Incorporating Cultural Resources into Adaptation Planning

The built environment along the shoreline of low-lying coastal communities is being threatened by the effects of sea level rise related to climate change. Threats such as intense storm surges, increased flooding, and coastal erosion are forcing these communities to develop plans to reduce the impact these hazards may have on infrastructure, private property, and public spaces. This paper explores how coastal communities can incorporate cultural resources into local resilience plans by identifying useful planning tools and strategies. Two examples of resilience plans being carried out in Staten Island, New York, and Annapolis, Maryland, provide guidance for historic preservationists to incorporate cultural resources into this planning process.