A new group has been launched to help communities prepare for the effects of climate change.
Resilient Michigan was started by the Traverse City-based Land Information Access Association. Community Planners Harry Burkholder and Clare Karner discussed their work with WMUK's Gordon Evans.
Burkholder says the idea is to include planning for climate change into the master planning process for communities. The group gets its funding from the Kresge Foundation and the Department of Environmental Quality's Coastal Zone Management Program. He says that's why most of the communities they are working with are along the coast.
Right now Resilient Michigan is working with St. Joseph, Grand Haven, Ludington, East Jordan and Monroe. Burkholder says new projects will be starting soon, including work with the city of Holland.
Karner says the planners are examining issues such as flooding, heat and storm surge. She says that includes considering the location of homes that could be more at risk to flooding. Karner says some of the towns have already has significant problems with flooding.
Asked about future expansion of the program, Burkholder says they plan to continue to look for grants to work with more communities. He says that includes possibly working with inland communities.
