Mass ECAN February News
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This year is already off to a busy start with an packed line-up of webinars and in-person conferences announced for the Spring (including ours!). It's exciting to be gathering as a community again!
You may also have noticed that we usually call out heritage and history months in the Reader section. These are little reminders to celebrate our colleagues and reflect on how we can make our adaptation community a more just and equitable space.
See below for news specifically curated for our community of practice:
Feel free to share this newsletter with a colleague and invite them to join us!
Best,
Melissa Ocana
Climate Adaptation Coordinator, UMass Amherst
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Watershed Scale Climate Collaboration Conference
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SAVE THE DATE
Our in-person gathering is taking place on May 3rd at Clark University, Worcester. Stay tuned for registration information coming next month!
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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!
 Marissa Robertson
Deputy Director – Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness from
MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs
Bio: Marissa has a background in Sociology focused on the ways in which environmental and systematic inequities intersect and impact different populations. After graduating from the Heller School for Social Policy and Management at Brandeis University in 2021, she worked with the MA Emergency Management Agency coordinating FEMA public assistance and disaster recovery funds. Before this, she worked in local food movements and restaurants, sourcing local ingredients to produce desserts. She holds an MBA in Social Impact and an MA in Sustainable Development.
Climate adaptation project: Marissa is spearheading the effort to re-structure and revamp the MA Climate Change Clearinghouse, which houses data, maps and resources, such as the results of the recent state climate assessment. This project will include conducting usability research with stakeholders to ensure that future iterations of the website are tailored to their specific needs, while also being accessible and user friendly for all backgrounds and skill levels. You can contact Marissa to learn more or just to say hello!
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Funding Opportunity - Restore America’s Estuaries with EPA administers the National Estuaries Program (NEP) Watersheds Grants to protect and restore the water quality and ecological integrity of 28 estuaries across the country. Submit Letters of Interest here by 2/10.
Event - Northeast RISCC Management Symposium brings together natural resource managers, scientists, and the invasive species community to discuss challenges and solutions to managing habitats impacted by invasive species and climate change. Register here. 2/14 & 2/15, 11:00am - 3:30pm.
Training - Massachusetts Climate Forestry: Forester Training Series. The Department of Conservation and Recreation, Mass Audubon, New England Forestry Foundation, Mass Woodlands Institute, and the Northern Institute of Applied Climate Science host a four-session Climate Forestry Stewardship Planning training for licensed foresters providing Climate Forestry services. Register here. Every Wednesday 2/15 until 3/8 at 3:00pm - 5:00pm.
Webinar - Funding Nature Based Community Resilience in Southeastern MA. This EPA SNEP workshop will highlight key grant programs and their priorities to help municipalities and non-profits identify when to apply and what makes a competitive application. 2/15, 12:00-1:00pm.
Webinar - Land Conservation & Restoration Initiatives for Climate Resiliency. Explore case studies that highlight how land conservation and restoration are being used to increase community and environmental resilience to climate change. Hosted by the MA Open Space Network. Register here. 2/16, 12:00pm - 1:00pm.
Webinar - Building and Sustaining a State Government Approach to Aquatic Habitat Restoration. Learn from DER's example of how to create and promote a government-sponsored ecological restoration program. Hosted by the Joint Committee on Fisheries Engineering and Science. 2/23.
Webinar - MAPC Accelerating Climate Resilience: Resilience Hubs. Learn more about resilience hubs including their co-benefits and connection to climate resilience planning. Register here. 2/28, 11:00am - 12:00pm.
Webinar - Navigating the Long Island Sound Future's Fund for Municipalities. This webinar will help Regional Planning Agencies, municipalities and non-profits interested in water quality restoration and climate resilience projects in Western MA to learn about the LISFF grant opportunities. Register here. 3/2, 10:00am - 12:00pm.
Webinar - Massachusetts Climate Change Assessment: Applying Regional Findings. Dive into the MA Climate Assessment’s regional results and discuss top impacts and next steps for planning in regional break out groups. Register here. 3/2, 11:30am.
Award Nominations - The Environmental Business Council (EBC) is seeking nominations for companies, organizations, and individuals for outstanding accomplishments, including climate change projects, through the EBEE Awards. Submit by 2/17.
Job - Coastal Resilience Grant Specialist, MA Office of Coastal Zone Management, Boston. Provide administrative and technical support for CZM efforts to develop and implement strategies that protect coastal resources, properties, and public facilities from erosion, flooding, and sea level rise.
Job - Climate Scientist, MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Boston. Manage the Commonwealth’s new Office of Climate Science, that maintains, updates, and develops best available statewide climate change hazard and impact data, projections, and models.
