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!
Mass ECAN conferences aim to create space to learn from each other and connect as a community of practice. Colleagues from a variety of organizations attended, including non-profits, state agencies, municipalities, regional planning authorities, consulting firms, and universities.
We started by grounding ourselves in the theme of Mainstreaming (increasing the adoption of an approach or practice) and Nature Based Solutions (using nature to solve a problem, in this case, impacts of climate change). By the end, we had uncovered some takeaways about the state of mainstreaming NBS in Massachusetts:
Implementation of NBS for climate adaptation has taken off and grown widely in the last few years in our state and around the world.
There are many wonderful examples of work being done as Massachusetts is a leader that can hopefully inspire others.
There are a number of barriers that remain, including around around permitting and lack of understanding that restoration is included in NBS.
There are some areas ripe and ready for more mainstreaming, including equitable community engagement and relationship-building, and around specific adaptation actions, such as implementing pocket forests.
There are some areas that need more nuanced exploration and education to be implemented effectively and equitably, such as how to avoid green gentrification and how to effectively employ an NBS workforce.
Thanks to the NBS Work Group for helping pull together takeaways!
See here for the detailed agenda with links to presentations and bios from our incredible speakers.
In addition to our mixing and mingling, we heard stories from 31 amazing speakers during our sessions:
Opening Remarks: Mia Mansfield, the Assistant Secretary for Resilience at EOEEA, shared the state’s commitment to climate resilience and updates about specific initiatives, including MVP 2.0 and the new Office of Climate Science.
Misconceptions & Municipal Success Stories: Practitioners shared examples and stories to help address common misconceptions regarding barriers to mainstreaming NBS.
Building Community Relationships: Regional planning agencies and non-profit organizations demonstrated ways to center communities in NBS planning, implementation, and workforce development.
Climate Cafe: Participants shared their personal experiences and feelings about how the climate crisis has impacted them in a safe, professionally facilitated space.
Permitting Perspectives from Practitioners: Speakers shared their diverse perspectives on streamlining existing permitting solutions and creating pathways for permitting innovative NBS.
Coastal & Riparian NBS: Mass ECAN Work Groups and partners provided updates on their work along rivers and the coast.
Resilient Forests & Landscapes: Mass ECAN Work Groups and Ambassador Awardees discussed examples of their work in forests and across landscapes.
We’re looking forward to continuing the conversation and seeing you at future events, including our next Conference in 2027!
