Community Resilience Listening Session in Southwest Harbor
SOUTHWEST HARBOR—Southwest Harbor residents are invited to participate in a Community Resilience Listening Session at the Southwest Harbor Library on October 27th, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. This listening session is part of the town’s resilience planning process, funded by a grant from the Maine Community Resilience Partnership. Southwest Harbor’s Community Resilience Plan will serve as a roadmap, preparing the community to navigate challenges and opportunities associated with sea level rise, changing weather patterns, and other impacts associated with a changing climate. During the session, attendees will learn about the findings of Southwest Harbor’s recent vulnerability assessment and share input on priorities and insights that will drive the creation of the Southwest Harbor Community Resilience Plan. The Town has contracted with A Climate to Thrive to develop this plan.
Over the past two years, the Gulf of Maine Research Institute has carried out a Vulnerability Assessment for Southwest Harbor. This assessment includes information about the town’s top vulnerabilities that will be exacerbated by factors like rising seas, extreme storms, and other climate-related impacts. The assessment explores concerns related to infrastructure, public health, safety, and more. The results of the assessment provide important information about key areas that need to be addressed by the developing resilience plan. The insights, concerns, and knowledge of community members will also provide essential information that will shape the plan, and the listening session is an opportunity to bring these two sources of insight together.
Community input will shape the goals and priorities of the plan and ensure that the strategies included are attainable and effective for the town. All are welcome to attend the community listening session; no prior knowledge is required, and it is not necessary to stay for the entire event in order to participate. Residents are invited to bring their families - childcare providers will be present - and enjoy free food while learning and sharing local perspectives on resilience to climate-related impacts in Southwest Harbor.
If you require childcare to attend the community listening session, please reach out to wilson@aclimateoththrive.org to ensure that we have the correct number of childcare providers present.
Please also reach out to wilson@aclimatetothrive.org with any other questions, or if you are unable to attend but still wish to share your thoughts to help shape the resilience plan.