Job - Deputy Director of Climate Adaptation & Resilience/Climate Finance Strategist, MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Boston. Support cross-government implementation of the State Hazard Mitigation and Climate Adaptation Plan (SHMCAP) and administration of the Resilient MA Action Team.
Job - Deputy Director of Climate Equity & Environmental Justice, MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Boston. Develop and lead a new Climate EJ Strategy to ensure the climate adaptation and resilience program is integrating best practices in stakeholder engagement and outreach, and environmental justice partnership and prioritization.
Job - Chief Conservation Officer, Mass Audubon, Lincoln. Lead the organization’s efforts to protect and restore resilient landscapes, conserve wildlife, and drive nature-based climate solutions across the Commonwealth.
Job - Policy & Advocacy Communications Specialist, Mass Audubon, Lincoln. Develop the communications to inspire and mobilize broad audiences, including Mass Audubon’s Climate Champions, around specific policy and advocacy calls to action to fight climate change.
Job - Restoration Ecologist, Mass Audubon, Lincoln. Provide technical assistance for the assessment, design, permitting, and implementation of river, estuarine, and wetland restoration projects.
Job - Regional Administrator, US Geological Survey. Manage and coordinate the Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center by developing and leading an interdisciplinary research program that will increase scientific understanding of the impacts of climate change on fish, wildlife, habitats, and cultural resources.
Job - Water Resources and Climate Resilience Permitting Specialist, Fuss & O'Neill, Springfield. Support projects in Massachusetts and throughout the Northeast, with a focus within their growing climate resilience practice.
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Learn from fellow Mass ECAN members at these upcoming conferences!
February 28 - March 9 - Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions (MACC) Virtual Annual Environmental Conference. Join MACC for a new and exciting series of 36 workshops to help you understand the complexities of conservation commission operations and the Wetlands Protection Act (WPA) regulations. Register here.
- Feb. 28, 10:30am – 11:30am. Climate Change Provisions for Local Wetland Bylaws and Regulations
- Gillian Davies, BSC Group, Inc.
- Rebecca Bucciaglia, Town of Bolton; Town of Clinton
- Mar. 4, 11:00am – 12:00pm. Dam Removal, Culvert Upgrades, and Wetland Restoration: Best Practices for Conservation Commissions
- Beth Lambert, Division of Ecological Restoration
- Mar. 4, 2:30pm – 3:30pm. Developing and Implementing a Municipal Sustainability and Climate Action Plan
- Thomas Birmingham, Canton Conservation Commission
March 18 - Massachusetts Citizen Planner Training Collaborative Annual Conference. Gather with citizens, nonprofit organizations and government agencies dedicated to providing essential and advanced training to citizen and professional planners involved in municipal planning and land use in Massachusetts. More details coming soon.
March 14 - April 28 - Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference. This year's conference offers talks via Zoom, in-person sessions in Worcester, and field trips around the state. Register here.
- Mar. 15, 2:00pm – 3:00pm. The Nature Conservancy Family Forest Carbon Program
- Laura Marx, The Nature Conservancy
- Mar. 25, 8:45am – 10:10am. Restoring Old-Growth Forest Characteristics
- Paul Catanzaro, UMass Amherst
- Tom Lautzenheiser, Mass Audubon
- Mar. 25, 12:45pm - 2:10pm. Planning and Incentives for Climate-Smart Forestry
- Apr. 28, 11:00am - 1:00pm. Forest Climate Resilience Field Trip, North Adams
- Andrew Randazzo, Mass Audubon
- Lisa Hayden, New England Forestry Foundation
April 26 - 28 - Stone Living Lab Conference. Meet and network with researchers, students, adaptation professionals, and other leaders in climate resilience in Boston at this conference focused on Nature-Based Coastal Resilience in Urban Settings. Register here.
May 3 - Our conference on Watershed Scale Climate Collaboration! Registration coming soon.
May 16 - 17 - Local Solutions Conference: Climate Migration. Join stakeholders in Keene, NH to create an upper Northeast region that can become a climate refugia that is resilient, revitalized, socially just, and decarbonized. Registration coming soon.
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In case you've been wondering what to read next...
- Celebrate Black History Month: Let's take time this month to celebrate the work of Black climate change colleagues and reflect on their stories. See a great example of a commemoration from one partner organization here, and recommended reading lists here and here.
- So You Want to Work in Climate: If you mentor students or fledgling professionals in the climate field, you might share this crowdsourced compilation of links that is making the rounds.
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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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