HVRC Intern Feature: Spencer Greenfield

Spencer Greenfield is a recent graduate of Yale University, having studied earth science and climate change solutions.  He is most passionate about integrating science with policy to support climate adaptation and resilience on local and regional scales, and he is excited to be continuing this work during his internship with HVRC.  

Spencer’s responsibilities at HVRC revolve around Putnam County’s Climate Change Adaptation & Resilience Plan (CCARP).  Fully funded by NYS DEC’s Climate Smart Communities Coordinator Services Program, the CCARP will assess risks from a changing climate and identify targeted adaptation strategies to prepare for these risks.  The planning process involves close collaboration with Putnam County staff and officials. 

Spencer started his internship by writing a Place Narrative for Putnam County, which helps ensure the CCARP addresses the County’s specific needs and aligns with its social, infrastructural, and environmental setting.  A big task for this project was assembling data on recent extreme weather events, providing a better sense of the historic severity and frequency of these events. 

He then moved on to support Resilience & Adaptation Coordinator Sofie diTommaso in writing a Climate Vulnerability Assessment.  This section of the report evaluates risk to physical infrastructure, people, local economies, and environmental resources in Putnam County.  As part of the Assessment, he has been able to use his mapping and graphic design skills to assess the County’s vulnerabilities to hazards.    

In addition to his work on the CCARP itself, Spencer created a partnership survey (available here!) for Putnam County organizations.  The partnership survey is designed to assess how organizations in Putnam County interface with climate resilience planning and how they would like to be involved in the CCARP process. 

In the spring, Spencer looks forward to continuing to work toward a final draft of the CCARP.  He will be contributing to the Climate Adaptation Plan, which will build on recent workshops with stakeholders in Putnam County. 

Spencer is grateful for his time at HVRC and to be able to contribute to so many parts of the resilience and adaptation planning process.  He will be entering a master’s program in Geology at Boston College this fall, and he looks forward to applying what he learned at HVRC in this next chapter! 

By Spencer Greenfield