Program to help residents prepare for extreme weather

MIDDLEBORO -- Sustainable Middleboro will host a free community workshop, "Preparing for Extreme Weather," at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 26, at at the Middleboro Council on Aging, 558 Plymouth St.

The event is designed to help residents understand what extreme weather can be expectes in the future, including flooding, drought, extreme storms, fires, and wind.

The focus will be on a strategies that can be implemented at home and in the community.

"Protecting ourselves and our neighbors from extreme weather is a shared civic responsibility," said Hayden Kane of Sustainable Middleboro. "Our guiding principle for this event is simple: This is for everyone. Whether you are a homeowner, a tenant, a business owner, or a student interested in the sciences, we want you to know what you can do right now."

To guide the science and planning, the event will feature two regional experts.

Dr. Kristin Burkholder, environmental science professor and associate dean at Stonehill College, will explain the changing environmental dynamics.

Audrey Matthews, senior climate planner at the Southeast Regional Planning and Economic Development District, will outline municipal strategies for resilience.

“Public knowledge of our weather patterns isn’t something highly scientific,” Matthews said. “Everyone can understand change, it’s how we can adapt together that needs organization and work from us and our communities. I want to convey real ways to do that.”

The workshop is free, and no registration is required.