Pocomoke Sound Corridor Resiliency Framework

The Pocomoke Sound Corridor Resiliency Framework is a high level, forward-looking landscape scale plan that addresses ecosystem and community resiliency and adaptation as sea level rises and flooding increases within the region. Led by The Nature Conservancy, the Framework Is an important first step intended to spur future phases will incorporate community engagement, identify specific types and locations of restoration projects, and eventually lead to the implementation of projects that bolster the regions’ ecosystem and community adaptation and resiliency.

The Pocomoke Sound Corridor is located within the Chesapeake Bay Region, encompassing towns in the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia. It is already experiencing significant, daily effects of climate change and sea level rise due to its low-lying ground, subsidence, and towns connected by vulnerable infrastructure. The area is characterized by a legacy of agricultural production and culturally significant aquaculture concentrated in its small towns along the Bay. In addition to its cultural significance, the area also contains delicate and susceptible wetlands and natural areas, underscoring the importance of resiliency efforts that ensure those habitat areas are retained amid sea level rise scenarios. 

The Framework was conceptualized based on the recognition that the Pocomoke Sound corridor could be a leader among similarly positioned communities facing sea level rise. The towns of Saxis, Virginia and Crisfield, Maryland have been working actively to develop plans and projects focused on adaptation and resiliency in the presence of rising tides and increased flooding and have been the recipients of major federal and state grants to further these objectives. The Framework intended to connect and support these ongoing efforts and offer a range of strategies that could be adapted for use by other communities around the Chesapeake Bay region.

Location
Eastern Shore of Maryland and Virginia

Owner
The Nature Conservancy (in consultation with Biohabitats)

Status
Completed 2024

OLIN Key Team Members
Richard Roark, Partner-in-Charge
Julie Donofrio, Associate
Selina Cheah, Landscape Designer