A Community Read on Climate Change
We once took water for granted.
Plymouth is surrounded by an ocean of saltwater that presses against the land and a Subterranean interface with our precious freshwater. Sea level rise, increased demand, and climate change may very well allow saltwater to intrude into our rivers, ponds, as well as into the very water we drink.
Plymouth has received a new “Action Grant” funded through the state’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program. The Town of Plymouth, the Living Observatory, and the Southeastern Massachusetts Pine Barrens Alliance (SEMPBA) are part of a new community task force that is currently researching a phenomenon known as the saltwater/freshwater interface.
This task force, including more than a dozen of the region’s environmental organizations, community groups, town committees, and – we hope – a variety of community-focused businesses recognizes the importance of engaging our community to prepare for the challenges ahead.
Add your voice to the conversation by choosing one of the books on our curated list for your book club in 2022. The task force, with the Plymouth Public Library, has created a list that includes genres to satisfy every reader. If your club chooses to read one of these books, we would love to know about your experience. Click here for a printable list of potential discussion questions or contact us at the email address below if you would like a task force member to help facilitate your discussion.
Through the fall and winter we are bringing everyone together for one or more community conversations with authors and experts in the field of saltwater intrusion. The SWI Grant will include additional presentations in 2022 and 2023 on the issues effecting Plymouth and opportunities for citizens to participate in activities, including walks on nature-based solutions led by local Indigenous leaders.
