Shifting Land, Shifting Lifestyles
The coast has always been shifting at Chincoteague and Assateague Island. It’s an incredible natural phenomenon that shifts the island a few hundred feet inland every century. Storms and natural wave action shift sediment and deposit it westward of the islands, eroding part of it but creating new parts, creating new inlets and jetties along the coast. Two parks ensure the continued preservation of this land, Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague Island National Seashore. Part of what makes these beaches so special is the lack of development. With urbanization all around us and growing suburban sprawls, it’s beautiful to experience an expansive beach with no backdrop of tall hotels and blinking signs. But these islands have become threatened by accelerated sea rise and increasingly volatile storms. A challenging task for a small island population, but an attainable one through efficient activist avenues.
Strong hurricanes like Ian and Sandy, to name a few, in recent years have flooded entire roads and knocked out power on Chincoteague Island. Drainage problems are prevalent because of the single road connecting Chincoteague Island to the mainland which is surrounded by wetlands and thus at the mercy of extreme high tides from stormwater surges. However, increasing development for flood protective measures could disrupt carefully balanced ecosystems. Protected species of birds like the piping plover, breed on the islands and are very sensitive to habitat change. The shifting shores of the island could also make it difficult to construct more permanent or long-term solutions to flooding problems. If implemented, costly repairs in the future to adapt to the changing island could be costly and put a strain on the island’s budget.
Unfortunately, this is not a unique story. Many islands, particularly belonging to indigenous people, have shrunk drastically in recent years. Several Panamanian indigenous groups have been forced to move away from their homes as sea levels continue to rise, threatening their way of life. Their way of life, enduring through so many generations, comes to an end because of the actions of other industrialized societies. This is extremely disturbing because their spiritual way of life and connection with nature has enabled the preservation of the environment in their respective regions, yet through forces they can’t control, their environment is destroyed. In an effort to build wealth, humans have taken to mass unsustainable exploitation of the Earth for its resources, disregarding the impacts of the accumulation of wealth. Consumerist societies demand more and more products, generating more waste alongside more profits. Yet, indigenous communities participate in few if any of these practices, yet they seem to be harmed the most even though their survival is tied to the land they live on, not on any accumulation of wealth.
A few years ago, an indigenous community in an island off Louisiana in the US, made plans with the Louisiana government to move inland to a new location. Their island had lost 98% of its 22,000 acres, leaving just 320 acres, equivalent to losing over 40,000 football fields of land. Much of the remaining land lies low and is prone to flooding, leaving behind soil unsuitable for cultivation. The resettlement is still in progress although most families have moved, but a few stay, clinging on to life as they know it. For those who moved, their way of life is forever altered. Part of indigenous culture is keeping traditions and passing down similar generations' knowledge year after year. Sudden changes disrupt the practices of indigenous communities and could lead to negative psychological impacts. Uprooting an entire lifestyle of tradition and being forced to adapt to change from global warming created through no fault of indigenous communities, can uproot an entire identity and way of thinking. It forces indigenous people to grapple with what it means to be a part of their tribe and what it means to be indigenous, now that so much is different.
The lack of action against climate change is part of this problem. In fact, several tribes in 2020 filed a complaint to the UN against the US for violating their human rights by falling short of addressing climate impacts. This method showcases a way to fight for climate change action through law and the violation of our human rights to a healthy environment and clean air. Marginalized groups, including Native Americans, often disproportionately live in places with higher climate change impacts. A lack of funding for awareness groups and climate resilience projects can make it difficult for marginalized groups to explain their own climate story and receive the attention they deserve. Legal challenges accusing governments or companies of violating our rights to healthy environments and doing little to prevent it can be a crucial method of climate activism in the future. Voluntary pleas to preserve our environment often fall on deaf ears. Compulsory legal action can help propel a new type of climate activism for all citizens.
Authors Note: External sources were used in the research of this article. To preserve writer’s integrity, those sources are cited here.
“Hurricane Sandy Impacts Chincoteague Island.” Chincoteague, 4 November 2012, https://www.chincoteague.com/articles/hurricane-sandy.html.
“Chincoteague Island Braves Tidal Flooding.” WBOC, 3 October 2022, https://www.wboc.com/news/chincoteague-island-braves-tidal-flooding/article_872ea66e-436c-11ed-b2ab-bfa0dc155390.html.
Faheid, Dalia. Livingstone, Katie. “To Flee, or to Stay until the End and Be Swallowed by the Sea.” Inside Climate News, 18 July 2021, https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18072021/to-flee-or-to-stay-until-the-end-and-be-swallowed-by-the-sea/.
“Birds.” National Park Service, Assateague Island. https://www.nps.gov/asis/learn/nature/birds.htm.