Northshore magazine showcases the best that the North Shore of Boston, MA has to offer.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/1292368
112 "We are starting to witness unprecedented changes," says Tom O'Shea, program director for Coast & Natural Resources for the Trustees of Reservations, which protects 120 miles of shoreline in Massachusetts. In the face of these worrisome trends, the Trustees realized our region is at a pivotal moment as we confront the very real dangers climate change presents to our seaside com- munities. e group decided to investigate the true scope of the problem, focusing on the impacts of sea level rise and storm surge on beaches, salt marshes, developed areas, and wildlife habitats. e result of the first phase of this work, released in August, is the inaugural State of the Coast report, an assessment of climate change impacts on the 13 coastal towns from Salisbury to Swampscott. e goal is to create a body of knowledge that will highlight the depth of the problem, and galvanize action by local and state government while there is still a chance to make a real difference. "e effects of climate on sea level rise and storms really takes off after 2050," O'Shea says. "We have some time to make some smart choices about how we adapt or retreat or protect ourselves." e report's conclusions raise several concerns, including the potential for significant property damage. By 2050, high tides could cover roads daily in 10 of the 13 towns studied. Buildings would also be at risk, with daily tides flooding more than 600 structures. A 10-year storm in 2050—a storm of such severity it is only likely to occur roughly once a decade—could flood nearly one-third of the buildings in Salisbury. Beyond these more obvious risks, climate change is also likely to have indirect effects on coastal communities. Extensive areas of marshland are expected to sink or flood—more than 40 percent of Gloucester's marsh, for ex- ample, could be flooded by 2050. And low-lying tidal flats are being covered by the sea—in Salem, more than half of these areas could be converted to open water within 30 years. When marshes and tidal flats disappear, coastal communities lose valuable protection against storm surge and powerful waves. Find- ing ways to preserve these areas, therefore, could be an important strategy for adapting to climate change. "We've realized that our marshes are a tremendous resource," says state Senator Bruce Tarr, a Gloucester native whose district includes seven of the communities assessed in the report. "ere may be places where, by being good stewards of the marsh and the coastal environment, we can get tremendously cost-effective resiliency." Much of the information in the report rings true to the leaders of waterfront towns, who have already been planning for the impacts of climate change and crafting creative solutions. In Swampscott, town leaders are planning to construct a "living reef "—a breakwater designed to create habitats for marine organisms—along its outer harbor to absorb some of the power from incoming waves, protecting boats and shoreline property. e project would also enable the development of limate change is reshaping the North Shore. At Crane Beach in Ipswich, erosion has swept away land equivalent to 84 football fields since the 1950s. In 2018, a storm destroyed the historic Magnolia Pier in Gloucester. e Great Marsh that embraces the upper edge of the coast is sinking in places from a legacy of ditching and flooding. PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF THE TRUSTEES Argilla Road, near Crane Beach, is experiencing more flooding events from King Tides.