Maine’s lighthouses have been listed by the World Monuments Watch as endangered cultural sites due to climate change and other threats. This year, they join 24 other global sites at risk. The lighthouses, with notable historical significance, are now operational under various local entities but face increasing challenges from rising sea levels and coastal storms.
Maine’s historic lighthouses have recently been included in the World Monuments Watch annual list, highlighting the universal concerns these cultural landmarks face due to various threats, notably climate change. This year, their list features Maine’s lighthouses alongside 24 other sites, such as a Buddhist monastery in Mongolia and regions affected by conflict in Ukraine and Gaza.
The compilation details 66 lighthouses ranging from 1791, marking the establishment of Portland Head Light, to 1910. Presently, 57 of these lighthouses are operational, utilizing automated light systems. Though the stewardship of these structures has shifted to local and state agencies, non-profit organizations, and private individuals, many have been repurposed into residences, educational centers, museums, or parks that attract tourists and bolster the local economy.
According to the World Monuments Watch website, Maine’s lighthouses are increasingly threatened due to climate change. The Gulf of Maine is particularly vulnerable, experiencing a temperature increase at three times the global average, placing these coastal structures at risk from rising sea levels and storm surges. Recent winter coastal storms have exacerbated these challenges, damaging prominent lighthouses like Portland Head Light and Pemaquid Point Lighthouse.
Maine’s lighthouses symbolize maritime guidance and heritage, having served crucial roles in navigation along its coastline since the late 18th century. However, changing climatic conditions have intensified the threats these lighthouses face, including extreme weather events and rising sea levels. The World Monuments Watch seeks to raise awareness about such endangered heritage sites, thereby promoting preservation efforts.
The inclusion of Maine’s lighthouses on the World Monuments Watch list underscores the urgent need to address the impacts of climate change on these historical landmarks. With rising sea levels and increasing storm severity threatening their existence, efforts to preserve these sites are critical not only for historical significance but also for supporting the local economy through tourism.
Original Source: www.centralmaine.com