Adapting to Sea Level Rise in Southern Maine’s Historic Waterfront Communities - a panel discussion

Rising seas and coastal flooding present a threat to cultural resources in historic coastal communities. Greater Portland is at considerable risk according to sea level rise projections and local communities are already experiencing recurrent flooding, erosion and increasingly intense storms-threats that are projected to increase as the Gulf of Maine warms and expands. The continued damage and destruction of local historic landmarks and sites could be detrimental to Greater Portland’s personality and sense of collective history. The panel of experts in this video discussed this threat, planning, the tough decisions preservationists face in this crisis, and how historic preservation can contribute to making our places more sustainable. Panelists: Julie Larry, Senior Architectural Historian, Black Diamond Consultants; Dr. Dave Reidmiller, Director, Climate Center at the Gulf of Maine Research Institute; and Abbie Sherwin, Senior Planner and Coastal Resilience Coordinator, Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission.