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Mass ECAN June News
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Recent events challenge us to consider the trauma of systemic and institutional racism in our society. I have been trying to make sense of my role personally and the climate adaptation field’s role in creating a more just, equitable, and inclusive future. Below are some anti-racism resources and articles that I found particularly insightful and relevant. I wanted to also share examples of responses from our peers to help connect the dots to our work on climate adaptation. Hopefully, we will all be inspired to set the groundwork for transformational change coming out of recent events and the great pause during this pandemic. In the meantime, let’s support those who need it most and reaffirm that Black lives matter. With Mass ECAN being a peer learning network interested in building a community of practice, I’ve been especially appreciating our Black colleagues and climate change leaders and hope we can all commit to ensuring they are supported professionally during this challenging time. Thanks for all you are doing.
See below for news specifically curated for our community of practice:
Feel free to forward this newsletter and encourage colleagues to join.
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Best,
Melissa Ocana
Climate Adaptation Coordinator, UMass Amherst
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Antiracism resources for our work
Fostering justice -- racial, environmental, climate -- is work we must take on together. We know that climate change disproportionately negatively impacts those who are already vulnerable with communities of color on the front lines. We know that COVID-19 similarly presents a “disproportionate burden of illness and death among racial and ethnic minority groups.” We also know that people of color are very concerned about climate change.
So, I have been glad to see environmental and climate organizations sharing statements of solidarity, which hopefully will be followed up with actions to improve systems. There is much to be done to elevate and learn from underrepresented voices in our field, join together with peers working on climate justice and anti-racism, create a pipeline to support young people of color pursuing adaptation professions, and align anti-racist values with our on-the-ground work and organizational cultures. Ideas for action include:
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Connecting the dots: unequal access to nature during COVID-19
COVID-19 has only made more evident the importance of access to nature and green space as a right for all. Communities of color do not currently have equitable access to open space and parks, which have proven so essential for mental and physical health during this pandemic. For more on this, see the Trust for Public Land special report on Parks and the Pandemic.
We also know that open space, particularly in urban areas, has co-benefits for climate adaptation, such as reduce flooding from stormwater runoff through increased water storage. Coming out of the current crises we face, let's redouble our efforts to provide access to green spaces where they are most lacking. Such efforts are closely related to our ongoing work to mainstream nature-based solutions, create resilient food systems, restore habitat, and conserve land.
But, having access to open space can only go so far if Black nature-lovers are made to feel unsafe. I have been so inspired by #BlackBirdersWeek and the stories being shared here and here. Let's work together to make our open spaces welcoming and safe for everyone.
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Sharing your work in the context of COVID-19
The New England Landscape Futures Explorer team at Harvard Forest is considering the intersection between responses to the pandemic, land conservation in New England, and scenario planning. They are hosting a monthly discussion group about how applying scenarios and indicators of change build resilient communities and landscapes. The next meeting is June 16, 11:30am. For details see the NELF Lunch Chat Website or email Lucy Lee.
Are you working on something related to COVID-19?
Send your story to massecan@umass.edu.Thanks for everything you all are doing to take care of yourselves and others, respond to the pandemic, and advance climate adaptation!
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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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Russ Hopping
Lead Coastal Ecologist
The Trustees
Bio: Russ has worked for The Trustees since 1991, initially as a shorebird technician after completing his undergraduate research on human disturbance to migrating shorebirds at Crane Beach in Ipswich. Since then, Russ has been instrumental in documenting baseline natural resources for many of The Trustees properties including plants, birds, pollinators and rare species, completing property management plans and policies, and directing the management and restoration of significant habitats, most recently salt marshes. In his spare time, he looks forward to spending time in his garden and exploring protected lands in the Northeast.
Climate change adaptation project he’s currently excited about: Russ is leading a landscape-scale restoration of salt marsh in the Great Marsh. This work includes scaling up innovative, nature-based restoration strategies designed to restore beneficial hydrology to prevent marsh subsidence and loss. Work has started on more than 350 acres and planning has begun with partners for the restoration of an additional 2,000 acres. To learn more about The Great Marsh Restoration Project, please visit https://www.onthecoast.thetrustees.org/
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Webinar - Join the Nature Connects Webinar Series with The Nature Conservancy focusing on climate adaptation and mitigation. Register here.
- June 11, 12-1pm, Helping Communities Adapt to Climate Change, with Sara Burns
- June 18, 12-1pm, Can Nature Help Us Fight Climate Change?, with Laura Marx
Webinar - Managing Interactions between Invasive Species and Climate Change, June 8th,1:00 pm. Organized by the Northeast Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change (RISCC) Management, this webinar will share what Bethany Bradley - UMass Amherst and Toni Lyn Morelli - USGS, have learned collaborating across disciplines and agencies, synthesize management and research needs on invasive species and climate change, and highlight new tools to identify and prioritize emerging invasive plants. Register here.
Funding Opportunity - The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EOEEA)'s Planning and Action Grants through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program:
- Planning Grant proposals will be accepted on a rolling basis through Aug. 7. See the RFR here.
- Action Grant proposals are due June 11. See the RFR here.
- Learn more from this informational webinar
Funding Opportunity - The Office of Coastal Zone Management is offering their newest round of grants through the Coastal Resilience Grant Program. Proposals are due June 11. The RFR is available here.
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In case you've been wondering what to read next....
- Nature Based Solutions Principles: "And/also", not "Either/or" - The need to restore nature AND cut emissions. Twenty organizations presented a letter to the President of COP26 outlining guidelines and principles for nature-based solutions as powerful tools in our response to biodiversity loss and climate change.
- Ecosystems Services Fact Sheets: Mass Audubon has created five fact sheets here about the value of different ecosystems in regards to environmental health, the economy, and climate change. In particular, the Coastal Areas one highlights climate change co-benefits provided by functioning coastal ecosystems.
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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 supportive community of 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. |
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