The Challenge
Cultural resources are susceptible to all climate hazards, but altering resources to adapt to climate hazards might also change the character of historically significant cultural sites. Extreme heat, increased precipitation, sea level rise, and increased storms are all factors incentivizing this project.
Project Alignment with ResilientMass Plan Priority Actions
This project addresses the following 2023 ResilientMass Plan and 2022 MA Climate Assessment Priority Impact: Damage to Cultural Resources in the Human Health and Safety Sector, Action 9d: Promote best practices when planning for historic and cultural resources. The project aligns with the following 2023 ResilientMass Plan goal: Resilient State Assets and Services.
Climate Resilience Project Scope
DCR’s Office of Cultural Resources launched a pilot study to develop a decision-making framework for adaptation of cultural resources at DCR facilities and then apply the framework to two National Register listed properties at Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (WBNERR) in Falmouth, MA. WBNERR is a research facility at the historic Swift Estate (National Register) and includes Washburn Island, part of the ancestral lands of the Wampanoag people. Work also includes the assessment of the historic Boat House and an Archaeological Reconnaissance Survey of Washburn Island, with Indigenous Peoples consultation. This pilot program will recommend, design, and implement measures to protect in place, relocate, and/or interpret sensitive cultural resources. DCR will thoroughly document best practices.
This project is partially funded by ResilientMass Plan and ARPA funding, allowing for the project to span across two fiscal years. Phase one started in FY24, advancing several components of the project (partial results were shared in last year’s report). All project components were completed in FY25. The ResilientMass funding allowed DCR to kick-off the investigation and development components of the project, allowing the agency to reserve the federal funds for implementation of identified treatments at both sites.
In FY25, the project was able to complete the following actions:
- Completed the Values Tool and tested it on both cultural resource pilot sites (WBNERR and Washburn Island) – this product helped garner the intangible value of cultural resources, which is not accounted for in traditional vulnerability assessments.
- Completed Project Glossary and Adaptation Strategies Chart – this product helps staff understand terminology pertinent to climate adaptation through a historic preservation lens. It was an essential crossover to merge traditional climate and resource management type of wording in a way that aligned with Historic Preservation Standards. The adaptation strategies were also aligned with other statewide efforts like Resilient Coasts. The four main overarching strategies are: Document Loss, Accommodate, Protect, Retreat. A fifth strategy encompasses a “hybrid: approach.
- Completed Adaptation Decision Tree – this product combined several data sets like the 2022 DCR Climate change Vulnerability Assessment and the results of the Values Tool to direct users down a set of questions to help determine which adaptation strategy would make sense to explore at a particular cultural resource.
- Completed DCAMM Study – The Building Study follows the required DCAMM format for pre-construction assessment and outlines options for adaptation (selected strategy of “Accommodate”) such as temporary flood barriers, long term treatment for a floodable lower level, stormwater and erosion control solutions, and analysis of ground water impacts to the existing
septic system. - Completed Ethnographic Survey – The 30 day survey generated 140 responses from visitors, staff, researchers and Tribal members and helps document public sentiment and knowledge of the historic Boat House and Washburn Island as part of Asset Values analysis.
- Completed Archaeological Survey of Washburn Island – Carried out under permit from the State Archaeologist, the survey is the first comprehensive documentation and synthesis of Washburn Islands multifaceted history including Wampanoag occupation and use, early settlement and industry, and WWII military training. Because the report is not a public document, information was translated into an illustrated brochure for DCR use.
- Completed Final Project Report with Recommendations for Pilot Sites – the final report documents the different products produced during this pilot project and provides instructions on how to use the tools to arrive at a recommended adaptation strategy. The report also goes into recommendations for both pilot sites based on the result of the Values Tool, Decision tree, and Ethnographic survey.
- Created the Pilot’s StoryMap – the team developed a StoryMap as a more interactive and condensed version of the final report.
Metrics and Results
The archaeology team excavated 217 shovel test pits (STPs) across the island during the survey. These STPs were centered around 17 previously known archaeological sites. Two additional archaeological sites were discovered. During the investigation, the team recovered a total of 4,516 artifacts, and identified over 200 cultural features associated with the World War II occupation of the island. The report and inventory forms are now included in the MA Cultural Resource Information System (MACRIS) maintained by the MA Historical Commission. Because locational information on archaeological sites is not public information, the archaeological inventory is available only to licensed archaeologists.
Best Practices and Lessons Learned
One of the main lessons from this pilot project is the time and outreach needed to understand the cultural resources of a place, both through traditional preservation practice of documentation and assessment (like the archaeological survey and assessment of the Boat House) as well as listening to the operators, visitors, and partners who are interested in the property and assets.
The WBNERR site was a good pilot because of the well-established stakeholder engagement process including a robust email list and good relationships with the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. The site was also highly vulnerable to climate impacts, and had high historic significance. Other DCR properties may not be as well documented or may have lesser degrees of historic significance. Developing outreach lists and making contact with Tribal partners in advance of climate adaptation planning will help open channels of communication.
The tools developed for the pilot should help managers make decisions about adaptation treatments, but additional documentation of cultural properties may need to occur in advance of that decision making. DCR’s Office of Cultural Resources is working to establish baseline understanding of cultural properties at all DCR facilities, and can prioritize those that have high CCVA scores. Climate adaptation planning will eventually become part of the preservation planning methodology at DCR, which includes inventory, assessment (assess climate impacts, select climate adaptation strategy), treatment (including climate adaptation actions), and interpretation.
Further Action
DCR intends to use the various tools developed in the pilot as part of project development for all cultural properties across the system. The goal is to identify adaptation strategies for cultural resources that can be incorporated into capital projects without jeopardizing the historic character of the resources that help to define many of DCR’s unique public landscapes.
At WBNERR, DCR intends to utilize ARPA 1.0 funding for Climate Adaptation for Vulnerable Cultural Properties to take the recommendations for the Boat House into design and construction. If the funding is not made available through FY26 budget approvals the project will be postponed until funding is identified. For Washburn Island DCR intends to develop a program for monitoring cultural sites in partnership with the Wampanaog Nation (Mashpee, Aquinnah, Herring Pond) and possibly other research partners. The monitoring program will include SOPs for documenting and otherwise responding to loss of sites due to effects of climate change.