Mass ECAN July News
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Below is our newsletter which is specifically curated for our community of practice. Feel free to share this newsletter with a colleague and invite them to join in!
Melissa Ocana
Climate Adaptation Coordinator, UMass Amherst
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August 15, 10 - 11:30am
Living Seawalls, Boston
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Join us to visit Living Seawalls in partnership with Stone Living Lab! We'll explore North America's first-ever Living Seawalls habitat panels installed in the Boston Harbor at the Condor Street Urban Wild. We’ll learn how they create habitat for marine life to flourish on surfaces that would otherwise be inhospitable. Stay after for optional lunch and networking time at a nearby community garden. RSVP here.
Stay tuned for more field trips! This series is organized in partnership by Mass ECAN, the MVP Program, DER, and local project partners.
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Mass ECAN Retreat Program
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September 10-12, 2025
Stewardship Training Center, Plymouth
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Join Mass ECAN for an immersive, sleepaway-camp-like experience for climate adaptation practitioners! Through this Retreat Program, attendees will receive training in foundational adaptation knowledge, develop a climate adaptation project with input from colleagues, and have opportunities to deepen relationships with peers. Learn more about the program here. There are limited spots, so fill out your interest form soon and by July 31st at the latest!
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ICYMI: Conference Takeaways
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Thank you to everyone who attended and supported our 5th Mass ECAN Conference, with the theme of Mainstreaming Nature Based Solutions, on May 1st. It was wonderful to see about 120 of you at this event – there’s nothing quite like an in-person gathering! By the end of the conference, we had uncovered some takeaways about the state of mainstreaming NBS in Massachusetts. Read more about these and other takeaways here.
See here for the detailed agenda with links to presentations and bios from our incredible speakers.
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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!
Ian N. Balcom
Technical Services Branch Manager
MA Division of Ecological Restoration (DER)
Bio: Ian joined the MA Department of Fish and Game's DER in 2023 as the inaugural Manager of a new Branch, where he leads the development of technical guidance, tools, and services to catalyze ecological restoration programs across the state. With over two decades of experience spanning environmental toxicology , microbial ecology, and academic leadership, Ian brings a unique interdisciplinary perspective to environmental restoration challenges. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from UC Riverside and has served as a professor at Vermont State University, where he coordinated the Environmental Science Program and developed innovative work-based learning approaches. Ian's research focuses on plant-microbe interactions for environmental remediation, with particular expertise in sustainable approaches to soil and water treatment using phytoremediation and bioremediation techniques.
Climate Adaptation Project:
Ian leads the development and implementation of comprehensive technical services that support climate-resilient ecological restoration across MA. His work involves creating science-based guidance documents, asses sment tools, and best practices that help restoration practitioners adapt their approaches to changing climate conditions and extreme weather events. The Technical Services Branch provides critical support for statewide restoration efforts by translating cutting-edge research into practical, implementable strategies for enhancing ecosystem resilience. Through stakeholder engagement and cross-division collaboration, Ian's team is building the technical infrastructure needed to scale up restoration work and maximize climate adaptation benefits across diverse ecosystems.
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Request for Responses: Salt Marsh Restoration Grant - MassDEP is accepting grant proposals from academic, governmental, quasi-governmental, or non-profit entities for projects related to ecological restoration projects in salt marshes. Apply here by July 11.
Request for Responses: The EPA Southeast New England Program (SNEP) Network is accepting applications for free community-based technical, funding, and training assistance to advance stormwater management, ecological restoration, or climate resilience initiatives in their region. Apply here by August 1.
Request for Responses: The MA Association for Floodplain Management (massFM) will be hosting their 6th Annual Conference in October. Submit an abstract by July 21.
Webinar: The Environmental Business Council is hosting a webinar series focused on Resilient Waters starting with Provincetown, MA as a case study for flood modeling and adaptation. July 22 at 11:45am. Register here.
Webinar: Hosted by US Fish & Wildlife Service and partners as part of a 12-month series, this webinar features panel discussions exploring the Coexistence of Public Use, Recreation, and Management in Forested Habitats in a changing world. July 15 at 12pm. Register here.
Job: Environmental Planner, Merrimack Valley Planning Commission, Haverhill. Support inland water resources, coastal resources, land use, and climate/clean energy initiatives in fifteen communities in MA. Apply here.
Job: Resilience Planning Team Manager, Stantec, Boston. Develop and lead a resilience community development planning team that facilitates the advancement of resilience project activities like risk identification, adaptation planning, and implementation. Apply here.
Job: Senior Climate Resilience Engineer, HNTB, Boston and Chelmsford. Partner with clients to assess their vulnerability to extreme weather events and identify cost-effective solutions to mitigate risk under changing conditions. Apply here.
Job: Digital Communications Associate, Conservation Law Foundation, Location Flexible. Manage Social Media Channels and Digital Marketing Efforts to support their mission to solve the region’s most challenging environmental problems, including climate change. Apply here.
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Join our Climate Communications Expert Work Group
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The Climate Communications Expert Work Group builds community, creates and compiles best practices and resources, and fosters collaboration among climate communication practitioners. Group members determine priorities based on collective goals and member needs, in addition to supporting other Mass ECAN work groups to make effective climate communications more accessible.
Over the last few years, the group has hosted “deep-dive” learning opportunities, and co-developed resources such as the Watershed-Scale Climate Collaboration Outreach Toolkit. We look forward to continuing to grow our group, fostering more peer learning, and providing climate communications resources for the broader adaptation community.
We welcome all climate and environmental communications professionals to join our Work Group! If you are interested in joining, please contact co-leads Rishya Narayanan and Krista Haas.
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Elisa Rivero
Elisa (she/her) is our new POCIE (Professionals of Color in the Environment) Summer Intern. She is a rising junior at UMass Amherst  pursuing a dual degree in Environmental Science and Public Health. As an undergraduate student researcher, she has been involved in research projects that encompass her interests in the field of environmental health and cultural competence. Elisa is looking forward to working alongside several partner organizations and getting involved in community engagement initiatives in order to advance her academic and professional goals of creating resilient communities through environmental justice!
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In case you've been wondering what to read next:
ResilientMass Metrics: The Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Climate Team recently launched the ResilientMass Metrics framework that considers the environment, communities, infrastructure, economy, environmental justice and equity when assessing progress on the ResilientMass Plan – the blueprint for preparing MA for natural hazards and climate change.
The Climate Resilience Playbook: Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness program team, and the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC) recently soft-launched The Climate Resilience Playbook, an online guide full of ideas, tools, and case studies to identify and prioritize resilience actions for communities. An official public launch will take place in mid-July.
Mass Ready Act: Governor Healy recently introduced the Mass Ready Act with the goal of strengthening infrastructure and protecting communities against extreme weather events. Key topics include streamlined permitting; expanded protections on water, waterways, and habitat; and investments in communities and local economies.
Realizing Resilience: Island Press, with funding from The Kresge Foundation, released an updated report documenting progress, setbacks and opportunities related to climate resilience, equity, energy, health, and urban environments.
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