Episode 10: Introduction to the Climate Resilience Resources
As climate change continues to increase the intensity and quantity of natural disasters per year, museums and other cultural heritage institutions need to be informed and proactive about the future. Building upon our field's emergency response knowledge, conservators can utilize their skills beyond the bench and take active roles in the safety and resiliency of the institution and their communities.
The Climate Resilience Resources (CRR) project is the first action item of Held in Trust, a four-year cooperative agreement between the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Foundation for Advancement in Conservation (FAIC). Held in Trust brought together hundreds of conservation and allied professionals and communities to explore the state of preservation and conservation of tangible and intangible cultural heritage in the United States. The report, released in June 2023, made recommendations for the future of the field across these areas.
Stephanie Schapiro, project lead of CRR, explains why these specific resources were developed and what challenges they faced collecting the crucial data that the resources rely on. Joining Stephanie, Kate Macuen and Jose Marchand-Sifre offer their experience trialing the resources and the insights they gained from applying them to their local institutions and communities.
Community engagement, proactive planning, and collaboration proved to be pivotal in building successful resilience strategies. We encourage you to take a look at the resources, including the Hazard Risk Assessment Map, to help you better understand the context which your institution is a part of and what action steps you could do to mitigate negative repercussions and preserve our planet as well as cultural heritage.