Recently, I got the chance to attend one of NECAP’s role-play simulation workshops in Kennebunkport, ME. This is the second workshop that I have attended since joining the project as an undergraduate intern in September, and both times I was able to play a character role in the games. At my first workshop in Wells I acted as a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and a couple weekends ago in Kennebunkport I played a representative from a local Neighborhood Association. Both roles brought to my attention diverse interests that have to be taken into consideration when planning for climate change adaptation in “a town a lot like Wells.”

At the last workshop, the people at my table were very engaged in the activity and everyone seemed enthusiastic and eager to jump into their roles, whether they were similar or different from their roles in real life. There was very little hesitation in putting varying interests on the table and coming up with creative solutions to recommend to the fictional town manager. As a result, I also felt very comfortable sharing my opinions – based on the interests of my character – to help the group come to consensus on a plan. After just an hour of discussion, four out of five members at my table reached consensus on one plan for long-term adaptation, and all five agreed to implement another for short-term adaptation.  

At my table, I was surrounded by lifelong residents of northern New Hampshire and southern Maine, a professor, an environmental activist, and a town planner. Despite the varying real-world interests, everyone at the table seemed to gain something from the experience. During the post-simulation debrief, the conversation was steady and each person who spoke offered new insight that made me think about impacts of the project that I didn’t expect. People at the workshop – myself included – seemed to walk away with specific changes in their ideas and opinions of preparing their towns for climate change. It only took one look at Kennebunkport to get me thinking about my own hometown, a beachside town on the south shore of Massachusetts, and the promising potential for residents and other stakeholders along the coast to come together to prepare for a changing climate.

-Madeline O’Grady