{"id":22066,"date":"2021-05-12T15:01:57","date_gmt":"2021-05-12T19:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/currents\/?p=13454"},"modified":"2024-05-21T15:53:56","modified_gmt":"2024-05-21T19:53:56","slug":"seeking-inclusive-strategies-to-help-coastal-communities-adjust-plan-for-sea-level-rise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/seeking-inclusive-strategies-to-help-coastal-communities-adjust-plan-for-sea-level-rise\/","title":{"rendered":"Seeking Inclusive Strategies to Help Coastal Communities Adjust, Plan for Sea Level Rise"},"content":{"rendered":"

Editor\u2019s Note<\/em><\/strong>: This post is part of a series highlighting NC State research into how sea level rise is affecting people and the environment along the coast. The author is Laura Oleniacz<\/a> of NC State News Services for The Abstract blog; we are cross-posting with permission.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

Recurring flood damage to homes and powerful storms that threaten infrastructure are realities facing many coastal North Carolina communities. However, for three predominately African American, rural communities near the coast, NC State University researchers documented additional injustices that imperil the communities\u2019 ability to adapt to a changing climate.<\/p>\n

In their\u00a0study, the researchers\u00a0reported on efforts<\/a> to help these communities think about how to adapt to sea level rise, flooding and other climate change impacts. They found that inequalities, economic limitations and injustices facing these communities can make residents feel vulnerable to climate impacts, and unheard in local planning and recovery efforts.<\/p>\n

Their findings,\u00a0published in the journal\u00a0Land Use Policy<\/em>, highlight the need for policymakers and researchers to work with affected coastal communities using strategies that are racially and economically inclusive.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe need more research that uncovers climate injustices that exist in climate change adaption planning efforts, and that helps us to enhance community resilience,\u201d says study co-author Erin Seekamp<\/a>, professor of parks, recreation and tourism management at NC\u00a0State. \u201cMany residents have strong social bonds and deep connections to coastal landscapes, and leaving isn\u2019t a desired option. Yet, human health issues are a concern as residents face mold and failing septic systems due to flooding and rising water tables.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Abstract spoke to Seekamp about the study:<\/p>\n

The Abstract<\/strong>: Why did you study communities in Tyrrell and Washington counties in North Carolina?<\/p>\n

Seekamp<\/strong>: Tyrrell and Washington counties are home to some of the lowest-lying, rural areas in coastal North Carolina. Many of the communities are dependent on the region\u2019s natural resources for their livelihoods through forestry, agriculture and nature-based tourism.<\/p>\n

They are already experiencing some of the effects of a changing climate, including recurrent flooding, marsh migration and increasing salinity in the groundwater and soils that is reducing agricultural production and forest health. They\u2019re also seeing coastal subsidence, meaning the land is sinking and slipping into the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds.<\/p>\n

There also isn\u2019t the same type of tourism visitation as there is in Dare County to the Outer Banks beaches. The relatively low population in the region also means that there is a more limited tax base to implement adaptation solutions.<\/p>\n

TA<\/strong>: What challenges do these communities face for climate change adaptation?<\/p>\n

Seekamp<\/strong>: People in the region are at a disadvantage for climate change adaptation and planning. The current structure of most federal and state programs \u2014 and funding mechanisms \u2014 are focused on urban centers and major tourism destinations.<\/p>\n

Adaptation strategies supported by those programs, such as beach nourishment or sea walls, typically have unintended negative consequences to areas that rely on marshes to reduce wave energy and mitigate some effects of storms like hurricanes.<\/p>\n

Many of these rural coastal communities \u2014 particularly communities of color \u2014 are also experiencing demographic changes that challenge their ability to prepare and adapt.<\/p>\n

Even more troubling is that adaptation planning and outreach activities aren\u2019t reaching some of the smaller communities.<\/p>\n

Yet, even when they haven\u2019t received climate change education, they already know they live in vulnerable locations. They can tell you exactly the extent of flooding that happened from past storms by pointing out where the flood waters rose to in their homes. They can tell you that drainage ditches that used to be maintained to help \u201cmove the water out\u201d aren\u2019t maintained much anymore. And, they can tell you that they don\u2019t feel like they have a voice in planning or recovery efforts.<\/p>\n

