Full Moon High Tide River Road
King High Tide Autumn 2022
Old Mystic 2010
Photo given by Millie Njeri
Resilience is much more than bouncing back stronger from setbacks, or effectively resisting the impacts of rising sea levels and intense storms. Resilient communities plan for known and unknown realities together, making sure that community members know the risks and are directly involved in generating solutions. Resilient communities navigate together toward clearly articulated and widely held goals supporting safety, equity, and quality of life.
The Alliance works with municipalities, Tribal Councils, non-profits, businesses, kids, elders, and adults to energize and empower watershed-wide resilience through planning and community engagement. We are grateful to other collaborative organizations for their guidance, such as the Southeastern CT Council of Governments (SCCOG), research institutions such as SeaGrant, and non-profits such as The Nature Conservancy (TNC).
Community Resilience? It's a WRAP
Beginning with the Planners
With the help of SCCOG (SE CT Council of Governments) and the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, the Alliance brought together the MR Watershed Region's Planners (or their representatives) and added some supporting research organizations and non-profits. We defined resilience, identified shared concerns, and committed to working together as a coordinated planning unit. Afterwards, all four towns and two Tribal Nations signed off on a letter of support for us to continue working together on a Watershed-wide Plan. The Second Planners' convening resulted in a sharing of existing water-related projects and some brainstorming of potential Horizon Points. They included protective zones around all water, regenerative design for development, engaging education for residents and commission members, coordinated stormwater management and plans of Conservation and Development, more citizen and local expert participation from all ages at all levels....
What would YOU do if YOU could?
Share your own Horizon Thinking here.
Photo shared by Millie Njeri