Mass ECAN July News
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Summer is in full swing! Happy summer to you out in the field, on vacation, or at your (virtual) desk. We're taking this time to hear from you about how Mass ECAN is doing. Please remember to share your thoughts through our very quick survey here.
See below for news specifically curated for our community of practice:
Feel free to forward this newsletter to a colleague and invite them to join us.
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Best,
Melissa Ocana
Climate Adaptation Coordinator, UMass Amherst
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Municipal Adaptation Networking Event
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Tuesday, July 13, 3:00-4:15pm
Register here to connect with fellow municipal staff and volunteers working on climate adaptation!
This joint networking event is co-hosted by Mass ECAN, MAPC's Resilience Community of Practice, and the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program.
It continues to be challenging to meet and mingle informally with colleagues during COVID times, so we're looking forward to this virtual space to learn from peers. We're particularly excited to provide this opportunity for recipients of the two major municipal adaptation grant programs in our state to get to know each other. Feel free to share with colleagues and see you on Tuesday!
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Take our short survey and enter to win a prize!
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How are we doing? Please take 5 to 10 minutes to complete our survey before 7/19. Results from this survey will help us better understand Mass ECAN member needs and determine where to focus our efforts going forward. We greatly value your feedback!
After completing the survey, you can enter to win our prize drawing for a $100 gift card from Patagonia or a copy of the book "All We Can Save: Truth, Courage, and Solutions for the Climate Crisis," edited by Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and Katharine K. Wilkinson.
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Mass ECAN Member Spotlight
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Every month, we highlight someone in our community of practice so you can learn about a variety of adaptation work and "meet" a new colleague!
Mike Gerel
Program Director
Narragansett Bay Estuary Program
Bio: Mike directs the Narragansett Bay Estuary Program, one of 28 National Estuary Programs, which uses a voluntary, community-driven approach to enhance water quality, wildlife, and quality of life in the Narragansett Bay, Little Narragansett Bay, Coastal Ponds, and their watersheds in RI, MA, and CT. Mike has had the privilege to work at the intersection of science and people for nearly 30 years. With expertise in watershed science, collaborative governance, and place-based restoration, he has helped advance the study and recovery of the Chesapeake Bay, Columbia River, and California coastal systems. Mike holds a MS in Environmental Sciences from Johns Hopkins, a BA in Biology from University of Richmond, and is an alum of University of Virginia’s Institute of Environmental Negotiation.
Climate change adaptation project he's currently excited about: The Narragansett Bay Estuary Program is working with a diverse partnership to develop its next 10-year plan, called Vision 2032, which will be holistic and realistic to improve and sustain regional ecosystems and communities. All actions considered for the plan will be evaluated through the lens of climate resilience using a detailed questionnaire and action template to ensure they are proactively adapted to address their impact on and vulnerability to climate change. Visit Vision 2032 or contact Mike to learn more and join in completing this unique plan by December 2022.
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Feedback Requested - The RMAT Beta Climate Resilience Design Standards Tool. As part of the tool piloting process, the RMAT (Resilient MA Action Team) is reaching out to users for feedback on the tool’s functionality and outputs. For more details, see the tool training video and user guide. Submit your feedback via this survey by 7/31 (note extended date).
Request for Responses - MA Climate Change Assessment. The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs is soliciting bidders for the development of a statewide assessment detailing how Massachusetts sectors, people, and regions may be affected by climate change and related hazards through the end of the century. Submit responses by 7/23.
Funding Opportunity - DER Partnerships Program. The Division of Ecological Restoration will be supporting Regional Restoration Partnerships with nonprofit organizations and regional planning agencies leading work to restore degraded aquatic ecosystems and increase climate change resiliency. View the recording of the Grant Information Session and apply by 7/23.
Funding Opportunity - Call for Participants Round II, The EPA Southeast New England Program (SNEP) is seeking applications from municipalities, tribes, and nonprofits to receive technical, financial, and/or training assistance focused on stormwater and watershed management, ecological restoration, and sustainable finance. Apply by 7/21.
