CZ-Mail - August 2019

The monthly electronic newsletter from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM).

Welcome to CZ-Mail, the monthly electronic newsletter from the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management (CZM). Each issue provides information on major CZM initiatives, available tools and publications, upcoming workshops and events, grants, contracting opportunities, job openings, coastal legislation, and other news of interest to people working on coastal issues. Additional information about CZM's programs, publications, and other coastal topics can be found on the CZM website. To subscribe, send a blank email (please be sure that the email is completely blank, with no signature line) to [e-mail]. Also, please feel free to share CZ-Mail with colleagues and friends—and if you have any suggestions for future editions, or would like make a change to your CZ-Mail subscription, please email your request to [e-mail]. For daily updates from CZM, please follow us on Twitter.

All links on this web page were current and working on the date of publication.

Highlights

Coastal Pollutant Remediation Grant Awards Announced - On August 1, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) announced $500,000 in funding through CZM’s Coastal Pollutant Remediation (CPR) Grant Program for projects to protect coastal water quality in Massachusetts. These local water quality improvement projects will reduce nutrients, bacteria, sediments, and other pollutants in the coastal watershed—helping to keep beaches and shellfish harvesting areas open and protecting anadromous fish habitat. The grants are being matched by $466,765 from municipal sources, demonstrating a strong local commitment to coastal water quality. These five CPR grants were awarded:

• Arlington - $135,000 to finalize designs and construct two bioretention basins and multiple infiltration trenches to treat stormwater runoff entering Alewife Brook, part of the Mystic River Watershed. This project is a partnership with the Mystic River Watershed Association and will address nutrient contamination from stormwater runoff in the Mystic River, a critical habitat for river herring.
• Barnstable - $155,538 to complete final design and install a green infrastructure project to treat stormwater runoff. This project, a partnership with the Association to Preserve Cape Cod and the Barnstable Clean Water Coalition, is the next phase of assessment, design, and construction work in the Three Bays watershed to treat contaminated runoff, protect coastal habitat, and improve water quality for swimming and shellfishing.
• Kingston - $44,083 to finalize plans and complete permitting to retrofit existing stormwater green infrastructure which will improve its function and capacity to respond to flooding and other climate change impacts. This project is the sixth phase of Kingston's long-term work to treat bacterial pollution and expand opportunities for shellfish harvesting in the Jones River and Kingston Bay.
• Sandwich - $92,000 to construct porous pavement and sand filters to treat bacteria and nutrients in stormwater as part of a multi-year effort to improve water quality, protect coastal habitat, and open shellfish harvesting areas in Sandwich Harbor.
• Yarmouth - $73,380 to construct stormwater green infrastructure at a high priority location and develop final designs for a second site. The structures, designed to be resilient to climate change impacts, will treat bacteria and nitrogen from contaminated stormwater runoff with a goal to improve water quality, protect coastal habitat, and reopen shellfish beds on Yarmouth’s southern coast.

For more information, see the EEA Press Release.

New Identification Cards for Marine Invasive Species in New England - CZM has developed an updated set of identification cards that provide information on 18 established invasive species monitored by the Marine Invader Monitoring and Information Collaborative (MIMIC). Each card covers a species type, including tunicates, bryozoans, crustaceans, anemones, bivalves, and seaweeds. The front of each card includes identification information and some natural history background, and the back describes similar-looking native and invasive species. The new cards were developed for use by trained MIMIC volunteers when searching for marine invasive species at more than 130 sites from Rhode Island to Maine—but can also be used by anyone interested in identifying invasives and some common native species. See the Marine Invasive Species Identification Cards web page to download the cards, and the Marine Invasive Species Program page for details on CZM’s other work on monitoring and managing invasive species in coastal waters.

Gulf of Maine Council Awards - On July 10, the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment presented its annual awards during a ceremony in Hubbards, Nova Scotia. Six environmental leaders from Massachusetts were recognized:

