Vineyard’s climate action plan unveiled

After almost a year in the works, Martha’s Vineyard Commission’s Climate Action Plan, dubbed “The Vineyard Way,” has been unveiled. Spearheaded by MVC climate change planner Liz Durkee, The Vineyard Way aims to take on manmade climate change. Described by Durkee as a “turning point” for Island climate change action, the plan seeks to entice Islanders and visitors alike to take up the Vineyard Way, by enacting and enforcing its values regarding the environment. 

The plan is a joint effort involving all six Island municipalities, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and like-minded organizations hope to allay the increasing threat that the climate crisis poses on the community at large.

The 85-page plan aims to begin implementing upwards of 180 actions specifically designated to mitigate climate change and enhance the Island’s resilience to the ubiquitous effects of climate change, such as sea-level rise, shore erosion, and increasingly powerful storms.

“It’s a major step forward for the Island,” Durkee told The Times. 

Durkee credited MVC commissioner Ben Robinson for the plan’s growing momentum, as he established the MV Climate Action Task Force (CATF) in 2019, of which subcommittees were created in order to fund what is now The Vineyard Way. “That’s what really got this project in motion,” Durkee said. Through CATF resiliency subcommittee efforts, Durkee said the project received preliminary funding from the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant program, and in turn, allowed Durkee and her cohorts to present the idea in a concise and focused way. 

Durkee said it was during this time that they approached a wide array of Island organizations and businesses to get a feel of what their biggest climate change related concerns were, which Durkee said is what guided how the plan was eventually developed. 

Durkee emphasized the need for the Island to enhance its self sufficiency. Solely relying on resources from the mainland, she said, may prove problematic as weather patterns turn unfavorably, or demand surpasses supply. 

The Vineyard Way sets out how the Island can implement the underpinning objectives such as increasing renewable energy, minimizing the amount of waste that has to be shipped off Island, creating sustainable jobs, and promoting self sufficiency. 

In combining what had then been established as the most pressing issues in need of addressing, the project was split into six thematic areas — land use, natural resources, and biodiversity; transportation, infrastructure, and waste; public health and safety, economic resilience; food security; and energy transformation  — all of which include a liaison who coordinates and works directly with the plans’ main facilitators. 

Objectives laid out for each of the six thematic groups help in navigating the short term and long term goals of the project, Durkee explained. 

The Vineyard Way’s land use, resources, and biodiversity arm expects to create a wide range of scientific, informative mappings identifying vulnerable coastal and inland land (flooding, wildfire risk, and undeveloped wildlife habitats) and develop the tools needed to ensure safeguarding of those areas. From scientific studies of the Sengekontacket Pond salt marsh migration and the design of education programs and comprehensive shoreline management plans, to establishing standards for using native vegetation for town owned greenspace and the expansion of the native seedbank, the land use, resources, and biodiversity group objectives encompass an ethos of land appreciation and thoughtful caretaking.

The transportation, infrastructure, and waste sector will be working to design and implement climate-resilient options in order to permanently cut out reliance on fossil fuels, build resilience of ports, and minimize waste output. Additionally, the group aims to increase composting infrastructure and maximize food waste capture by enforcing commercial food waste bans. 

The plan promotes local production rather than supporting excess material imports, transportation, and  infrastructure. The group will stay up to date with the goings on of the Steamship Authority, MV Airport, and ground transport Islandwide. 

The public health and safety team is slated to focus on county-wide emergency response and preparedness, and ensure health access equity. The group will work by identifying vulnerable populations and maintaining appropriately stocked and staffed shelters, increasing overall volunteerism, offering multilingual education on climate change effects on health, and implementing strategies for navigating safety in extreme weather.

The economic resilience group aims to promote the support of local businesses, and create a framework for climate adaptation by identifying commercial and residential vulnerabilities. The group hopes to involve local business owners in adapting climate change mitigation strategies, and increasing the volume of a climate friendly workforce. 

Among the objectives of the food security group are the creation of an Island-wide standard for farming practices — including assistance with transitioning to more sustainable farming. The plan seeks to increase the number of Island residents who establish practices for growing their own food, initiates a formal network of community gardens, and promotes reliance on on locally harvested seafood in order to allow commercial fishing and aquaculture to remain a sustainable career. The food security group will be working with community organizations to create a database for understanding inventory flows, and increase distribution centers to ensure food equity.

The energy transformation group will lead the way in increasing renewable energy in an equitable way, and transitioning to electric systems from home heating to vehicles, to landscaping equipment. The group aims to standardize permitting processes for solar installations, and engage people through educational courses and apprenticeships to consider sustainable energy career paths. 

As the six groups work to set in place the underlying structures of the plan, objectives will begin to be realized, with The Vineyard Way being continuously updated and progress tracked.

