Actions for Municipalities
Evaluate Storm-related Infrastructure and upgrade as needed: Evaluate the ability of existing infrastructure to accommodate predicted future flows. Contact NRWA to obtain data and for assistance with evaluations.
Establish Ecology-Based Municipal Open Space Plans: Often municipal open space plans are oriented more toward recreational and visual values than ecological values. Critical ecology-based mitigation strategies are also needed. The concept of ecology-based municipal open space plans can be introduced and implemented.
Require Infiltration Catch Basins, Rain Gardens, and Stormwater Retention: Rain gardens, vegetated buffer strips, retention basins, and infiltration catch basins facilitate stormwater infiltration that reduces runoff and increases groundwater reservoirs that feed wetlands and small streams in periods of drought. Such groundwater reserves also provide cool water to help sustain cold water species. Rain gardens and vegetated buffers infiltrate water and provide plantings that increase ecological value and sequester carbon.
Join the Municipal Vulnerability Program (MVP): Massachusetts municipal officials can assure that their communities participate in the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program, which provides grant funding for preparing and implementing mitigation strategies to address climate impacts.
Manage Town-owned Forests for habitat and carbon sequestration and storage: Manage forests for: a diversity of tree species, ample tree regeneration of future-adapted species, vigorous trees of various sizes and ages, a variety of tree arrangements, and an appropriate amount of deadwood to give forests a complex structure and help them withstand and recover from stressors (i.e. – increased rainfall, flooding, drought conditions during the growing season, invasive plants – trees – insects – invertebrates – diseases).
Protect Ecologically Valuable Properties: Develop comprehensive plans to conserve and protect important ecological areas within the watershed. Ecosystems are complex and vulnerable to damage by human activity and climate change. Connect and expand large conservation areas in order to allow plant and animal communities to migrate or adapt. Connections among protected areas expand their significance.
Download NRWA's Climate Impact Action List for Municipalities (PDF).