• Dr. Sofie Van Parijs from the Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole and Dr. Leila Hatch from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary received Visionary Awards for their research to understand underwater sound in the Gulf of Maine. For 10 years, they worked together from separate National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) offices, producing information and publications on the marine acoustic environment. Their work helped with development of NOAA's Ocean Noise Strategy, research on Atlantic cod and North Atlantic right whales, and efforts to collect baseline noise conditions. At Stellwagen, Leila’s team has led projects to deploy listening devices that record low-frequency sound in the Sanctuary. Using an innovative modelling approach, the team demonstrated that the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale was losing approximately 70% of its communication space to noise from ships. Sofie and her research group in Woods Hole oversee the acoustic monitoring of marine animals in the Northwestern Atlantic to document changes in distribution, detect whale sounds in real time, and monitor habitats through their soundscapes. As their research continues, they will work to develop new approaches to studying the dynamic sounds in the Gulf of Maine.
• Don Palladino, President of Friends of Herring River, was given a Visionary Award in memoriam for his volunteer work with the Herring River Restoration Project in Wellfleet. This project, which is the largest tidal restoration project in the Northeast, seeks to restore the 1,100-acre estuary, which was cut off from tidal flow by the construction of a dike at the mouth of the river over 100 years ago. In 2008, Don founded the nonprofit Friends of Herring River to promote education, research, and public awareness of the estuary. He knew that the way to grow community support was to speak directly with citizens and educate them about the project—which led the Wellfleet Town Meeting to vote overwhelmingly to support the river restoration project in 2017. Under Don’s leadership, Friends of Herring River also raised over $8 million to support project planning, design, and permitting, and has contributed over $500,000 of in-kind match. Don served as President of Friends of Herring River from its founding in 2008 until his death in 2018. He was an inspirational leader who left a lasting legacy for Wellfleet and the entire Gulf of Maine.
• Bruce Carlisle, former CZM Director, was awarded a Distinguished Service Award for his leadership as past Chair of the Council. Bruce helped to raise awareness and promote opportunities to share resources and tools to help Gulf of Maine communities to become resilient and sustainable in the face of climate change. Bruce’s expertise on regional challenges associated with sea level rise and climate change benefited coastal communities and managers at all levels.
• Ann Rodney, formerly of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), received a Distinguished Service Award for her work as an active and effective member of the Council’s Working Group, sharing her insights and experience about outreach and education to help advance the Council’s work. Ann was a major contributor to the Gulf of Maine Council’s 25^th Anniversary events, helping with the production of the publication Facing Change: Sustaining the Vitality of the Gulf of Maine Region (PDF, 4 MB).
• Jack Schwartz, from the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, was awarded a Distinguished Service Award for his many years of work with the Council’s Gulfwatch monitoring program and Working Group. Jack brought knowledge and thoughtful advice to Gulf of Maine Council’s efforts to support sustainable fisheries in the Gulf of Maine watershed. He also helped raise awareness of emerging contaminants and promote solutions to key environmental problems related to water quality, habitat, and marine life.

For a complete list of winners and more information on the awards, see the Gulf of Maine Council website.

Massachusetts Dredging Program Awards $4.1 million in Grants - In July, the Baker-Polito Administration announced $4.1 million in grants awards to five Commonwealth communities for the first ever grant round of the Massachusetts Dredging Program. Grants were awarded for saltwater dredging projects to help coastal communities to maintain and improve their navigational waterways and support the long-term growth and sustainability of the state’s maritime economy. During this inaugural grant round, CZM assisted the Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development as a member of the review and oversight committee. These five dredging grants were awarded:

• Beverly - $1.4 million to remove an estimated 50,500 cubic yards of sediment from the southern segment of the Bass River channel.
• Chatham - $100,000 to remove an estimated 14,000 cubic yards of sand and sediment from the mooring basin and Municipal Fish Pier at Aunt Lydia’s Cove in Chatham Harbor.
• Dennis - $100,000 to remove an estimated 15,000 cubic yards of sand from the entrance channel at Sesuit Harbor.
• Hingham - $2,000,000 to remove an estimated 62,000 cubic yards of sediment from the Hingham Inner Harbor.
• Nantucket - $500,000 for the Nantucket Town Pier Dredging Project, which will remove an estimated 1,180 cubic yards of sediment from the dock basin of the Town Pier in Nantucket Harbor.

For details, see the Nantucket Press Release and the Beverly, Chatham, Dennis, and Hingham Press Release.

Seeking Local Cleanup Coordinators and Volunteers for COASTSWEEP 2019 - COASTSWEEP, the annual statewide beach cleanup sponsored by CZM, kicks off in September—and now is the time to sign up to be a local cleanup coordinator for your favorite beach, marsh, dive site, and riverbank. Volunteers throughout Massachusetts turn out in large numbers each year for this event, which is part of an international campaign organized by the Ocean Conservancy in Washington, DC. Participants all over the world collect trash and other marine debris and record what they find. This information is then used to help reduce future marine debris problems. Cleanups can be scheduled from the end of August through early November. In addition to organizing a cleanup, volunteers can help at an existing cleanup. To get involved, see the COASTSWEEP website. The list of available cleanups is updated every week. To receive reminders of when new cleanup lists are posted, please send a blank email (completely blank, with no signature line) to [e-mail].