After almost a year in the works, the Climate Action Plan of the Martha’s Vineyard Commission (MVC), dubbed “The Vineyard Way,” has been unveiled. Spearheaded by MVC climate change planner Liz Durkee, “The Vineyard Way” aims to take on manmade climate change. Described by Durkee as a “turning point” for Island climate change action, the plan seeks to entice Islanders and visitors alike to take up the Vineyard Way by enacting and enforcing its values regarding the environment. 

The plan is a joint effort involving all six Island municipalities, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah), and like-minded organizations that hope to allay the increasing threat that the climate crisis poses to the community at large.

The 85-page plan aims to begin implementing upwards of 180 actions designated to mitigate climate change and enhance the Island’s resilience to the ubiquitous effects of climate change, such as sea level rise, shore erosion, and increasingly powerful storms. “It’s a major step forward for the Island,” Durkee told The Times. 

Durkee credited MVC commissioner Ben Robinson for the plan’s growing momentum, as he established the MVC Climate Action Task Force (CATF) in 2019, from which subcommittees were created in order to fund what is now “The Vineyard Way.” “That’s what really got this project in motion,” Durkee said. Through CATF resiliency subcommittee efforts, Durkee said, the project received preliminary funding from the Massachusetts Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness grant program, and in turn, allowed Durkee and her cohorts to present the idea in a concise and focused way. 

Durkee said it was during this time that they approached a wide array of Island organizations and businesses to get a feel for what their biggest climate change–related concerns were, which Durkee said is what guided how the plan was eventually developed. 

Durkee emphasized the need for the Island to enhance its self-sufficiency. Solely relying on resources from the mainland, she said, may prove problematic as weather patterns turn unfavorably, or demand surpasses supply. 

“The Vineyard Way” sets out how the Island can implement underpinning objectives such as increasing renewable energy, minimizing the amount of waste that has to be shipped off-Island, creating sustainable jobs, and promoting self-sufficiency. 

In combining what had been established as the most pressing issues, the project was split into six thematic areas — land use, natural resources, and biodiversity; transportation, infrastructure, and waste; public health and safety, economic resilience; food security; and energy transformation — each includes a liaison who coordinates and works directly with the plans’ main facilitators. 

Objectives laid out for each of the six thematic groups help in navigating the short-term and long-term goals of the project, Durkee explained. 

The land use, resources, and biodiversity arm of “Vineyard Way” expects to create a wide range of scientific, informative mappings identifying vulnerable coastal and inland land (flooding, wildfire risk, and undeveloped wildlife habitats) and develop the tools needed to ensure safeguarding of those areas. From scientific studies of the Sengekontacket Pond salt marsh migration and the design of education programs and comprehensive shoreline management plans, to establishing standards for using native vegetation for town-owned greenspace and the expansion of the native seedbank, the land use, resources, and biodiversity group objectives encompass an ethos of land appreciation and thoughtful caretaking.

The transportation, infrastructure, and waste sector will be working to design and implement climate-resilient options in order to permanently cut out reliance on fossil fuels, build resilience of ports, and minimize waste output. Additionally, the group aims to increase composting infrastructure and maximize food waste capture by enforcing commercial food waste bans. 

The plan promotes local production rather than supporting excess material imports, transportation, and infrastructure. The group will stay up-to-date with the goings-on of the Steamship Authority, M.V. Airport, and ground transport Islandwide. 

The public health and safety team is slated to focus on countywide emergency response and preparedness, and ensure health access equity. The group will work by identifying vulnerable populations and maintaining appropriately stocked and staffed shelters, increasing overall volunteerism, offering multilingual education on climate change effects on health, and implementing strategies for navigating safety in extreme weather.

The economic resilience group aims to promote the support of local businesses, and create a framework for climate adaptation by identifying commercial and residential vulnerabilities. The group hopes to involve local business owners in adapting climate change mitigation strategies, and increasing workforce in climate-friendly businesses.

Among the objectives of the food security group are the creation of an Island-wide standard for farming practices — including assistance with transitioning to more sustainable farming. The plan seeks to increase the number of Island residents who establish practices for growing their own food, initiates a formal network of community gardens, and promotes reliance on locally harvested seafood in order to allow commercial fishing and aquaculture to remain a sustainable career. The food security group will be working with community organizations to create a database for understanding inventory flows, and increase distribution centers to ensure food equity.

The energy transformation group will lead the way in increasing renewable energy in an equitable way, and transitioning to electric systems for home heating to vehicles, to landscaping equipment. The group aims to standardize permitting processes for solar installations, and engage people through educational courses and apprenticeships to consider sustainable energy career paths. 

As the six groups work to set in place the underlying structures of the plan, objectives will begin to be realized, with “The Vineyard Way” being continuously updated and progress tracked.