The City of Salem and the Preservation in a Changing Climate Committee are excited to announce the fifth annual conference focusing on addressing climate impacts to the region’s historic resources. The one-day conference will be held in person Wednesday, Sept. 17 at the Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) Morse Auditorium.
Building on past Preservation in a Changing Climate conferences, this year’s event will focus on mitigation and adaptation strategies that address the impacts of climate on historic buildings, landscapes and neighborhoods.
The conference will include a full day of case studies, conversations and panel discussions and a keynote from Christina Rae Butler, provost and professor of historic preservation and architectural history at the American College of the Building Arts and author of “Lowcountry at High Tide: A history of Flooding, Drainage, and Reclamation in Charlestown, South Carolina.”
Lunch will be provided by PEM and a closing reception will be held at the Salem Armory Regional Visitor Center.
The North Shore of Boston, including Salem and surrounding communities, is experiencing firsthand the damaging impacts of climate change on historic properties and neighborhoods. Coastal and riverine flooding, wind damage, extreme precipitation, and rising heat and humidity all affect the future of our historic resources.
To address these climate changes and protect the region’s historic resources, preservationists, environmentalists, engineers, planners, legislators, insurers, historic building owners and other decision-makers will be tasked to identify and implement adaptation strategies to make historic buildings and neighborhoods more resilient and sustainable. This conference will explore these strategies including nontraditional solutions and experimental approaches.
“I’m so grateful to Salem’s Preservation Partners for once again organizing our annual Preservation in a Changing Climate conference,” said Mayor Dominick Pangallo. “Salem is forward-looking and pro-active in managing the local impacts of climate change. As a historic community, we’re especially thoughtful in planning and preparing for how these challenges impact our city.
“In Salem, we value our history not just because it’s our past, but also because it’s the foundation for where we’re going in our future. Dialogues like the Preservation in a Changing Climate conference help ensure that that can continue to be the case for future generations of Salem residents and community members,” Pangallo said.
Salem’s Preservation in a Changing Climate Committee is a group of local and regional historic preservation partners who formed to help historic properties and neighborhoods plan to adapt to rising sea levels and other climate change challenges.
Hosted by the City of Salem’s Planning and Community Development Department, the Committee includes the Peabody Essex Museum, The House of the Seven Gables, Salem Sound Coastwatch, Essex National Heritage, Historic New England, the Salem Maritime National Historical Park, and Historic Salem Inc. Special thank you to the 2025 conference sponsor The Hawthorne Hotel.
The fee for attending this year’s conference includes an early bird registration rate of $50 per person for tickets purchased by Aug. 15, with a regular rate of $60 per person after the deadline. A special student rate of $40 is also available. Tickets include all education sessions, light refreshments, lunch, and the closing reception. For more information and to register for the conference, visit https://www.preservingsalem.com/preservation-in-a-changing-climate-1
