massFM EVENTS
UPCOMING EVENTS:
​
Members only “Lunch & Learn” Meetings
Members only “Lunch & Learn” meetings will be held every other month on Thursdays at noon. A notification will be sent out prior to our next Lunch & Learn meeting.
​
​
Our next scheduled meeting is on March 13, 2025 noon ET.
​​​
​Title: Resiliency Planning at the House of the Seven Gables: Preparing for Climate Change
​
Description:
The House of the Seven Gables conducted a two-year study funded by Massachusetts Coastal Zone Management to evaluate the risks posed by climate change. This process included the use of data from groundwater monitoring wells and a tidal gauge installed on-site, along with soil samples and a detailed survey base plan including topography and subsurface infrastructure. The project team then used the Massachusetts Coastal Flood Risk Model (MC-FRM) to assess climate change impacts on the site in 2030, 2050, and 2070, and then created a plan for adaptations that should be implemented before those risks materialize. Strategies for adapting to storm surges, increasing groundwater, and intense surface water runoff were evaluated for their effectiveness and appropriateness for the historic site. The conclusion of the study resulted in a five-phase plan ending in the managed retreat of the historic buildings to higher ground on the existing site.
​
​​
Speaker:
Paul Wright, Director of Preservation and Maintenance at the House of the Seven Gables. Paul Wright joined the House of the Seven Gables as Director of Preservation and Maintenance in the Spring of 2022, leading the organization in studying the effects of climate change on the historic site. Prior to joining the House of the Seven Gables, Paul completed his graduate degree at the Boston Architectural College focusing on the intersection of historic preservation and sustainable design. His professional experience includes working as an architectural historian, and building envelope and energy code consulting. He has worked and volunteered at numerous historic sites in Salem and served as the Bowditch House Building Committee Chair for Historic Salem, Inc since 2019.
​
PAST EVENTS:
The massFM 2024 conference was held on October 30, 2024.
​
The massFM 2023 Annual Conference was held on October 23, 2023.
​
MassFM 2022 Annual Conference (our first in-person conference) on October 13, 2022. Event details can be downloaded at: 2022 Annual Conference Details.
MassFM Annual Conference 2021: Climate Data Update: Evaluating Rising Risks (held October 21, 2021). The event flyer can be downloaded at: Annual Conference Flyer.
​
Elevation Certificate Virtual Workshop (Friday October 23, 2020)
massFM First Annual Meeting (held on October 22, 2020) including annual conference training and and annual conference keynote panel.
​
Exclusive Webinar: Floodplain Design, Construction + Impacts on Flood Insurance (held on May 13, 2020)
​
massFM/NMCOG Floodplain Management Workshop: Tewskbury, MA (held on October 10, 2019):
Presentations:
A Brief Overview on Impacts of Climate Change and why Floodplain Management Matters
FEMA Flood Studies and Maps - Letters of Map Change
Flood Insurance and Mitigation
NFIP Basics in Massachusetts
Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program
MEMA HMA Briefing
2018 MA State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan
​
massFM Kickoff Tour: Springfield, MA (held on April 11, 2019)
Presentations:
The Stream Crossings Explorer
Substantial Improvement Practices
Fluvial-Geomorphology and Flood Risk Management
Post-disaster Responsibilities of Local Officials
massFM Kickoff Event (held on Nov. 8, 2018):
Presentations:
No Adverse Impact - A Common Sense Strategy for Floodplain Management
Historic Structures in the Floodplain - Mitigation and Compliance
Post-disaster Responsibilities of Local Floodplain Administrators
​