DOWN BY THE BAY: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY NARRATIVE OF CLIMATE CHANGE, CULTURAL RESOURCES, AND THE FUTURE OF OUR PAST

Due to low mean elevation and coastal subsidence, the Delaware Bay is experiencing some of the gravest effects from sea-level rise along the US East Coast. The interdisciplinary WCU Delaware Bay Climate and Archaeology Project has applied the probabilistic model using IPCC RCPs to project future sea-level rise and its effects to coastal sites. Current efforts include presenting results through a series of StoryMaps developed to make technical information accessible and relevant to public audiences and stakeholders; raise awareness to the environmental issues affecting cultural sites; and provide a resource for engaging with threatened cultural heritage. The flexibility of StoryMaps allows narratives to be tailored for specific objectives, such as planning, preservation or education. It also engages a variety of audiences including community stakeholders and Indigenous communities, educators, policy makers, planners, and interdisciplinary professionals. We demonstrate the effectiveness of a narrative approach for integrating scientific modeling, historic preservation concerns, and public outreach on climate change impacts on cultural resources and how a regional approach may bring awareness to an issue of global concern.