Two fast days just went by in a flash here at summer camp. Yesterday we worked on finishing up the major part of the climate change section of the course with a focus on systems thinking and talking about all the challenges we face in dealing with this and all the other complex issues around Integrated Coastal Management.
Don gave another one of his outstanding 100 mph presentations and talked about how a systems thinking approach is needed since the problems are so big and complex. He talked aoubt addressing feedback loops and using mental models to try to account for complexities. Several things he brought reminded me of basic Aikido principles. Thing like paying close attention to the energy you are really recieving rather than what you thought you were going to get or what you wished you were getting. The principle of circularity (what goes around, comes around). If you push back against a pushing attack, you are just going to generate more resistance, etc. Cool stuff. We then moved on to more local coastal issues with a review of US coastal policy history (Don needs to update his slide that shows Minnesota "developing" a coastal program before we get to our 10-year anniversary next summer.) We also got a presentation on Rhode Island's coastal issues with a focus on their use of Special Area Management Plans (SAMPs).
Today, (Friday) we took a field trip to visit several sites in the area covered by the Metro Bay SAMP. We met at the new building developed by Save the Bay, a very well established non-governmental organization that works for environmental protection and restoration first. They have some very nice Low Impact Development (LID) features for stormwater management at their facility. It is a very impressinve building and the programs, connected with the waterkeepers network sounds like it is very effective. It is nice to see such an influential NGO enjoying that kind of success. It proves how much power a body of committed, engaged citizens can have in driving change.
Our second stop was with the City Planner and Asst. City Planner for Pawtucket, RI. They were both very enthusiastic about the Metro Bay SAMP and its value for helping them raise funds, get land donated and justify requirements for good development design in their community. We had a good discussion with them about the value of the SAMP at Slater's Mill, a hydropower mill where the American industrial revolution began.
From there we went to the American Locomotive Works, site of a brownfield redevelopment project to provide offices, housing and other mixed uses in a former industrial complex. A representative from the Rhode Island Coastal Management Council and one from the Economic Development Commission talked about the development of the Urban Greenways Policy that allows for development closer to the coast than it would otherwise be allowed in the metro are in exchange for public access and LID features in the site development. The permitting process in RI appears very complicated. While they have some coordination between agencies, it appears that the only joint permitting they do is between agencies at the same governmental level. Between cities for example and not with state and federal agencies.
After the work of the day was over we spent a little time exploring downtown Providence (and having a couple Sam Adams Lagers), and eating dinner at Fire and Ice before heading back to the frat house.
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