The erosion of the bluff at the Monomoy National Wildlife Refuge headquarters is certainly dramatic, but it isn’t happening in isolation. Immediately to the west are six private properties; although they are protected by rock revetments, the volatility created by the 2017 Fool’s Cut and the subsequent loss of South Beach has put them in danger as well.

Last week we interviewed Gareth King, project manager for Coastal Marine Construction, which is installing erosion protection on the most impacted property immediately west of the refuge bluff. Sheet steel is being driven 60 feet into the ground as the first line of defense against the ocean, which is flanking the property’s existing revetment, eating away at the upland and threatening the home. The erosion is among the worst he’s seen in his 20-year career of working on shoreline infrastructure, Gareth told us. As erosion scours the remaining land away, exposing the steel, a rock revetment will be installed, but with the adjacent refuge land remaining unprotected, there’s no guarantee the structures will save the private property from future erosion.

Sea level rise and increasingly severe storms are causing similar situations for property owners along the New England coast, especially on Cape Cod. By shining a light on the issue through “No Refuge: Cape Cod’s Coastal Crisis,” we hope to raise awareness and help shift attitudes and behaviors to lessen the impact of climate change. You can help by telling your friends and neighbors about our documentary and contributing to our Kickstarter campaign; visit our page here  https://tinyurl.com/norefuge  where you can see a preview of the film.

Thanks for your support!

Tim and Jan