Mass ECAN March News
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Here in Western Mass, it feels like Spring has arrived. At a local Amherst wildlife hotspot, volunteers gathered last week for an early start to the migration season to help spotted salamanders traverse an amphibian road crossing. In honor of World Wildlife Day last Sunday, let’s celebrate by supporting fish and wildlife passage across roads, through well-designed crossings, culverts, and bridges. As we experience changes in the timing of seasons, it will be all the more important for animals to be able to safely move to new habitats to meet their needs.
Across Massachusetts and regionally, we are fortunate to have initiatives and events that help promote safe animal movements by improving infrastructure, including the North Atlantic Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative (NAACC) and DER’s Culvert Replacement Municipal Grants (RFR coming soon!). Thanks to everyone who is helping conserve wildlife and keep the ecosystems we all rely on healthy!
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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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!
Rodoshi Sinha
Environmental Planner
Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC)
Bio: Rodoshi (she/her) recently joined the environmental department at MAPC to support projects that promote the protection and sustainable management of natural resources, climate resilience and mitigation, and environmental justice and equity in the Metro Boston region. An ecologist by training, Rodoshi’s academic background has spanned ecology, conservation, environmental science, and policy, with practical experience in endangered species conservation, and sustainability planning through the lens of local governance. She earned her BS/MS from her hometown in Kolkata, India, and a dual Master’s degree from Indiana University, Bloomington.
Climate Adaptation Project: Rodoshi is currently working on the Neponset River Watershed Climate Resilience Collaborative and Flood Study (Phase 2) to facilitate a Technical Assistance Workshop for municipalities, along with NepRWA and Weston and Sampson. Building on the success of the watershed-wide flood model that came out of Phase 1, the technical workshop will provide an opportunity for municipal staff and/or board volunteers to obtain more individualized technical assistance on specific climate-resilient policy topics, such as green infrastructure.
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Funding Opportunities - National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)
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America the Beautiful Challenge. Soliciting proposals for large-scale, locally led conservation and restoration projects spanning public, Tribal and private lands. Proposals due 4/4.
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National Coastal Resilience Fund. Funding implementation of nature-based solutions to enhance protection for coastal communities from the impacts of storms, floods, and other natural coastal hazards, and to improve habitats for fish and wildlife. Proposals due 4/10.
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Long Island Sound Futures Fund 2024 Funding to support Long Island Sound (LIS) watershed communities as they plan, design, and implement projects to protect the health and living resources of LIS. Share your project ideas in proposal labs and watch the applicant webinar on 3/13, 1-2:30pm.
Funding Opportunity - Watershed Implementation Grants, Southeast New England Program (SNEP). Funding for high-priority projects that restore clean water, healthy ecosystems and sustainable communities throughout the region. Proposals due 4/5.
Nominations - Climate Adaptation Forum Steering Committee, EBC & UMass Boston. Seeking enthusiastic, creative and dedicated professionals committed to volunteering time to provide thought leadership through the organization of quarterly forums. Submit here by 3/21.
Resource - Office Hours - EEA Office of Climate Science. For those who need additional support and guidance utilizing statewide climate data and projections. 1-2pm on 3/7 and 10-11am on 3/11 on Zoom.
Conference Support - National Adaptation Forum (NAF). Anyone who plans to attend the NAF in Saint Paul, 5/14-5/16, is welcome to apply for attendance support by 3/13. Transportation, meals, lodging, and registration are all eligible for reimbursement. Volunteer applications are also open until 3/21 here. Conference registration is open here.
Event - Canopy 2024: Forests, Climate, and Innovations Forum, EEA. This inaugural event brings together current and future forest owners, professionals, business leaders, educators and policymakers to discuss forests, climate change and the innovations within the forestry industry. Register here to attend at UMass Amherst on 3/21.
Webinar - Equitable Engagement with Community Liaisons, Accelerating Climate Resilience Series, Metropolitan Area Planning Council. Explore how cities are using community-led planning to broaden and deepen engagement with residents. Register here to attend from 12-1pm on 3/6.
