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Decreasing Vulnerability in Maine's Beaches Business Community

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Sea level rise and extreme weather events exacerbated by climate change currently impact Maine ’s coastline and are anticipated to increase in frequency and strength. Beach-based businesses, a powerful economic engine for Maine, are generally underprepared for storm surge and coastal flooding. Yet lessons learned from previous disasters underscore how important the recovery of businesses is to the overall recovery of a region ’s economy.

About this resource

A 2016 Science Transfer project led by the Wells Reserve adapted and transferred the Tourism Resilience Index Tool, previously developed for the Gulf of Mexico, to Southern Maine. Coastal businesses in Kennebunkport and Kennebunk were facilitated through a process to assess their ability to maintain operations during and after a disaster. This project overview describes the project approach, benefits, products, and next steps.