Departments

Regional Resilience Plan

Welcome to the home page of the SRPEDD Regional Resilience Plan (SRRP). Explore below to find information about the SRRP, project status, and any public participation opportunities.

Project Purpose

The SRPEDD Regional Resilience Plan (SRRP) will improve community resilience by identifying and proposing solutions to environmental, economic, and social vulnerabilities across southeastern Massachusetts. For the purpose of this project, we define resilience as:

The ability of social, environmental, and economic systems to return to their original form and integrity after enduring stress or disruption.

Communities grapple with resilience from many angles. For example, resilience can mean the ability to rebuild after an intense storm event, as well as the initiative to take proactive, protective actions that limit storm damage before any specific storm event occurs. Resilience can look like a diversified economy that can sustain the region during economic downturn or threats to a specific economic sector. It can look like preparing for the jobs of the future with advanced workforce training, and ensuring that there is an adequate supply of housing and safe transportation routes to support our region's population. The SRRP will evaluate these dynamics and many more.

Project Updates

Check back here regularly for project updates and the latest ways that you can become involved in improving the resilience of the SRPEDD region.

Contact Helen Zincavage or Lizeth Gonzalez by email at hzincavage@srpedd.org and lgonzalez@srpedd.org with any questions or comments.

Typology Planning Unit

In an effort to bridge administrative boundaries and recognize common issues and solutions, the SRRP will develop resilience strategies and best practices for similar types of settings represented in our region. These “typologies” range from seaside villages and rural communities to suburbs and diverse city centers.

The Typologies team developed six core development profiles based on combinations of land development indicators (floor-area-ratio and impervious cover) and environmental assets. These profiles will be paired with specific recommendations to create a custom series of resilience actions for each of the landscapes that make up the communities in the SRPEDD region.

Transects, adapted from the CNU Transects.
Transects, adapted from the CNU Transects.

SRRP Typologies StoryMap

(scroll to the bottom or click "Explore The Typologies" for an interactive map!)

Environment

What do we mean by environmental resilience? Environmental resilience typically refers to the ability of an environmental system to return to its equilibrium after a disturbance such as a storm or fire. But another key aspect is also our efforts to safeguard the land's ability to continue providing us with essential elements that form the basis of any community, including water supply, clean air, and vital green spaces for connection, recharge, and recreation. In the context of the SRRP, environmental resilience is defined in three categories of needs:

1. Maintain & enhance the inherent resilience of land, air, and water to protect human health and serve essential human needs.

  1. Provide drinking water
  2. Provide clean air 
  3. Grow local food  
  4. Protect from heat and cold 
  5. Support mental health and wellbeing

2. Maintain & enhance the inherent resilience of land to protect human settlement. 

  1. Protect communities from flood, extreme weather & storms
  2. Support waste disposal

3. Maintaining and enhancing the ability of land and soil to draw down carbon from the atmosphere 

  1. Protect forests 
  2. Protect carbon critical soils

Economy

What do we mean by Economic resilience? Prosperity and continued growth hinge on a region’s ability to predict, prevent, withstand, and recover from disruptions to its economic system. While acknowledging that these disruptions often originate from larger market changes, regional industry downturns, or external shocks, our region seeks to build lasting economic resilience by anticipating risks, evaluating their potential impact on economic assets, and building responsive capacity. In the context of the SRRP, economic resilience is defined in three categories of needs:

1. A diversified local economy.

  1. Supporting existing and new economic sectors
  2. Expansive workforce development
  3. Supportive structures for entrepreneurship

2. A protected and growing utilities network.

  1. Public water capacity
  2. Public sewer capacity
  3. Telecommunications and broadband capacity
  4. A diversified energy portfolio

3. A resilient and multimodal transportation network.

  1. Options for getting around
  2. Movement of goods
  3. Emergency evacuation preparedness

Society

What do we mean by Social resilience? Social resilience is built upon strong social networks and interconnectedness that give community members a sense of belonging and quality of life. Social resilience is the presence of basic human needs and social networks that underpin our region every day, but which become particularly vital during a shock or crisis. Social resilience is enabled through stable housing, supportive human services, robust and accessible public health, quality governance, and equity. In the context of the SRRP, social resilience is defined in three categories of needs:

1. A thriving, equitable and supported population that can meet its basic needs.

  1. Primary and Secondary education achievement
  2. Access to housing
  3. Access to healthcare 
  4. Access to food

2. Connected and strategic communications networks that can be called on in emergencies.

  1. Connections among and between social service providers
  2. Local and regional emergency preparedness and recovery planning
  3. Partnerships and resources

3. Adaptable and stable governance structures.

  1. Well staffed and resourced local offices
  2. Governmental communications and engagement
  3. Expertise and volunteer networks

Project Working Groups

The SRRP is guided three subject-specific working groups, which will provide direction for the SRRP and SRPEDD staff.

Environment Working Group

In Development

Economy Working Group

In Development

Society Working Group

In Development

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