Building Blocks For Regional Resilience: Land Of Sky Region

PROJECT DESCRIPTION The Land of Sky Regional Council (LOSRC) is working with local and state partners, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, to identify regional strategies to reduce risk to residential and commercial properties, government and critical facilities and transportation system from wildfire, flooding and landslides.

PROBLEM STATEMENT The Land of Sky region faces increasing challenges from natural hazards like flooding, wildfire and landslides. Recent state science reports project more extreme and intense precipitation and increased inland flooding. At the same time, more intense droughts, and climate conditions conducive to wildfires are also more likely. As our population increases and more land is developed for housing, offices, shops and industry, the impacts from these hazards are worsened. The LOSRC has begun a regional resilience-building effort by assessing the exposure, risks, and vulnerability of some of our region’s built assets, however we need to broaden these assessments and then move beyond assessments to action.

BENEFITS A shared understanding of regional, local and parcel level exposure, vulnerability and risk to three major hazards: flooding, wildfire and landslide. Insight into specific risks these pose for vulnerable populations, including both urban and rural under-resourced and aging residents. A regional inventory of essential services, critical facilities and infrastructure that need to be prioritized for resilience-building investments. Introduction to AccelAdapt – the region’s new interactive, web-based, multi-hazard assessment tool for local government decision making. Specific recommendations on tangible mitigation and adaptation actions the region can take in both the near and long-term. Identification of key planning mechanisms, funding sources and partners to implement specific priority adaptation/resilience objectives.

Stephen Lapp of the UNC EFC presented on EFC Resiliency Resources.