Integrated Coastal Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment at Colonial National Historical Park

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How can a park assess vulnerability across different resource types? Many climate change vulnerability assessments focus on a single habitat or species, or broadly examine all park assets at a general level. With Colonial National Historical Park as the pilot, partners from the University of Rhode Island Coastal Resources Center developed and tested a vulnerability assessment approach that considers a subset of climate drivers and potential associated vulnerabilities of natural resources, cultural resources and facilities. The resulting report, Integrated coastal climate change vulnerability assessment: Colonial National Historical Park, and a companion methods report, Method for integrated coastal climate change vulnerability assessment, are now available. The method is relatively rapid, using best available science, relying on existing data, and capturing expert knowledge over three workshops. Vulnerability is scored as low, moderate or high, based on exposure to climate drivers and sensitivity of each resource.

The assessment focused on vulnerabilities related to flooding, storm surge, groundwater change and erosion of Jamestown Island, key parts of Colonial Parkway, and the Glasshouse Point complex. Many cultural resources in the park are vulnerable to--and already affected by--climate change. For natural resources, Jamestown Island is the greatest concern and a large proportion of its tidal marsh and tidal riparian forest is at high vulnerability because of potential for loss or transition to other habitat types. Impacts to natural resources will have cascading effects on cultural resources and facility assets, including loss of resources, reduced physical access to cultural and archeological resources remaining on the island, and increased maintenance costs. Facilities along the low-lying coastal areas are vulnerable in a few key areas with 11% of structures and 18% of transportation assets rated as moderate to high vulnerability.

Common issues across divisions were identified as a way to look at shared vulnerabilities and opportunities for coordinated planning. Next steps for the park include determining priorities for adaptation actions.

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