Climate & Resiliency

As climate change impacts continue to increase in our region, with higher temperatures, more intense storms, periodic droughts and heavy precipitation seasons, all of Buckland’s ecosystems and watersheds will be affected.

To address some of the effects of our changing climate, Buckland participates in Massachusetts' Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program which provides support for communities to identify climate hazards, assess vulnerabilities, and develop action plans to improve resilience to climate change.  Buckland's current MVP focus is the Clesson Brook watershed. While addressing periodic flooding, erosion and damage to infrastructure, the proposed work will also address climate change: healthy and protected wetlands are valuable to mitigate runoff and excess rainfall, and help sequester carbon dioxide.  Restoring streams and riparian buffers provides habitat for native species of animals and plants, and preventing erosion maintains farm and forest soils where they are most productive for all species.

Other projects which address both mitigation and adaption to our changing climate are being researched and planned.

For more information, contact Alison Cornish, Climate Change Coordinator, climate@town.buckland.ma.us