Mass ECAN March News
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Mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions
May 1, 2025
Clark University
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Join us in Worcester for our in-person conference! Mass ECAN conferences are an opportunity to connect with peers, learn and share about climate adaptation efforts throughout the state, and grow our capacity to accomplish this work together as a community.
The conference will have ample networking time and sessions around our theme of Mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions, including:
- misconceptions, challenges, and solutions,
- equitable and innovative community engagement,
- policy and permitting, and
- examples from our Expert Work Groups & Ambassador Awards
Stay tuned for the full agenda!
If you are interested in becoming a conference sponsor, please reach out to Melissa.
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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!
India Mackinson
Coastal Resilience Grant Specialist
MA Office of Coastal Zone Management
Bio: India first joined CZM in the  summer of 2023 as the Coastal Resilience Grant Specialist. In her current role, India offers technical assistance in coastal resilience, community engagement, and environmental justice and administers the office's Coastal Resilience Grant Program. India has previously worked in municipal government. She earned her Master of Environmental Management from Duke University and Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Climate Adaptation Project: Coastal communities in Massachusetts are facing significant risks from sea level rise, erosion, and coastal storms. India manages the Coastal Resilience Grant Program to fund and offer technical assistance to projects that increase community understanding of these impacts, determine vulnerabilities, redesign public infrastructure, implement adaptation planning, and restore shorelines. Funding innovative projects, such as these, both locally and regionally helps to increase the adaptive capacity of our coastline. See the FY 2025 awards for examples and the FY 2026 Webinar to learn more.
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Expression of Interest: The MA Office of Coastal Zone Management anticipates the release of the FY 2026 Request for Responses for the Coastal Resilience Grant Program in the Spring. Applicants may receive feedback on a project idea by completing this Expression of Interest form by March 14th.
Funding Opportunity: The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs is currently seeking proposals for Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Action Grants. Due by 2:00pm on April 4th. Apply here.
Event: Virtual Sustainable Solutions Lectures Series, UMass System Collaboration. Zoom.
- Carolyn Kousky, Acting Chief Economist at the Environmental Defense Fund. March 5th,12:00pm-1:30pm. Register here.
- Mike Beck, Director of the Center on Coastal Climate Resilience at the University of California Santa Cruz. March 6th, 3:00pm-4:00pm. Register here.
Webinar: The MVP team is excited to host the fourth Winter Webinar Series virtually via Zoom. The next topic will be Demystifying the Hydrologic and Hydraulic Model: Flooding Studies 101. March 6th, 10:30am-12pm. Register here.
Event: Climate Adaptation Forum - Insurance’s Role at Climate’s Frontlines: Crisis, Innovation, and Community. In Boston and Zoom. Join the UMass Boston Sustainable Solutions Lab and the Environmental Business Council of New England to explore the critical intersection of insurance and climate resilience while engaging with leaders shaping the future of climate risk and adaptation. March 7th, 9am-12:30pm. Register here. Email Mass ECAN for a free in-person registration (we have two - first come, first served).
Event: MA Office of Coastal Zone Management. Zoom. CZM will be holding virtual office hours to allow stakeholders to ask questions about the ResilientCoasts Initiative and share feedback with staff. March 10th or March 17th, 9am-10am. Register here. March 12th or March 19th, 4pm-5pm. Register here.
Event: SNEP Network. Zoom. Join the New England Environmental Finance Center’s MA Grant Funding Workshop. March 19th, 10:00am-12:00pm. Register here.
Webinar: MassLand Conference Sponsor Talk. Zoom. Join The Nature Conservancy to learn about freshwater resilience and adding rivers and streams into your land conservation. March 21st, 12:00pm-1:00pm. Register here.
Job: Director of Climate Resilience and Finance, MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Boston. Help to coordinate and implement the ResilientMass Plan, including across the EEA climate team. Apply here.
Job: Director of Climate Justice, Conservation Law Foundation, Boston. Refine vision and implementation strategy for CLF’s climate justice work. Apply here.
Job: Impact Director, Charles River Conservancy, Cambridge. Manage and support growth and maximize the CRC’s impact through program and project oversight. Apply here.
Job: Energy Justice Organizer, Greenroots, Chelsea/East Boston. Build grassroots power to advocate for equitable access to clean energy and energy efficiency initiatives. Apply here.
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Learn from fellow Mass ECAN members at upcoming conferences!
March 11-12: Northeast Regional Invasive Species and Climate Management Network (NE RISCC) Annual Conference, Virtual. Engage with practitioners, researchers, and policy makers to discuss challenges and solutions to managing invasive species in a changing climate. Register here.
March 15: Citizen Planner Training Collaborative (CPTC) Annual Conference. Holy Cross College, Worcester. Join Massachusetts citizens and professional planners for a day of workshops, speakers, and networking. Register here.
March 21: Massachusetts Land Conservation Conference. UMass Amherst. This in-person conference features a plenary speaker and 23 sessions on a range of land conservation topics, including conserving climate-resilient landscapes. Register here.
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9:30 - 10:45am. Managing Forests for Climate
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9:30 - 10:45am. Natural Climate Solutions in Massachusetts: How Landowners Are Using Wetlands, Farms, and Forests to Fight Climate Change
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2:25 - 3:40pm. Habit to Habitat: Transforming Landscapes to Resilient Ecosystems, from Conception to Maintenance
April 16-18: Stone Living Lab (SLL) Conference. UMass Boston. Join professionals from the education, private, and public sectors for keynote discussions and breakout sessions about nature-based resilience in urban coastal settings. Register here.
May 1: Mass ECAN Conference on Mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions. Clark University, Worcester. Hope to see you there! Register here.
May 23: Boston Society of Landscape Architects (BSLA) Fieldday. Northeastern University, Boston. Join BSLA in this new, annual, in-person conference intended for all who design, make, and care for landscape architecture in New England. Registration coming soon.
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In case you've been wondering what to read next:
Celebrate National Women’s History Month:
Take time this month to celebrate and support women who are our colleagues and climate change leaders! Read and reflect on stories about trailblazing women in the climate space here.
Federal Data Archives:
Looking for federal climate-related data and web pages that have been removed with the change of administration? Here are a few resources to point you in the right direction:
Climate and Land Use Planning Policy Guide
The U.S. Climate Alliance produced a Policy Guide for States to increase climate resilience, adaptation, and mitigation through land-use planning.
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