Build and maintain coastal climate resiliency through Blue Carbon resources.

Climate Vulnerability

Communities are looking for solutions to build and maintain resilience to impacts like coastal and
inland flooding, sea-level rise, salt-water intrusion, and erosion, while also meeting other goals, such
as protecting and improving water quality and habitat for economically important living resources.
Wetlands, tidal marshes, and sea grass (SAV) are coastal "blue carbon" resources that represent
potential climate change adaptation, mitigation, and coastal resilience solutions for communities.

Action

Description: Through this Action, CBPO, LSASD, WD and ORD will identify and actively
engage with a community within the Chesapeake Bay watershed to:

•	Understand the coastal climate adaptation and resilience challenges
they face, and the information, science, and resources needed to
address them.

•	Identify, analyze, and implement solutions incorporating blue
carbon resources to address local challenges and related priorities.

•	Develop and transfer methods, approaches, data, or tools that can
be used by the community to monitor and sustain resilient solutions.

As vulnerability to the impacts of climate change and the resources to
address it are not equitably distributed, the chosen community will be a
historically underserved or marginalized coastal community.

Metric(s):

Develop the project scope, identify research needs, and submit
proposals for funding (FY22).

Select a partner community, develop an engagement plan and
identify partner and community science needs (FY23).

Create a method for blue carbon assessment, identify relevant
datasets and create maps (FY 23/24).

Share the assessment and mapping results with Bay Program

partners and stakeholders (FY24).

Conduct research and summarize results (FY24/25).

Develop and implement a communications and engagement plan for

input on assessment/research results and implementation plan,

finalize research results and develop implementation plan (FY25).

Project Challenges:

Effects ofCOVID on meeting with community and project stakeholders
and partners. Staff and funding to support community outreach.

Co-benefits: Coastal blue carbon resources can sequester and store carbon while also
acting to buffer storm surges, prevent erosion, improve water quality,
provide habitat, and support local economies in multiple ways.

Owner Email: Jenkins.Bill(5)ep
a.gov

New Work? Yes

Resources Available? No

Science Needs

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