Community Challenges

Rural places across America are seeing combined environmental and economic decline

Rooted Communities

The communities we work with have been tied to land and sea for generations, living along the marshes of North Carolina’s coast.

The environmental challenges

Sea Level Rise

Sea level rise has accelerated dramatically, in the last 15 years, rising between 5-7 inches on the North Carolina Coast

The figure shows the station's annual mean sea level since 1960 and five regionalized sea level rise scenarios plotted relative to a 1996-2014 baseline period, with the year 2005 as the 'zero' for the figure. The relative position of the Mean Sea Level datum established by CO-OPS is also shown. The relative position of the geodetic datum NAVD88, which is the 'zero' used for land elevations, is also provided if it has been determined for the station.

Source: tidesandcurrents.noaa.gov

Floods on the Rise

This has resulted in more damaging flooding from major storms, heavy rainfall and high tide events.

Future Sea Level Rise

Based on the current sea level rise trajectory, the sea is forecasted to rise an additional 1 to 2 ft in the next 25 years.

The economic and social challenges

Challenges Facing Rural Communities

Over the last 25 years, rural America has lost x number of young and middle-aged people, and communities are mostly children or seniors
This has resulted in a rural decline that has led to fewer skilled workers and a smaller tax base
Which means decaying infrastructure at a time when it is needed most
Populations who desire to reconnect but lacking in economic infrastructure to support growing families

Environmental degradation leads to higher costs

“Death by a thousand cuts”

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“Worsening weather is expensive”

Worse hurricanes and floods leads to higher insurance costs, flood damage, decrease in property values, inability to use wastewater systems or put in septic tanks.

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“Pollution decreases economic opportunities and jobs”

Worse pollution leads to decline in fish and oyster populations, which leads to fewer opportunities for local fishermen and less tourism targeting fish over time. Has led to out-migration of young people over time which further decreases economic opportunities as there are fewer skilled workers, fewer consumers, fewer people able to support the community needs.

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