One of America’s most historic places could be the first areas in the nation to fall victim to climate change.

 

A report from the Rocky Mountain Climate Change Organization and Natural Resources Defense Council reveals that historic Jamestown Island is on the precipice of potential sea-level rise. “Jamestown Island, the site of the original 1607 settlement, is low enough to be completely inundated by rising seas and tidal waters,” the report states. Beyond the threat of sea-level rise, the report explains that visitors are likely to be discouraged from visiting Jamestown because of temperatures that could be much higher than even this past summer. “In the 2080s in a higher-emissions future, the average summer could be twice as much above historic temperature levels as was this last, hottest-ever summer,” said the report.

 

A piece written in the National Parks Traveler explains that climate change’s threat to Jamestown is not only a threat to a historic site but also to Virginia’s economy. Sites like Jamestown and Shenandoah National Park, which is also mentioned in the report, bring in an estimated $200 million to Virginia and account for nearly 4,000 jobs.