JAMESTOWN — The campaign to Save Jamestown announced it has received a highly competitive grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Climate Smart Humanities Organizations program.
According to the organization, the grant “will support the urgent efforts to combat the effects of climate change on America’s Birthplace.”
The grant is one of just four awards made through the program, and funds will support critical site analysis and surveys to establish a comprehensive climate resiliency plan to preserve and protect Jamestown from the myriad hazards brought on by rising water levels.
The organization notes that the site’s archaeological and historical resources, which represent thousands of years of human activity and cultural interaction, are facing an imminent threat.
Jamestown has experienced increased pressure on its infrastructure and operations from sea-level rise, encroaching wetlands, extreme storm events, and a rising saltwater aquifer, it added.
Developing and implementing a solution is imperative, according to the campaign, noting climate effects already impact archaeological resources and prevent further understanding of our shared past.
“Jamestown is America’s Birthplace. If we don’t take action now, more than 60% of the archaeological site, containing the untold history revealed in artifacts lost or left behind, will be permanently underwater in just fifty years. Save Jamestown is a national campaign and we’re grateful to NEH for their leadership support,” said James Horn, Jamestown Rediscovery Foundation President and CO.
Save Jamestown said gifts and grants to the campaign help it tell the story of America’s last 400 years and look ahead to the next 100.
Learn more about the campaign to Save Jamestown on its website.