TA<\/strong>: Are there other barriers you documented?<\/p>\n

Seekamp<\/strong>: In addition to the counties having a limited tax base to support community-driven planning and adaptation efforts, there are barriers for people to participate in planning efforts. They\u2019re often held during working hours or in the early evening. With some jobs being a one- to two-hour commute one way, attending isn\u2019t an option. And, many people told us that they have stopped attending because they are never heard when they do attend.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the inability of many residents to continually meet changing flood insurance requirements means that when recovery support arrives, the only choice presented is forced migration, which is unacceptable. There is a strong sense of place and reliance on community ties and support.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s clear that past decisions and current policies are disproportionately impacting communities of color and that structural change in adaptation and recovery efforts is needed.<\/p>\n

TA<\/strong>: What is the Rural Coastal Community Resilience (RCCR) framework, and how did you use it in this study?<\/p>\n

Seekamp<\/strong>: The RCCR framework is a tool, developed by Matthew Jurjonas during his doctoral studies at NC\u00a0State, to have conversations about community perceptions about vulnerability and resilience to climate change threats.<\/p>\n

In community workshops, we work with coastal science specialists with NC Sea Grant to provide information about climate change and the threats facing the community. Then, we lead community members through an activity to evaluate whether their community is prepared to plan for and adapt to climate change threats, and discussions about their ratings. At the end of the workshop, we have them re-evaluate and rate their adaptive capacity again.<\/p>\n

What we weren\u2019t expecting was that in workshops with predominately non-Hispanic white community members, the conversation highlighted things they could do to build their capacity to adapt. In workshops with predominately African American communities, the conversation highlighted their vulnerability \u2014 especially their feelings of lack of agency or self-efficacy \u2014 and their inability to build adaptive capacity without the support of an external champion.<\/p>\n

TA<\/strong>: What is the need for better engaging these communities?<\/p>\n

Seekamp<\/strong>: We need new strategies for communicating climate science and identifying community strengths that can be leveraged to build adaptive capacity. This includes training on inclusiveness and implicit bias for researchers and outreach specialists, as well as for local and county government leaders. It also means a more concerted effort to collaborate with local residents on research and planning efforts, including ensuring representation on research teams and planning committees. This could support development of culturally appropriate outreach and engagement efforts that are led by community members themselves.<\/p>\n

From the paper’s Acknowledgments:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

First, we would like to thank the participants from Alligator, Creswell, Railroad, and Columbia, North Carolina for their willingness to share their experiences with coastal flooding and management. We would also like to thank Angus Spencer, a field assistant from Columbia, for all his hard work on this project; the success of the study would not have been possible without him. Finally, special thanks to Jessica Whitehead and Jane Harrison of North Carolina Sea Grant for providing the technical coastal hazard introduction in the focus groups and the ongoing advice and support throughout the project.<\/em><\/p>\n

the original NC State University News article<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Recurring flood damage to homes and powerful storms that threaten infrastructure are realities facing many coastal North Carolina communities. However, for three predominately African-American, rural communities near the coast, NC\u00a0State researchers documented additional injustices that threaten the communities\u2019 ability to adapt to a changing climate. Learn more from NC Sea Grant partners. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":63,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_custom_author":"","ncst_show_custom_author":false,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[761],"tags":[],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[],"class_list":["post-22066","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-currents"],"displayCategory":null,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSeeking Inclusive Strategies to Help Coastal Communities Adjust, Plan for Sea Level Rise - Coastwatch<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/seeking-inclusive-strategies-to-help-coastal-communities-adjust-plan-for-sea-level-rise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Seeking Inclusive Strategies to Help Coastal Communities Adjust, Plan for Sea Level Rise\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Underserved rural coastal communities of color face a unique adaptation context.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/seeking-inclusive-strategies-to-help-coastal-communities-adjust-plan-for-sea-level-rise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Coastwatch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-05-12T19:01:57+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2024-05-21T19:53:56+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Dave Shaw\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:title\" content=\"Seeking Inclusive Strategies to Help Coastal Communities Adjust, Plan for Sea Level Rise\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:description\" content=\"Underserved rural coastal communities of color face a unique adaptation context.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Dave Shaw\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/seeking-inclusive-strategies-to-help-coastal-communities-adjust-plan-for-sea-level-rise\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/ncseagrant.ncsu.edu\/coastwatch\/seeking-inclusive-strategies-to-help-coastal-communities-adjust-plan-for-sea-level-rise\/\",\"name\":\"Seeking Inclusive Strategies to Help Coastal Communities Adjust, Plan for Sea Level Rise - 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