Mass ECAN October News
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As excited as I am for Fall, I'm equally looking forward to the end of hurricane season. The devastation from Hurricanes Ian and Fiona has been hard to watch. It's upsetting to see so many in harm's way, and frustrating for those of us aching for more climate mitigation. Hopefully, immediate recovery efforts will be matched by longer-term actions to curb emissions, foster natural climate solutions, and create more resilient communities. To learn more about the connections between climate change and hurricanes, see here or here.
In happier news, I'm excited to be back with you all after parental leave. It's been wonderful seeing people in person at our field trips and I look forward to planning more events together soon!
See below for news specifically curated for our community of practice:
Please forward this newsletter and invite colleagues to join us!
Best,
Melissa Ocana
Climate Adaptation Coordinator, UMass Amherst
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Environmental Business Council Networking Event
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(re)Connecting with EBC: Climate Change Professionals
Tuesday, October 11, 4:00pm - 6:00pm
Location: Workbar Needham
Learn more and register to network with colleagues in person!
Mass ECAN is a partner on this networking event, and members can attend at a discounted rate!
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We had so much fun on our field trips to Lyman Pond and Coonamessett River! Thanks to everyone who came! Learn more about our trips and see more photos on our website.
 
If you attended these field trips, please take a minute to fill out our very short evaluation, which helps us plan future events.
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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!
Toni Lyn Morelli
Research Ecologist
US Geological Survey
Bio: Toni Lyn is based at the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center, hosted at UMass Amherst. She is also an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Dept. of Environmental Conservation, where she leads a large, vibrant lab focused on climate change impacts on species and ecosystems in the Northeast and beyond. Toni Lyn earned her B.S. in Zoology at Michigan State University and her Ph.D. in Ecology & Evolution at Stony Brook University studying lemurs in Madagascar. She spends her spare time taking care of a relentless 9-year-old and helping lead 5 Diversity Equity and Inclusion committees.
Climate adaptation project: Morelli's research in MA and beyond focuses on climate change refugia, which are areas buffered from climate change that can enable species to persist when protected from other stressors. She studies refugia in many different ecosystems, including spruce-fir forests, and for the benefit of a variety of fish and wildlife, such as moose and brook trout. Contact Toni Lyn or visit Refugia Coalition Northeast to learn more.
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Grant Awards - The Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM) awarded $12.6 million in grants to support 27 projects to aid Massachusetts’ coastal communities in preparing for severe coastal storms and climate change impacts, including storm surge, flooding, erosion, and sea level rise. See the press release and grantees here.
Funding Opportunity - Accelerating Climate Resilience Municipal Grants. The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) is partnering with the Barr Foundation to accelerate climate resilience by helping municipalities in their region advance strategies that protect people, places, and communities from the impacts of climate change. Apply here by 10/14.
Funding Opportunity - The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) is seeking applications for these FEMA grants: Hazard Mitigation Assistance (HMA) Grant Programs, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), and Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) and Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) Grant Programs. These grants provide funding for the development of hazard mitigation plans and the implementation of projects to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural hazards. Statements of Interest are due by 10/14 and full applications are due by 12/5.
Call for Proposals - The Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) is accepting workshop proposals related to climate change and resilience along with a variety of other topics for their March 2023 Conference. Submit proposals here by 10/28.
Webinar - Trade-Offs and Opportunities for Forest Carbon and Wildlife, Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center. Learn about jointly achieving wildlife habitat goals and increasing the resilience of our forests and carbon stores in an era of unprecedented change, using pitch pine barrens as a case study. 10/19, 4pm.
Job - Deputy Director, Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program, Boston. Aid in conducting grant administration and coordinating communications to support statewide resiliency project management and coordinate between MVP and statewide initiatives.
Job - Clean Energy and Climate Planner II, Metropolitan Area Planning Council, Boston. Provide project management and content-area support to several clean energy and climate mitigation and resiliency planning projects.
