This post was written by Heather Widener, communications director for the Virginia Association of Museums, who has been with the organization for 12 years. She can be reached at hwidener@vamuseums.org.

News headlines flare up now and again over the persistent and troubling issue of climate change. It is easy to feel that these predictions are “far off” or that we are helpless against the shifting realities of the world. Virginia Climate Fever: How Global Warming Will Transform our Cities, Shorelines, and Forests, written by Stephen P. Nash, brings these realities home for Virginians – particularly those who act as stewards of our historic and cultural landscapes.

The Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) recently held its annual conference in Williamsburg, Virginia. One of our most popular conferences, this year’s event drew over 450 museum professionals and service providers from around the Commonwealth and beyond. One of the conference’s exciting draws was Nash, our keynote speaker. Nash is a journalist and the Visiting Senior Research Scholar in the Journalism Department at the University of Richmond and author of Virginia Climate Fever. During the keynote speech, Nash discussed potential impacts of climate change on Virginia’s coastal historic, cultural, and archaeological sites.

Says Lisa Martin, senior program director at Reynolds Homestead, “Global warming has always been a concern for me, but I’ve always thought of it in terms of how it might impact the natural history of our nation and world. Stephen Nash brought home with urgency the cultural impact that climate change will have on our museums, historical sites, and archaeological digs. To imagine the history that could be lost with nearly 200 sites in Virginia alone being affected really makes the issue of environmental change a topline concern for those of us who work in these fields. His presentation was impactful, pertinent, and engaging.”

Combining nearly 30 years of scientific research with data from the Department of Historic Preservation and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science, Nash’s presentation addressed climate trends, physical strategies for adapting to sea level rise, and advocacy to keep Virginia’s historic resources at the forefront of our state’s climate policy.

“Climate change is already upon us but we still have time to work out good plans in the face of it, and avoid making the worst of it. We have responsibilities to each other, to the natural systems we depend on, and to Virginia’s landscape, one of surpassing richness and beauty.” – Stephen P. Nash, Virginia Climate Fever

The Virginia Association of Museums (VAM) is a statewide network serving the museum community. VAM has over 2,000 members, including individuals, businesses, and member organizations, ranging from historic houses to botanical gardens, aquariums, zoos, children’s museums, historical societies, art museums and galleries, battlefields, military museums, and more. Our vision is a united museum community inspiring the world around us. Learn more at www.vamuseums.org.