A space for learning, listening, and connecting around the shared experiences of change in
DOWN EAST
Our network empowers individuals by sharing practical resources and relevant information to enhance community resilience in the face of storms, flooding, tidal changes, saltwater intrusion, and other environmental threats.
The Down East Resilience Network is working with community members to learn more about the resources available to respond to changes taking place locally.
Complex problems demand innovative solutions.
Our coastal communities face unprecedented threats from a changing climate and intensifying storms. Sunny day flooding disrupts daily life as lunar tides push saltwater through aging stormwater systems, flooding roads even on cloudless days. Critical infrastructure – from roads and bridges to power grids and internet networks – faces mounting pressure and storm impacts. Meanwhile, our marshes deteriorate as saltwater pushes inland creating expanding ghost forests. And septic systems fail as groundwater rises. These environmental changes take a mounting toll on mental health as residents grapple with constant uncertainty and disruption. The interlinked nature of these challenges – where each problem compounds the others – requires solutions that are equally interconnected and innovative.
A hub for connection.
The Down East Resilience Network (DERN) serves as a vital hub connecting researchers, communities, and decision-makers across Carteret County's Down East region. By centralizing and helping coordinate research initiatives, we hope projects can be used to build upon each other rather than duplicate efforts, all while making findings readily accessible to communities and policymakers who need them most.
“Will our children have a place here…”
Down East Natives
Join our email list to stay up to date on information associated with the Down East Resilience Network, as well as updates to ongoing research Down East.
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