Mass ECAN August News
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How is it already August?! I hope summer has been a time of renewal and connection with colleagues, friends and family.
At Mass ECAN, we are continually striving to make space for peer-to-peer learning, including through our events and Work Groups. Peer learning is horizontal and uniquely rooted in the belief that we all have something to share and to learn from each other. Our pilot Peer Learning Program kicked off this summer, with a small cohort of climate adaptation practitioners building community and knowledge. In the next few newsletters, we’ll get to learn about some of our cohort in the Member Spotlights!
See below for our newsletter that's 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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Join us for a series of field trips showcasing amazing climate adaptation and watershed-scale collaboration!
Ipswich Field Trip
Sep 7 (rain date Sep 11), 11am-12:30pm
With the PIE-Rivers Partnership & Ipswich River Watershed Association
Learn about community engagement, climate adaptation and ecological benefits related to the Ipswich Mill Dam Removal and nearby green infrastructure projects. This field trip includes an optional paddle with IRWA to/from the project site at 10am and optional snack/networking time at 12:30pm. RSVP here.
Check back for more field trips coming soon!
These events are organized by Mass ECAN, the MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program, the MA Division of Ecological Restoration, local project partners and watershed collaboratives.
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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!
Sarah Bois
Director of Research and Education
Linda Loring Nature Foundation
Bio: Sarah is passionate about the intersection between research, education, and land stewardship -- particularly leveraging research experiences into educational opportunities. Sarah’s research has focused on a diversity of conservation and biodiversity topics including native shrub phenological response to climate change, coastal vulnerability and resiliency, and rare species conservation. She has a strong background in community science; both working with volunteers and utilizing the data to inform management. Sarah currently serves on the Town of Nantucket’s Coastal Resiliency Advisory Committee and helped create their Coastal Resilience Plan.
Climate Adaptation Project: Through various projects (both small and island-wide), Sarah works to prepare both the landscape and the community for change. At LLNF, she leads a project that incorporates retreat, adaptive restoration, and living shorelines. The property she manages is subject to sea level rise and other climate impacts. This project involves removal of a building and non-native invasives, restoring  the uplands to sandplain grassland habitat, and restoring the banks and shoreline to brackish and salt-tolerant species in preparation for rising waters. To hear more about her work or Nantucket’s climate adaptation projects, contact Sarah.
Reflections on the Peer Learning Program: "Living on an island, we are very much surrounded by issues of climate change. However, we are somewhat isolated from colleagues and other communities. The peer learning program is great for connecting with other practitioners in different communities – we can share lessons-learned, resources, and new perspectives. I have already learned about better communication for climate change projects and look forward to contributing to the shared knowledge as the program continues."
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Funding Opportunity - Accelerating Climate Resilience Grant Program, Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) in partnership with the Barr Foundation. Funding to support municipalities in the Metro Boston region in facilitating long-term, innovative changes that lead to greater readiness for climate change. Info webinar 8/21 at 12pm. EOIs due by 8/11.
Funding Opportunity - SNEP Opportunity to Advance Resilience in Disadvantaged Communities (SOAR), Southeast New England Program Network, EPA. Funding to improve and support the resilience of disadvantaged communities in the SNEP region through community involvement related to the design and implementation of projects to address the anticipated effects of climate change and historic, long term impacts of environmental and social injustices. Applications due by 9/15.
Funding Opportunity - Climate Resilience Regional Challenge, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA). Funding in coastal areas for 1) Regional Collaborative Building and Strategy Development (including watershed collaboratives!) and 2) Implementation of Resilience and Adaptation Actions. Read more here. LOIs due by 8/21.
Request for Responses - ResilientCoasts Plan Development, MA Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM). Seeking an expert vendor team to facilitate strategy development which will delineate geographic zones of climate vulnerability, identify climate resilient development standards, and develop management recommendations for these vulnerable areas. Proposals are due 8/17.
Request for Responses - Dam Removal Preliminary Design Services, MA Department of Ecological Restoration (DER). The goal of this process is to identify and advance new highly valuable projects for ecological restoration and climate resilience. Looking for municipalities to submit potential projects, which will be rated based on benefits resulting from removal and benefits to nearby Environmental Justice communities. Submit proposals as soon as possible.
Training - Stormwater Planning Series, SNEP. Free 6-month training and technical assistance to help guide communities through the process of developing a conceptual design for a nature-based stormwater retrofit in a selected drainage area. Submit applications by 9/8.
Job - Green Infrastructure Specialist/ Environmental Scientist, Neponset River Watershed Association, Canton. As a Part-time team member, collaborate with communities in a number of ways. Join a dynamic team, managing stormwater and green infrastructure projects, providing technical assistance, and making a positive impact on environmental resilience.
Job - Climate Adaptation and Resilience Technical Discipline Manager, SLR, Boston. Lead the Climate Adaptation and Resilience Planning team and oversee business strategy, service offerings, staff technical capability, staff project management capability, business development and sales.
Job - Senior Climate & Sustainability Leader, Arup, Boston. Be a part of leading design projects for clients, driving sustainable solutions and contributing to a more equitable world.
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In case you've been wondering what to read next...
- Poems on Climate Change: It's not out until September, but there is an upcoming book launch for Dear Human at the Edge of Time, an anthology of poetry that will be offered as a companion to the Fifth National Climate Assessment. Contributors include our colleagues Erika Spanger-Siegfried and Susanne Moser.
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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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