Outreach efforts are in full swing for the Community Climate Resilience in Turner Station project. This study is funded by a grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and is a partnership between the Baltimore County government, Turner Station Conservation Teams, NeighborSpace, The Nature Conservancy, Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Greater Baltimore Wilderness Coalition.
Since late November, NeighborSpace has been working with Turner Station Conservation Teams and local community leaders to collect survey responses about flooding in the neighborhood. Survey results will be shared with the community, Baltimore County, and a County consultant who will design a plan for targeted, fundable flood mitigation, including green and gray infrastructure improvements.
Community outreach efforts so far have included tabling at St. Matthew UMC food pantry and the Fleming Center, door-to-door canvassing, and displaying project information at the library and Sollers Point Multipurpose Center. The community response has been positive; Turner Station residents are eager to share stories about previous floods, areas of highest concern, and how flooding impacts daily activities, transportation, health and wellbeing, and cost of living.
Turner Station, like many communities in the region, experienced significant rainfall and tidal flooding the night of January 9, 2024. Neighbors documented the flooding, sharing photos and video with NeighborSpace and local news (link to Channel 11 coverage). This kind of documentation is key to understanding flooding in Turner Station and other coastal communities. To learn about community-sourced data collection on flooding and storms, check out the Maryland Department of Natural Resources Project, MyCoast.
On February 26th, the Turner Station Conservation Teams and NeighborSpace will host a Community Kick-off meeting to share project efforts with residents. Representatives from Baltimore County will discuss potential next steps following the information gathering portion of the project. Attendees will also have the opportunity to learn about future projections of sea level rise. NeighborSpace will guide residents through completing the survey and document anecdotal information shared about flooding impacts on individuals and the community.
Following the kick-off meeting, we will continue collecting survey responses while also pivoting to serving as a liaison between the County consultant and Turner Station residents as the study progresses into recommendations for flood mitigation strategies and infrastructure improvements.
Additionally, NeighborSpace will take the lead on compiling a Resource Toolkit for residents. Included in the toolkit will be contact information for reporting flooding emergencies, as well as local and regional resources on home insurance and flooding mitigation strategies for residents.