Making Space for Water: Reimagining Our Relationship to the Coast

Summary: Storm Surge Speaker Series presentation. As sea levels rise and storms intensify, coastal communities are facing difficult choices about how to adapt. Emma Gildesgame, Climate Adaptation Director at The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, will discuss how communities are planning for changing coastlines and exploring coastal relocation as one strategy within a broader climate adaptation toolkit. This presentation will cover what voluntary, community-centered relocation can look like, address common misconceptions, and share updates on emerging state programs, including a Massachusetts statewide buyout program in development. Especially relevant for Greater Newburyport, this talk offers an opportunity to learn about local coastal risks and adaptation options.

When: Mar 06, 2026

Time:00:00 - 01:30

Description

STORM SURGE SPEAKER SERIES
Making Space for Water: Reimagining Our Relationship to the Coast
Thursday, March 5, 2026  |  7:00 PM
Newburyport Senior Center

As sea levels rise and storms intensify, coastal communities across Massachusetts are facing difficult questions about the future. In this talk, Emma Gildesgame, Climate Adaptation Director at The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, will explore how communities can proactively plan for a changing coastline, moving beyond the question of whether to adapt, to how.

Emma will share insights from her work leading community conversations across the Massachusetts coast about coastal relocation as one tool in the broader climate adaptation toolkit. She’ll discuss what relocation can look like in practice, address common misconceptions, and explain how voluntary, community-centered approaches can help keep people safer while making space for coastal habitats to adapt alongside us. Emma will also share information about emerging state programs, including a Massachusetts statewide buyout program currently in development.

This topic is especially relevant for Greater Newburyport, where significant flood-zone populations span from Plum Island to the downtown Merrimack River area. Whether you live in a flood zone, are concerned about a changing coastline, or simply want to understand the options communities are exploring, this talk offers a chance to learn and engage.

About the Speaker

Emma Gildesgame is the Climate Adaptation Director at The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts, where she collaborates with communities and stakeholders to develop equitable, nature-based solutions to climate change. She co-founded the Proactive Coastal Relocation Network, now with more than 170 members, and has led community listening sessions in coastal towns across the state. Her work is supported by a grant from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management. Emma holds a Master of Environmental Management from the Yale School of the Environment and a B.A. in Environmental Science from Colby College.

Free and open to the public