Job - Director of Sustainability & Resiliency, City of Salem, Salem. Oversee sustainability, energy, and resiliency efforts through furthering the goals of Resilient Together and working to achieve all 70+ climate action plan goals.
Job - MA Climate Action Planning Director, Kim Lundgren Associates. Lead projects and team to deliver data-driven, equitable, and actionable climate and sustainability solutions.
Job - Restoration Partnerships Program Manager, MA Division of Ecological Restoration, Boston. Develop, coordinate, and oversee DER partnerships with watershed groups and other regional organizations to increase regional and local capacity to advance ecological restoration and climate resiliency priorities.
Job - Watershed Resilience Planner, Neponset River Watershed Association, Canton. Work with municipalities, community-based organizations, and environmental justice communities to advance regional solutions that ensure people and nature will be able to thrive in the face of climate challenges.
Job - Climate Resilience Specialist, AECOM, Chelmsford. Join the water resources team and work with clients to understand climate vulnerabilities, develop innovative solutions, and help secure funding to implement projects.
Request for Proposals - Climate Resilient Long Range Plan. The Town of Longmeadow is seeking a planning consultant to help develop its Plan to articulate a more resilient and equitable future for residents, neighbors, ecosystems, and infrastructure. Submit proposals by 10/14.
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Come hear from fellow Mass ECAN members at these upcoming conferences!
massFM (Mass Association for Floodplain Management) Annual Conference, Milford. Join local municipalities sharing flood management success stories, state officials presenting the latest tools and resources, keynote and plenary speakers focusing on equity and justice, and more. Register here. 10/13.
Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions Fall Conference, Devens. MACC hosts workshops on stormwater, green infrastructure, engaging youth in commission and climate work, wetlands bylaws, nature-based solutions and restoration challenges, managing invasives, and more. Register here. 10/15.
- Resources and Funding for Open Space and Wetlands Resilience Projects. 9:00am - 10:15am.
- Michelle Manion, Mass Audubon
- Climate Smart Forestry for Municipalities: From Planning to Implementation. 10:35am - 11:50am.
- Joshua Rapp, Mass Audubon
- The Resilient Lands Initiative: Accelerating the Pace and Impact of Urban and Landscape Scale Conservation in Massachusetts. 12:40pm - 1:10pm.
- Getting from Here to There: Updating Wetland Bylaws & Regulations to Incorporate Climate Resiliency. 1:30pm - 2:45pm.
- Anne Herbst, Metropolitan Area Planning Council
National Adaptation Forum, Baltimore, MD. The Forum gathers the adaptation community to foster knowledge exchange, innovation, and mutual support for a better tomorrow. Register here. 10/25-10/27.
- Melissa will be organizing a meet-up for Mass folks. Send her an email if you're planning to be at NAF!
Regional Conservation Partnership (RCP) Network Gathering. Attend this year's virtual gathering about land justice and resilience to support others' work in advancing collaborative landscape protection in the Northeast. Register here. 11/17.
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In case you've been wondering what to read next...
- Invasive Plants: The Northeast Regional Invasive Species & Climate Change (RISCC) Network published this new Management Challenge about ornamental invasive plants to avoid given climate change. For more information, attend RISCC's coffee talk about the publication on 10/19 from 11:00am - 12:00pm.
- Climate Week:
- Heat Preparedness & Adaptation Plan: The Metro Mayors Coalition (fifteen Metro Boston cities and towns) developed a joint plan to respond to and prepare for climate change-induced rising temperatures and extreme heat.
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Have Something to Add?
Sharing in the Newsletters
Do you have something related to climate adaptation that you would like to see in a future newsletter? If you have project, job posting, event, outreach product, or something else that you’d like to submit for consideration, you can fill out this google form. Please note that this does not guarantee inclusion. We’ll select the climate adaptation items most relevant to our community of practice to continue to provide a curated newsletter. We look forward to hearing from you!
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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. Mass ECAN is coordinated by UMass Extension. |
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