Each participant provided input on the adaptation pathways in each of the nine management areas. You can access the workshop presentation here or read more about the workshop here.   

A participatory workshop beginning with a review and update on Woods Hole’s vulnerability to sea-level rise and storm surge. Followed by breakout room discussions on:

• Important aspects of Woods Hole to adapt for resilience
• Your observations of flooding in Woods Hole
• Your preferred strategies for building resilience
• Private-property flood protection opportunities
• Sewer adaptation ideas

You can watch the workshop here. 

ResilientWoodsHole is engaging the local community in a dialogue about coastal flooding risks; identifying village flood pathways and vulnerabilities; and discussing long-term protective strategies.

This phase is funded through the Office of Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management (CZM) grant and institutional matching funds. 

ResilientWoodsHole released the Phase 2 report that outlines the results of a vulnerability assessment on Woods Hole village and lifelines, such as roads. You can read the whole report here. 

A public symposium was held to raise awareness about climate-change research in Woods Hole, the ResilientWoodsHole initiative, and state, regional, and local climate resiliency planning.

You can view the symposium here.

An adaptation pathways project that builds on and integrates the results of the Town of Falmouth CCVA and the Woods Hole Village CCVA.

Phase 1 culminated in a public symposium and the Woods Hole Village CCVA was released to the public.

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Marine Biological Laboratory, and NOAA Northeast Fisheries Science Center commissioned Woods Hole Group to prepare the Woods Hole Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA) and Adaptation Plan.

Periodic impacts include
Nuisance flooding of developed areas and infrastructure due to the shifting tidal range, coastal wetlands migration/loss in undeveloped areas due to the shifting tidal range, and potential erosion of natural shorelines due to repetitive storm damage.

Episodic impacts include
Risk of flooding to developed areas and infrastructure during more frequent and more intense coastal storms with greater potential for impact due to sea level rise.