A combination of efforts are needed to make our communities more resilient: advocacy and education around the issues, state and local planning, and resident action. We are creating a series of posters to inspire resident-led action on climate resiliency.
The Ipswich River is at once a recreational, natural and cultural resource and is the lifeblood of the Essex National Heritage Area. It also provides drinking water to 350,000 people and businesses in 14 communities. The river’s health is dependent on having a watershed community that appreciates the river and will take action to protect watershed biodiversity and increase resiliency. However, studies show that as more people become aware of the urgency of the climate crisis, many are responding with hopelessness, wondering what they can do and if their actions matter.
Communities in the Ipswich River watershed have grown and changed dramatically in the 40+ years since the founding of our organization. These changes include both development and loss of natural areas as well as more conservation and historic sites. In order to encourage more people to take action to create sustainable and resilient communities, we are developing a series of durable posters that will interpret climate issues such as water conservation and land use in a way that reflects familiar situations and issues that matter to the larger community.
The posters are being developed through a grant from the Essex National Heritage Commission (ENHC) and aim to increase community awareness of resiliency issues and empower residents to take action by offering them the tools and methods to make change happen. Our goal is to see increased community involvement in watershed communities, such as:
- More community projects that address the highlighted challenges
- Increased environmental stewardship or citizen science volunteering
- Increased participation in outdoor or nature-focused events
- Noticeable and vocal advocacy from residents for improved land and water management.
By interpreting the climate crisis through the lens of local issues we hope to inspire more people, on an individual and community level, to preserve their natural resources and community character. Development is increasing in the North Shore and decisions are being made as to how communities will use and manage land, water and other essential resources. The time to act is now.
This project is working in tandem with the Greenscape Coalition and PIE River’s Partnership Water for People campaign, a resident-led watershed restoration project. Conserving water, reducing storm-water pollution, and increasing natural areas on your own property is a great first step to enacting change. Not only will you increase the amount of water-cleaning, groundwater-recharging space in the watershed, but you may inspire your neighbors to follow in your footsteps.
If you have ideas for content that should be included in our resiliency action posters, would like to be involved in the project, or want to become a leader in resident-led restoration, please contact us at [email protected].