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Preparing historic neighborhoods for climate change

Interns with Greater Portland Landmarks are documenting historic resources in Portland's Bayside neighborhood and South Portland's Ferry Village.

PORTLAND, Maine — Greater Portland Landmarks has begun taking inventory of all historic resources located in two communities threatened by rising sea levels. It's part of a larger effort to prepare these historic neighborhoods for the impact of climate change.

Portland's Bayside neighborhood is home to more than 260 historic residential, industrial, and commercial resources, according to Greater Portland Landmarks. Ferry Village in South Portland is home to approximately 280 historic resources.

"These two neighborhoods were chosen because of the potential for impacts of sea-level rise," said Julie Larry, Director of Advocacy at Greater Portland Landmarks.

Summer interns are documenting these sites for the Greater Portland Historic Resources Survey, a first of its kind survey in the state to identify resources that will be impacted by climate change. The work is part of their graduate studies. 

"Climate change is becoming a bigger and bigger problem and something that I'm concerned about and passionate about," said Leslie Moore, a graduate student at Colorado State University.

The survey is funded in part by a grant from National Park Service's Historic Preservation Fund.

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"These are homes to people and homes are a very emotional piece of our life. So we want to help people in the same way that we give them advice about storm windows and making repairs on their homes, we want to be able to provide them this advice as well," said Larry.

Greater Portland Landmarks is also conducting a separate survey of the wharves threatened by climate change along Portland's waterfront.

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