SUSTAINABLE FUTURES SPEAKER SERIES

March 15, 2019

As part of the Sustainable Futures Speaker Series, Aldaron Laird will present "Humboldt Bay on the Threshold of Change: Sea Level Rise Challenges to a Sustainable Future."

Environmental planner Aldaron Laird specializes in sea level rise vulnerability assessments and adaptation planning, specifically in the Humboldt Bay region. He helped create the first baseline vulnerability assessment of the shoreline on Humboldt Bay, and was the lead planner for the Humboldt Bay Sea Level Rise Adaptation Planning Project. Laird has completed sea level rise vulnerability assessments for all the Local Coastal Program authorities on Humboldt Bay and participated in Caltrans' District 1 Climate Change Pilot Study on the Highway 101 corridor.

Recently, Laird authored a portion of the 4th California Climate Change Assessment that described sea level rise vulnerability and adaptation opportunities on the North Coast, specifically for Humboldt Bay, completed a diked shoreline sea level rise adaptation feasibility study of Humboldt Bay, and held public education and outreach workshops for three communities at risk from sea level rise. At Humboldt State, he serves as co-chair of the university's Sea Level Rise Initiative.

In this lecture, Laird will highlight the significant changes we could see on Humboldt Bay with just 2.0 meters of sea level rise, which could occur between 2070 and 2100, based on new probabilistic projections. Millions of dollars will need to be invested to secure our future on Humboldt Bay. He will discuss the changes and associated challenges to be expected to geography, land and water uses, transportation and utilities infrastructure and coastal cultural and environmental resources.

The Sustainable Futures Speaker Series is sponsored by the Schatz Energy Research Center, the Environment & Community graduate program, and the College of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences at Humboldt State University.

The presentation will take place Thursday, March 28, at 5:30 p.m. in Founders Hall 118.

Questions? Email envcomm1@humboldt.edu

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