64 museum and ecology center • A partnership between the school district and the non-profit Trout Unlimited to teach elementary school kids about trout’s role in the creek’s ecosystem • Talks and nature walks by professors and students at Lafayette College, who have been researching the hydrology and ecology of the Creek for decades To best anticipate and respond to the needs of natural systems, our team projected into the year 2100. Within the context of the rapidly expanding Lehigh Valley region, Palmer Township is expected to see an increase of 8,016 residents, and will experience a greater demand for transit, open space, walkability, and resilient design. At the same time, climate change will continue to reshape daily life with more intense storms, flooding, and heat events. Environmental impacts include: • Increased Precipitation: The region can expect an additional 12% increase (49 annual inches) in precipitation.1 We can also expect more extreme precipitation events, with a 32% increase in the average annual number of days with precipitation greater than one inch, equaling 11 days.⁸ • Hotter Weather: We can expect an average 9.4°F increase by 2100.1 The number of days above 90°F will increase by 420% to 65 days (Current days over 90°F are 15-16).⁷ • Increased Droughts: There will be an 11% increase in the longest stretch of days without precipitation.⁷ • Shifting USDA Planting zones: By the end of the century, many U.S. cities may have climates resembling locations 400+ miles to their south. This would mean that Palmer Township’s climate, and the plants and crops that thrive within it, will be comparable to Raleigh, North Carolina and the Piedmont bioregion. • Increased agricultural pollution: Crops will become more vulnerable to pests and invasive species, producing lower yields and encouraging more use of petroleumbased fertilizers and pesticides. Reduced petrochemical availability will cause increased food prices, and eventually (finally?) a pivot to organic, non-chemical farming. • Reduced Air Quality: Northampton County has some of the worst air quality⁸ in the U.S., from industry, transportation, and pollutanttrapping topography. Climate change is expected to increase ozone and fine particulate pollution. Distillation Guidebook Co-Lab • 9.18–9.19 2025
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