This summer, I worked with the Massachusetts Ecosystem Climate Adaptation Network (Mass ECAN) to promote climate adaptation and watershed scale collaboration in Massachusetts. Mass ECAN is an initiative of UMass Extension and is a community of practice of over 450 climate adaptation practitioners and researchers who are interested in ecosystems and natural resources conservation. It was started in 2017 as a way to advance the climate adaptation field in our state by building community, sharing knowledge, and fostering collaboration.
I primarily worked on outreach activities for Mass ECAN in three main areas. First, I was responsible for creating our monthly newsletter that is sent to everyone in the network. The newsletter is a way to share news about the field including recent reports, relevant job and funding opportunities, and any special Mass ECAN projects or events. Second, I helped plan our fall event series which includes multiple field trips to adaptation sites around the state as well as some virtual events. Third, I worked with the Mass ECAN affiliated Climate Communications and Slow the Flow work groups on an information sheet on the importance of watershed-scale climate collaboration. I helped to draft content and compile information and photos in order to create an engaging and informational product. All of these activities helped to build community and share knowledge in the climate adaptation field. Through all this work, I learned how valuable collaboration is when working on complex problems like climate change. Due to the complicated nature of climate change, connecting and working with others from different communities and with different expertise is crucial to determine the best actions to take.