Funding Opportunity - Land and Climate Grant Program. The Land Trust Alliance and Open Space Institute will support and build the capacity of land trusts and other entities that protect and steward land, plan for climate change and ensure land conservation decisions and activities have the greatest impact in addressing climate impacts. Submit letters of interest by 7/23.
Call for Conference Proposals - Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions Fall Conference Workshops. MACC is soliciting proposals for workshops related to climate change, wetlands protection, coastal issues, land conservation, environmental justice, technology, and law and advocacy for the Fall Conference in October. Submit proposals by 7/19.
Job - Climate Change Program Manager, City of Somerville. Manage climate change programs and related activities for the Office of Sustainability and Environment, act as an advisor and technical resource for departments across the City, and oversee outreach to community members and stakeholders.
Job - Climate/Environment Program Coordinator, Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), South Deerfield. Help farms implement meaningful changes to their operations by researching climate change-related technical assistance programs and providing workshops/training sessions focused on climate change adaptation and mitigation.
Job - Climate Resilience Adaptation Planner, Fuss & O’Neill. Lead the development of climate adaptation and resilience planning by implementing projects to develop creative and sustainable approaches to help communities and property owners reduce exposure and vulnerability to climate-related hazards.
Job - Engagement Coordinator, City of Salem. Support Salem’s numerous climate action plan goals and sustainability programs by developing and implementing programs and outreach strategies to engage the community and foster connections with local businesses, schools, and other relevant organizations. Apply by 7/7.
Job - Landscape Ecologist, Sasaki, Boston. Includes initiating innovative project ideas and assessing natural and human influences on a site, such as climate, risks from natural hazards, and ecological health and environmental quality.
Opportunity - Community Advisory Board for Green Jobs, City of Boston. The City is seeking applications for a Community Advisory Board that will help guide the development and implementation of green jobs programming that contributes to an equitable and thriving economy and work towards a climate-resilient future.
Event - New England Climate Change and Resiliency Summit, Environmental Business Council. Gain actionable insights into ways in which climate change is driving climate resilience work across New England. 7/23, 9am - 12pm, 1pm - 3pm. Register here for the morning session and the afternoon session.
Webinar - Wetlands and Seagrasses: Nature’s Superheroes in the Fight for Coastal Resilience, EPA Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Network. Learn about the importance of coastal wetlands, their impact on local species, and their role in climate change mitigation and adaptation. 7/15, 1:00pm - 2:30pm. Register here.
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In case you've been wondering what to read next....
- Rapid assessment for making projects climate-informed: A new article authored by some staff and advisors of the Climate Adaptation Fund introduces a rapid assessment framework with the "5Ws" (what, when, where, why, who) of climate-informed action. These can be used as a guide to make conservation and nature-based solutions more robust to future climate, instead of business-as-usual conservation practices.
- Biodiversity & Climate Change together: See this summary and the full IPBES-IPCC Biodiversity and Climate Change Workshop Report that highlights the need to consider synergies and trade-offs between biodiversity protection and climate change mitigation and adaptation.
- Resources for forest landowners and municipalities from Mass Audubon and MA Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR):
- As global demand for carbon offsets increases, see this Forest Carbon Market Solutions Guide to help municipalities understand different opportunities for forest carbon projects.
- Caring For Your Woods booklets on Managing for Forest Carbon: Learn about carbon as a land management goal and how to manage forests for carbon benefits.
- Adapting to Changing Conditions: Learn about actions to promote healthy forests long-term in a changing climate.
- Setting Goals: A goal-setting process for forest landowners obtaining a 10-year Forest Stewardship Plan.
- Urban Forests: The Vibrant Cities Lab and Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science's Climate & Health Action Guide promotes co-benefits of healthy urban forests to human health and the environment while minimizing risks from climate change.
- Nature Based Solutions: FEMA has updated their Building Community Resilience with Nature-Based Solutions guide to help communities engage the staff and resources needed to implement nature-based solutions to build resilience to natural hazards and climate change.
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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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