Sea level rise is considered one of the most profound long-term effects of climate change, yet the public is almost completely unaware of the magnitude of the problem. On Wednesday, May 31st from 4:30 to 6:00 pm at the Camden Public Library, Watershed School students will present their research on the impacts of sea level rise on the Town of Camden. Area residents are invited to attend and learn more about the students’ research on the causes of sea level rise, projections for the northeastern United States during this century, and potential impacts of different sea level scenarios on the Camden waterfront. Students have also researched how different communities around the Gulf of Maine are addressing what many consider to be the biggest environmental challenge facing Maine’s coastal communities in the coming decades.
Watershed students will present visualizations of different sea levels on aerial imagery prepared by the Maine Geological Survey. They will also show their own simulations using ground photography taken from shore and from a recent boat trip along the entire Camden coastline.
As part of their research, students are conducting a survey to find out how much people who live, work, or visit Camden know about this topic. An on-line version of the survey will be shared with the community and area newspapers in the coming weeks.
Community members, town officials and town committee members are encouraged to attend and take part in a discussion following the students’ presentation. The event will be held in the Jean Picker Room of the Camden Library, which is generously offering space for this educational community gathering.
