The Woods Hole Scientific Community Prepares for Rising Seas | Oceanus

By Daniel Hentz

With three major marine science institutions and over a century of research, the quaint Cape Cod village of Woods Hole may have a unique advantage in dealing with sea level rise, say government officials and scientists at a recent symposium.

On November 18, 2021, scientists from WHOI,NOAA Fisheries, and the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) assembled with town planners at MBL’s Cornelia Clapp Auditorium for the second part of a symposium focused on strategies to cope with rising seas. The event, hosted by local action-group, Resilient Woods Hole, drew a crowd of 273 virtual and in-person attendees from the Woods Hole-Falmouth community. Audience members engaged panelists with questions ranging from how citizens should prepare for the impacts of sea level rise, to broader infrastructure changes that will fortify Cape Cod for decades to come.

“We have major intellectual assets in Woods Hole that range from the public library and its historical collections, to the scientific laboratories and the Coast Guard base,” says resident Joel Sohn. “If a storm with the destructive power of Hurricane Sandy struck our region, what is the likelihood that any of them would remain?”