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Climate Resilience Planning
Climate change is posing new and sustained challenges for communities across Massachusetts. Rising temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns have increased the frequency and magnitude of droughts and flooding in the region. Yet many communities statewide lack inclusion of climate resilience measures, like low impact development (LID) and other nature-based climate solutions, in their local regulations and bylaws. Oftentimes, climate impacts are actually amplified by unsustainable land development practices.
Mass Audubon and partnering NGOs, including Mass Rivers Alliance, and regional agencies developed a comprehensive curriculum program "Building Community Resilience Through Local Regulations" to improve community climate resiliency in Massachusetts. The curriculum comprises 8 modules, each of which guides municipal planners through different components of sustainable development and the Mass Audubon Bylaw Review Tool that assesses local regulations with a conservation lens. The goal of this educational resource is to provide communities (planners, municipal staff, and interested members of the public) the tools and knowledge necessary to make LID more accessible in their land use regulations and bylaws.
Each module below includes a detailed participant guide to bylaws and best practices, and PowerPoint presentation with applicable speaker notes. Click on the links below for the full curriculum content!
For more information on using the Bylaw Review Tool, check out the SNEP Network's StoryMap.
Building Community Resilience Through Local Regulations
Module 1:
Let Nature Do the Work!
The value of green infrastructure & climate change resilience.
Module 1 Participant Guide >>
Module 1 Presentation >>
Module 2:
LID 101
Implementation of low impact development techniques for stormwater management.
Module 2 Participant Guide >>
Module 2 Presentation >>
Module 3:
The Power of a Bylaw,
Part I
Roles and responsibilities for implementing bylaws.
Module 3 Participant Guide >>
Module 3 Presentation >>
Module 4:
The Power of a Bylaw,
Part II
Making LID the new standard.
Module 4 Participant Guide >>
Module 4 Presentation >>
Module 5:
Implementing LID
Case studies & examples.
Module 5 Participant Guide >>
Module 5 Presentation >>
Module 6:
Bylaw Review
How to give regulations the LID tune-up.
Module 6 Participant Guide >>
Module 6 Presentation >>
Module 7:
State & Regional Guides
State and regional guides & resources.
Module 7 Participant Guide >>
Module 7 Presentation >>
Module 8:
Implementing Regulatory Updates
What's next for local communities?
Module 8 Participant Guide >>
Module 8 Presentation >>
Additional Resources
Resource Guide