Mass ECAN July News

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Mass ECAN July News

Our monthly newsletter provides curated information relevant to our community of practice. See below for:

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

Mass ECAN Conference 

Save the date!
Tuesday, October 29, 2019
Mt. Ida Campus of UMass Amherst, Newton
 
Hope to see you at our third annual Mass ECAN conference! Stay tuned for additional details about the agenda. Registration will open here later this summer.

If you are interested in being a sponsor, email Melissa at mocana@umass.edu.
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!
Julie Dyer Wood
Deputy Director, Climate Adaptation Program
Charles River Watershed Association (CRWA)

Bio: Julie has worked at CRWA for nearly 12 years and has been involved in nearly all aspects of the organization’s work from data collection to advocacy. Prior to joining CRWA, Julie received her graduate degree at UMass Boston’s School for the Environment and worked as an educator at the New England Aquarium. Julie enjoys spending time along the banks of the Charles and Mystic Rivers, either running, biking or playing with her two boys.
 
Climate change adaptation project she’s currently excited about: Julie and the CRWA team are currently convening watershed communities as part of the Charles River Climate Compact, an informal association dedicated to regional planning and information sharing. CRWA is interested in helping these communities meet the new MA MS4 stormwater permit requirements in ways that will also build resilience to climate change and improve community health.
Announcements

Event -  Climate Change Educators' Workshop, August 14th, 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM. Join educators from around the state in this interactive workshop sponsored by Mass Audubon focused on enhancing the state of climate change education in the classroom. Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary, Easthampton. Register here.

Event - Climate Change Communication for Land Trusts Workshop: Learning from Peers. Save the date! Our affiliated Climate Communications Expert Work Group is partnering with MassLand (Mass Land Trust Coalition) to host a workshop on Sept. 12th at Mass Audubon's Drumlin Farm in Lincoln. Stay tuned for registration details.

Event - Climate Change, Changing Health: Strategies for Addressing Public Health in the Age of Climate Change, September 20th, 7:15 AM - 11:45 AM. The forum will take place at the UMass Club in Boston. Register here.

News - The MA House of Representatives approved the Greenworks bill championed by Speaker DeLeo. The legislation would establish a 10-year grant program that would be administered by EOEEA to fund clean energy, energy efficiency, and climate change resilience measures. Greenworks now moves on to the Senate.

News - The State Legislature's conference committee released its report on the upcoming allocation of funds for the FY20 State budget. This includes $2.19 million for "Climate Adaptation & Preparedness" initiatives. The budget is now headed for the Governor's desk.

Opportunity - Support for community science collaboration - communities and community groups are invited to partner with the American Geophysical Union's Thriving Earth Exchange to design and launch a project. Thriving Earth Exchange projects match communities with a volunteer scientist to inform and tackle priorities relating to natural resources, natural hazards, climate change, sustainability, and health. Apply here. There is no cost to communities to participate other than your time. Due August 16 for a September project launch. (Due November 15 for a December launch.)

Job - Climate Resilience Project Manager, Mystic River Watershed Association, Arlington. Manager will be responsible for helping to launch the Social Resiliency working group for the 14-community Regional Mystic Collaborative. (Posted July 8th)

Job - Senior Sustainability Consultant, Quantis, Boston. Primary responsibilities include translating the results of Quantis' science-based analysis of climate and environmental into tangible environmental impact reduction projects. (Posted July 19th)
 
Update: What is the Salt Marsh Expert Work Group up to?



The Salt Marsh Work Group leads, Katie Kahl (UMass Amherst) and Adrienne Pappal (MA Coastal Zone Management) received funding through the UMass Center for Agriculture, Food , and the Environment for a Summer Scholar to compile survey information on salt marsh research projects and translate responses into a GIS-based online viewer. This online viewer will 1) help identify priority salt marsh research needs and begin to identify locations for research/management for the larger Salt Marsh Work Group community, and 2) inform the statewide action plan, Blueprint for Tidal Marsh Resilience, which is in development by the MA Office of Coastal Zone Management. Ideally, the viewer and survey will facilitate communication and collaboration among researchers and practitioners.

This newsletter section is a chance for us to share a report or publication that we're reading this month. 
 

Researchers at the DOI Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, UMass Amherst, and several other institutions, have released a new study outlining the effects climate change will have on maple syrup production in New England. 

This study provides readers with analyses of future sap production within the northeast region, along with an overview of the current market for maple syrup in New England. Research took place over a two-year period at six different locations to account for differences in geographically-sensitive components, such as sugar content. Their findings indicate considerable declines in production by the century's end, highlighting the need for improved ecosystem resilience and adaptation efforts.  This is an interesting read for practitioners working on forests, agriculture-related projects, and for anyone who simply loves maple syrup!

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.

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.

Banner photo by Max Dilthey


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