About the Oak Island Coastal Resilience Strategy
About the Project
The Town of Oak Island is participating in the North Carolina Resilient Coastal Communities Program (RCCP), a state initiative administered by the Division of Coastal Management that helps coastal communities build resilience to climate-related hazards. Through this program, Oak Island is working with technical assistance providers to assess vulnerabilities to risks such as sea level rise, coastal storms, shoreline erosion, and storm surge, and to develop a Coastal Resiliency Strategy tailored to the community's specific needs. The resulting strategy will identify prioritized policies, programs, and projects designed to protect residents, visitors, and critical infrastructure — helping Oak Island adapt to the impacts of climate change and ensure the long-term sustainability of the community.
The Town of Oak Island received funding for Phases 1 & 2.
NC RCCP Program Overview
56
Communities Engaged
89
Grants Awarded
$15,732,730
Funds Distributed
What is Resiliency?
Resilience is the ability of social and ecological systems to adapt to changing conditions and withstand, and rapidly recover from, disturbances and disasters. This ability to withstand disturbances, or bounce back, is a concept that applies to individuals, infrastructure, the environment, and communities large and small.
Coastal resilience is the ability of a community, including the natural, social, economic, and infrastructure systems that define and support it, to resist, absorb, recover from, and adapt to the effects of a natural hazard in a timely and efficient manner. This is achieved through the preservation and restoration of essential structures and functions that provide a high quality of life for all residents and visitors.
Benefits of Resilience
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Protection of homes, businesses, and community infrastructure
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Protection of the Atlantic Ocean and its plant, animal, and marine life
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Protection of beaches, wetlands, and coastal attractions
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Proactive preparation for future natural disturbances
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Local capacity building and local collaboration at multiple scales
Why Resilience Matters
The Town of Oak Island is surrounded by water, making it highly vulnerable to the risks associated with climate change, including rising sea levels, coastal storms, shoreline erosion, strong winds, and storm surges. In addition to the Town’s beautiful coastline, several waterways run through and around Oak Island, draining into the Atlantic Ocean. Vulnerable areas in the Town are residential beach neighborhoods, marinas, commercial corridors, and important town facilities including roads, fire departments, emergency services, and other critical services. This Coastal Resiliency Strategy will provide the Town of Oak Island with an understanding of the risks posed by climate change and rising sea levels. Based on this understanding of future risks, new policies, programs, and projects will be proactively identified to ensure the long-term sustainability and well-being of the community and the surrounding region