Department or Program

Environmental Studies

Abstract

Sea level rise due to climate change is affecting coastal communities around the world. In the Gulf of Maine, the town of Phippsburg is particularly vulnerable due to its topography of sandy barrier beaches, tidal marshes, and the low-lying peninsula which differs from much of Maine’s rocky coastline. Impacts of sea level rise are threatening the Phippsburg community at an accelerated pace, yet there is minimal dialogue occurring between community members regarding adaptation measures that are necessary to increase Phippsburg's capacity to respond to the threat. The purpose of this report is to gather personal accounts of environmental change in Phippsburg to gain a better understanding of residents’ experiences of environmental change, perspectives on vulnerability, and current capacities for resilience. This research will provide the Phippsburg Climate Resilience Committee with tools to communicate how vulnerability to environmental change impacts the community and thus necessitates resilience building actions. Moreover, this study aims to identify comparable and transferable adaptation practices for the Phippsburg case. Towards these objectives, we collected oral histories or long-form, unstructured interviews to gain insight into local knowledge, place attachment, and observed environmental changes over time. We also conducted a comparative analysis of adaptation planning processes across five other relevant cases of similar climate vulnerability in Maine and Massachusetts to better understand the potential adaptation strategies that could be implemented in the Phippsburg area. Lastly, we participated in archival research through documentary studies methodologies to gain a contextual understanding of the history of extreme weather events in Phippsburg. The information from this report informed the creation of a StoryMap for the Phippsburg Climate Resilience Committee (CRC). This deliverable narrates past and present environmental changes in Phippsburg and a variety of potential adaptation strategies that the CRC hopes to use as a communication tool to inform community members about the necessity for moving forward with adaptation planning in the town.

Level of Access

Restricted: Campus/Bates Community Only Access

First Advisor

Jamie Haverkamp

Second Advisor

Justin Baumann

Date of Graduation

5-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Number of Pages

130

Components of Thesis

1 pdf file

Community Engagement

1

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Available to Bates community via local IP address or Bates login.

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