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Happy summer! See below for updates specifically relevant to Mass ECAN members, including:
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Feel free to pass this message along to colleagues and encourage them to join us. At any point, you can reach out to massecan@umass.edu with ideas about what our Network should tackle next.
Best,
Melissa Ocana
Climate Adaptation Coordinator, UMass Amherst
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Update from the Coldwater Streams
Expert Work Group
This group is working toward a couple useful outputs: a map of coldwater refugia and a strategic conservation strategy including identifying high priority locations and potential management actions.
In addition to virtual meetings, the Work Group met in person at the April Northeast Association of Fisheries & Wildlife Conference. Through these connections, they have assembled key players to participate and written a research prospectus.
The priority next steps are:
- additional modeling development,
- pilot projects to collect data, and
- seeking collaborative funding to accomplish that work.
To learn more, ask Work Group lead Becca Quinones at Mass Wildlife, or Melissa.
Over the next couple months, we'll share updates from the other expert work groups!
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Mass ECAN Member Spotlight
Every month, we'll highlight someone in our community of practice so you can learn about the variety of adaptation work going on and "meet" a new colleague!
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Darci Schofield
Senior Environmental Planner,
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
Bio: Darci Schofield has been working in the field of urban park planning and the development of climate resilience and green infrastructure since 2014 across Southern New England and most recently in Metropolitan Boston. At MAPC, she provides technical expertise and design recommendations for park planning with green infrastructure and nature-based solutions to mitigate urban heat island, inland flooding and stormwater, and shoreline protection in a manner that balances park amenities per community needs. She also works to advance Net Zero municipal commitments by incorporating and quantifying nature-based solutions into GHG reduction and through carbon trading in urban forests.
Her work involves close collaboration with local residents, landscape architects, and engineers. Previously, Darci served as the Urban Program Director for the Trust for Public Land.
Climate change adaptation project she's currently excited about: Darci completed "Designing Parks and Playgrounds for Green Infrastructure for Climate Resilience" for the City of Chelsea. She is advancing “Climate-Smart Parks” - open space and recreation planning prioritized with climate resilience and climate equity - across Metropolitan Boston.
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Announcements
Legislation Passed - The environmental bond bill has passed! The bill makes into law a requirement for Massachusetts to adopt a statewide plan to address the impacts of climate change, and also codifies the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program, a grant and technical assistance program for cities and towns to develop their own plans. Read more here.
Opportunity to Provide Input - The Regional Invasive Species Climate Change (RISCC) Management group and UMass Amherst are conducting a study to identify research priorities of managers related to invasive species and climate change. Help by responding to their survey here.
Conference Reminder - The National Adaptation Forum call for proposals is now open for Symposia, Training Sessions, Working Groups, Oral Presentations, Posters, and the Tools Cafe. I'm Program Co-Chair this year and would love to see many Mass submissions! Hope to see in Madison, WI, April 23-25, 2019!
Job Opportunity - Climate Change Specialist with ICF
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Catch up on previous newsletters by visiting our
Past News archive!
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Why am I getting this email?
Welcome to Mass ECAN!
You are receiving this email because you joined Mass ECAN.
Welcome to a new community of practice for climate adaptation practitioners and researchers who are interested in ecosystem resilience and natural resources conservation in Massachusetts. Since launching in October, we've grown to 180 members.
Mass ECAN is creating a space for us to learn from and with each other. Together, we can build capacity for climate adaptation that promotes ecosystem resilience and weaves natural resources conservation into actions across sectors. |
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