Common Fence Point, in Portsmouth, RI, is a longtime beach cottage community, at the tip of Aquidneck Island, surrounded on three sides by Narragansett Bay. When town leaders expressed concern about how this neighborhood’s safety and homes could be impacted by flooding tied to strong storms and sea level rise, CRC, with a supportive network of partners and funders, stepped up to help. CRC Coastal Manager Pam Rubinoff, a resiliency specialist, is working with the community on an education effort to build people’s knowledge of basic science concerning sea level rise and storm action and engage them in preparedness planning so Common Fence Point can proactively choose actions for protecting itself. “The community is excited about taking the reins to protect their neighbors during a disaster and make informed decisions about their future. It’s an honor to be able to help them with this process,” says Rubinoff.

She started working with the neighborhood association last year to identify concerns, understand strengths and weaknesses, scope out the project, and earn financial support from Rhode Island Sea Grant, the Prince Charitable Trusts, and the van Beuren Charitable Foundation. Building leadership to plan and sustain an effort is key, so the association even created a monthly group dedicated to the work: the Common Fence Point Preparedness Committee.

Now, Common Fence Point has embarked on identifying issues, visualizing impacts, coordinating with key officials, and sharing information with residents. Working with Rubinoff and other partners, including the Town of Portsmouth and its Emergency Management Team, and the Narragansett Bay Research Reserve, the group is involving neighbors in taking steps to protect their own households as well as the overall community.

While the science is serious and the planning embraces real tactics the neighborhood can undertake to adapt itself to increased flooding and rising seas, the project, already a model for local-level resiliency initiatives, stresses camaraderie too. Events, such as a community forum on the role weather plays in creating impacts, have taken place, and other family-based activities are being planned as well. “Common Fence Point has shown that it is committed to making itself more resilient, and CRC is there to help,” says Rubinoff.

Vibrant and prepared communities are a foundation of Rhode Island’s blue economy. To learn more about the Common Fence Point resiliency project, go to: https://prep-ri.org/municipal/portsmouth-pilot-program/ , and to better understand climate change impacts on RI, please watch the following video.