Where the Water Moves Us: Evaluating Community-Driven Relocation

With our nation’s coastal communities increasingly impacted by more frequent and sustained flood events, coastal storms, and other climate-accelerated impacts, many communities are having to confront the future viability of their security. In some cases that means facing the very difficult and stark reality that remaining in place is untenable, and community-driven relocation may be the most sensible option.

Historically, coastal property owners are faced with this reality after their properties have been impacted, in some cases after rebuilding multiple times. However, as the scope and severity of these impacts continue to diminish the habitability of coastal and riverine areas, coastal managers, communities, and property owners are increasingly being forced to address these issues proactively.

Community-driven Relocation

While the term “managed retreat” has been commonly used to describe the intentional movement of people and infrastructure away from hazardous areas, the term has developed significant negative connotations over time.

For many, particularly those who have been impacted, the term can be associated with “defeat”, “failure”, and “giving up”.  Additionally, the term “managed” can also resurface negative perceptions and distrust among communities as a result of past top-down government actions, and a long history of systemic racism and marginalization.

Increasingly, the term “community-driven relocation” is preferred as it underscores the equitable involvement and leadership of impacted communities at every stage of the relocation and resettlement process.

There are numerous public and private entities that are currently engaged in working with affected communities on various opportunities related to community-driven relocation.

However, it is often state agencies and programs that are primarily responsible for identifying impacted communities, initiating conversations with those communities, and ultimately, collaborating with those communities to advance relocation efforts.

At the National Wildlife Federation, our Coastal Resilience Team works with State Coastal Zone Management Programs, local communities, and other state agencies to advance the planning and implementation of natural and natural-based approaches that serve to enhance coastal resilience.

Talking with state agency partners across the country, it is clear that although many states want to have conversations with coastal communities around managed relocation, they lack a roadmap for where to start and how to engage communities in a way that is specific to the unique regulatory, policy, and social landscape of their state.

This can include identifying a need for a relocation program, early conversations with communities around how they envision their community fifty years from now, or what tools, programs and funding exist to help move this work forward.

While there are numerous resources available on the topic of community-driven relocation, the lack of a model development and community engagement process for state agencies has hampered the ability to plan for climate-driven relocation. If we are going to be proactive about adapting to long-term coastal impacts, we would greatly benefit from providing states with the information and tools they need to meaningfully advance this work in partnership with impacted communities.

A Roadmap Process for State Agencies

To help address this significant need, the National Wildlife Federation has undertaken an effort to provide a detailed roadmap for state agencies involved in coastal management and community. The roadmap will advance these efforts in a way that is specific to the unique regulatory, policy, and funding landscape in their state.

Initially focused on the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast, the project will include a thorough review of existing literature on coastal relocation and community engagement to provide an overview of key findings, lessons learned and best practices.

In addition, it will include interviews and surveys with key state agency personnel to develop a detailed understanding of the regulatory and policy landscape, previous efforts, capacity gaps, and engagement opportunities in each state. Finally, the project will include the development of state-specific profiles that provide a comprehensive overview of how each state currently approaches community relocation, the programs, tools and resources available to support this work, as well as a suite of tailored recommendations to grow capacity for addressing relocation.

Communities most impacted by climate change are often at a social, economic, or physical disadvantage in planning for and responding to coastal hazards. As we experience rising sea levels and increasing coastal hazards, many people will choose to adapt in place, celebrating their history, connection to the land, and sense of community.

Empowering state agencies to plan for increasing and hazardous inundation in advance will allow them to better help community members who want or need to move before conditions force them to.