Webinar - Coastal Resilience Grant Program, MA Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM). This webinar will highlight a variety of successful projects funded in previous grant rounds, along with grant program goals, requirements, timeline, and tips for developing competitive proposals. Email India MacKinson to attend from 10-11:30am on 3/12.
Webinar- Massachusetts Grant Funding Workshop, SNEP Network. This webinar will highlight key funding opportunities for water quality and climate resilience projects. Register here to attend from 10-12pm on 3/14.
Webinar - How Wildlife Is Responding to Climate Change in the Northeast, Northeast Climate Adaptation Science Center (NE CASC). Alexej Sirén and Toni Lyn Morelli share their research on the impacts of climate change on northeastern terrestrial vertebrates. Hosted via Zoom at 4pm on 3/27.
Job - Principal Environmental Planner, Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District (SRPEDD), Taunton. Act as the creative and technical lead on numerous plans, civic engagement efforts, and other work products to enhance resilience throughout the region.
Job - Engagement Specialist, Neponset River Watershed Association, Canton. Work closely with municipalities, community-based organizations, and community leaders to help people and nature successfully adapt to the impacts of climate change at a neighborhood and regional scale.
Job - Restoration Coordinator, The Association to Preserve Cape Cod (APCC), Cape Cod. Support towns and other community groups in planning and implementation of restoration projects.
Job - Climate Resilience Planner, MA Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR), Boston. Work to support the agency’s climate adaptation, coastal resilience planning, program support, monitoring, and research initiatives and projects.
Job - Technical Specialist, Massachusetts Rivers Alliance, Somerville. Oversee and implement Mass Rivers’ technical programming to protect river flow and water quality statewide, and manage the Streamflow Protection and Stormwater Management programs.
Job - Physical Scientist, NOAA Office of Coastal Management, Gloucester. Term federal position as part of cohort of Regional Resilience Technical Assistance Specialists supporting the Climate Resilience Regional Challenge. Apply by 3/11.
Job - Environmental Fellowship Program, Mass Audubon. 14-month fellowship that expands early career opportunities for young professionals with identities that have been historically underrepresented in the environmental and conservation fields. Applications due 3/15.
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Catch fellow Mass ECAN members speaking at these highlighted sessions!
March 16 - Massachusetts Citizen Planner Training Collaborative Conference, The College of the Holy Cross, Worcester. CPTC is a collaboration of citizens, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies providing training to citizens and professional planners involved in municipal planning and land use. Register here.
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9:15–10:45am
- Building Climate Resilience – Massachusetts’ Plans and Resources for Communities
- Katherine Antos, Executive Office of EEA
- Heidi Ricci, Mass Audubon
March 23 - Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference, MassLand, UMass Amherst. Join for sessions on critical conservation topics, a Keynote address on land protection and conservation from an Indigenous perspective, and plenty of time for networking. Workshop schedule here. Register here.
- 9:00-10:15am
- Diversify Your Data - New Perspectives in Conservation Planning
- Abby Hardy-Moss, Essex County Greenbelt Association
- Recalibrating Forest Stewardship with Climate & Justice Priorities
- Lisa Hayden, New England Forestry Foundation
- Andrew Randazzo, Mass Audubon
- Case Studies on Improving Land Access for Underserved Communities
- Kari Blood, Kestrel Land Trust
- 2:15-3:30pm
- Watershed-Scale Collaboration: Advancing Climate Resilience
- Julie Wood, Charles River Watershed Association
- Carolyn Norkiewicz, MVP Program
- Melissa Ocana, UMass Extension
- Forest Vulnerability to Climate Change and Opportunities for Stewardship
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Arunima Saktawat  is passionate about climate justice, DEI initiatives, and the law. She aims to pursue a career that uplifts communities disproportionately affected by climate change. Arunima will graduate from UMass Amherst in May 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science with a concentration in policy, and certification in GIS Technology. She has been the recipient of the Environmental Justice Fund Scholarship, William Lee-SIP Scholar Award, and STEM Bridge Scholarship. In her free time, Arunima loves to spoil her dog, Kashi.
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In case you've been wondering what to read next...
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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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