Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment, Phase II

Weston & Sampson, together with our subconsultants, collaborated with the Massachusetts Department of Conservation & Recreation (DCR) on the second phase of their Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment project to refine the assessment, develop engagement and interactive tools, generate adaptive nature-based design solutions, and ultimately provide an outcome that works internally for DCR and integrates into other ongoing initiatives in the state.

Building upon the pilot Climate Change Vulnerability Assessment (CCVA) Methodology and Self-Assessment Checklist Tool work in Phase I, our team refined and streamlined the methodology through enhancements to the approach used to evaluate exposure, sensitivity, and adaptive capacity.

Our team translated the methodology to build ArcGIS Online (AGOL) climate vulnerability maps and visual tools. This process included a web-based framework that automates mapping, minimizes user input, and provides instantaneous evaluation results upon completion. The goal was to make the tool more accessible and easier to utilize for a variety of user groups.