HERRING GUT HAPPENINGS - FEBRUARY 2024

This week we want to highlight the work of the Island Institute in addressing the devastation being experienced up and down the coast of Maine from back-to-back storms in January. Herring Gut also received significant damage that will impact our educational programs. You can go to their website to find resources on statewide efforts to address the damage and build resilient structures in the future.

This has become a serious regional issue as reported in a NewsCenter Maine Article on January 23rd: "The Island Institute, which advocates for coastal and island communities, has been raising the issue for several years, encouraging working waterfront dock owners to increase the height of their docks to make them more resilient against sea level rise and more severe storms, all seen as prominent consequences of climate change.

“I think this event and these storms hammered home the impact we are seeing on Maine’s coast from sea level rise and climate change,” said Sam Belknap, of the Island Institute. “I think this is changing a lot of minds and I'm hoping this will inspire folks who are building back to do it with climate change in mind," he said.

Up to now, there have been climate change skeptics along the waterfront, but Gerry Cushman said the twin storms sent a powerful message.

“For me, it was a major eye-opener,” said Cushman. “I’ve always been aware things are changing. But I think with climate, they gave us enough warning shots and it's showing us what it can do now. I’m a 1000% [believer].“ NewsMaine article

Our Cabin Fever series event on Monday the 11th of February will feature Richard Bates, PhD, from the Town of St. George's Coastal Resiliency ad-hoc committee. Richard will speak about the town's efforts to document and plan for higher sea levels and Herring Gut will lead attendees in a short field trip to the Coop dock to see tide gauges set up there for a Gulf of Maine Research Institute's Coastal Flooding Community Science project. Herring Gut Coastal Science Center is a proud partner of this effort and will lead coastal meet-ups to collect data and make observations on our dynamic harbors.