Cape Ann: Compound Vulnerabilities ·

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Ecosystems are Cape Ann’s first line of defense in the face of future storms.

Marshes absorb and buffer storm surges, dunes protect inland neighborhoods from waves, and forests stabilize soils while filtering runoff.

During extreme events, these landscapes reduce flooding, minimize erosion, and provide ecological resilience that built infrastructure alone cannot achieve.

Yet their ability to perform these functions depends on their health today.

This report documents the work of an investigation conducted at the Harvard University Graduate School of Design’s Office for Urbanization from 2024 to 2025 focusing on ecological systems across the region of Cape Ann in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The research and this report would not have been possible without the generous contributions of many people and institutions. We would like to acknowledge the contributions of TownGreen 2025, Water Alliance, and the Cape Ann Climate Coalition, in particular Greg Federspiel, Manchester Town Administrator; Dick Prouty, Co-Chair TownGreen 2025; and Valerie Nelson, Director of Water Alliance. This report would not have been possible without their cooperation and support.

We are indebted to our local contributors on Cape Ann for offering their multi- disciplinary expertise. For their commitment to sharing their knowledge about the place and new modes of thinking about ecological restoration on Cape Ann, these individuals deserve our sincere appreciation, particularly our group of Local Knowledge Advisors, including Eric Hutchins, Jayne Knott, Denton Crews, Alison DiFiore, Chris Leahy, and Kelsey Gray.

We are greatly obliged to our Academic Advisors for their invaluable contributions to this project, including Diane Davis, Archon Fung, Daniel D'Oca, Jason Beckfield, Rachel Meltzer, and Jesse Keenan.

Resilient Practices