CZM Staff and People

Buzzards Bay NEP’s Tracy Warncke Retires - After 30 years serving as the Buzzards Bay National Estuary Program's (NEP) Administrative Assistant, Tracy Warncke retired from state service in June. Prior to joining the NEP, Tracy's interest in Buzzards Bay water quality began in 1986 when she worked for the Town of Bourne’s Board of Health water quality monitoring program in response to her concern over the town’s shellfish bed closures. These closures, a result of bacterial contamination, were a particular threat to her family due to her husband’s career as a commercial shellfisherman. During her time with the Board of Health, she served on the Cape Cod Marine Water Quality Task Force and collaborated with Barnstable County Department of Health and the Environment and the U.S. Geological Survey on several projects including bacterial pathway tracking from septic systems around Buttermilk Bay. In 1987, she helped to create the nonprofit Buzzards Bay Coalition and was a participant in the first State of the Bay conference. In 1989, she joined the NEP in an administrative role, but greatly expanded the job’s scope over the years by assisting in a wide range of projects, including preparing reports and outreach documents, organizing workshops, sampling water quality, and managing the website. Tracy was also a valuable asset for answering questions from concerned residents on any issue or directing callers to the appropriate state agency or town department. At the May Buzzards Bay Action Committee meeting, Tracy received a certificate of appreciation for her long-time service in the protection and restoration of Buzzards Bay. Thank you Tracy for your dedicated work over the last 30 years. You will be missed. Good luck and enjoy your retirement.

Coastal Hazards and Climate Specialist - CZM and EEA are pleased to announce that Margot Mansfield will be staying onboard as the Coastal Hazards and Climate Specialist. Margot has been supporting CZM’s StormSmart Coasts Program and EEA’s Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program (MVP) since she wrapped up her 2013-2015 NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship with CZM. Moving forward, Margot will continue to work with EEA’s climate team and CZM’s shoreline and floodplain management team to advance science-based policies and planning. Before joining CZM in 2013, Margot focused her graduate research on sea level rise at the University of Maine where she received her Master’s in Earth Science. She is excited to continue her work to maintain climate change data and projections, along with vulnerability information for the Commonwealth. Congratulations Margot!

Coastal Habitat Specialist - CZM welcomes Sean Duffey as our new Coastal Habitat Specialist. Sean most recently completed a two-year NOAA Coastal Management Fellowship with CZM, focused on coastal habitat resiliency and vulnerabilities in Areas of Critical Environmental Concern (ACECs). In his new role, Sean will work with the Coastal Habitat and Water Quality Team to develop strategic actions and guidance to support the resiliency of salt marshes across the Commonwealth. Sean originally hails from Albany, New York, and has a Master’s of Oceanography from the University of Rhode Island. CZM is excited to continue working with Sean in this new role. Congratulations Sean!

Grants/Funding/Proposal Opportunities

Massachusetts In-Lieu Fee Program - The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game (DFG) is seeking pre-proposals for the Massachusetts In-Lieu Fee Program (ILFP) to fund aquatic resource restoration, enhancement, or preservation projects in ILFP program service areas in the Commonwealth. Eligible applicants include Massachusetts cities, towns, academic institutions, certified 501(c)(3) nonprofits, and other public entities. The ILFP allows certain Army Corps of Engineers permittees to pay an in-lieu fee to DFG's ILFP as mitigation for project impacts to federally-regulated aquatic resources. DFG then pools ILFP fees to implement larger-scale mitigation projects. See the Request for Pre-Proposals on the COMMBUYS website for details, including eligibility requirements and service area goals. For questions, contact the ILFP Administrator, Aisling O’Shea, at [phone] or [e-mail]. Pre-proposals are due by August 30.

Marine Debris Removal Grants - The NOAA Marine Debris Program is seeking proposals for marine debris prevention, assessment, and removal projects that improve habitat and waterways. Projects should implement on-the-ground marine debris removal activities, prioritizing medium to large-scale debris, especially derelict fishing gear. Typical awards will range from $50,000 to $150,000. For more information, see the federal funding opportunity. Letters of intent are due by September 4. Full proposals, by invitation only, will be due on December 4.

Aquaculture Grants - The Northeastern Regional Aquaculture Center (NRAC) is seeking applications for two funding opportunities to support research, technology transfer, and demonstration projects to increase aquaculture production, profitability, and processing in the Northeast. Pre-proposals to fund regional projects—up to $200,000 total for two years—that address one of two targeted research areas are due by September 6. Mini-Grant proposals of up to $20,000 to fund smaller, one-year projects are due by August 23. For complete details, including links to each Request for Proposals, see the NRAC website.

Products/Publications

Nantucket Coastal Conference Presentations - On June 26, Woods Hole Sea Grant, in coordination with the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension and CZM, held the 2019 Nantucket Coastal Conference. Presentations from the conference are now available on the Wood Hole Sea Grant website, with links to presentations on coastal resilience, sea level rise, ocean acidification, storm flooding, water quality, erosion, and related topics are available, as well as to the keynote presented by Ruperto Chaparro Serrano, Director of the Puerto Rico Sea Grant Program, on the damage caused in 2017 by Hurricane Maria.

National Adaptation Forum Presentations - Presentations from the National Adaptation Forum, a biennial conference on climate change adaptation that was held from April 23-25 in Madison, Wisconsin, are now available. See the following web pages for links to the presentations: Concurrent Sessions 1, Concurrent Sessions 2, and Concurrent Sessions 3.

National Monitoring Conference Presentations - The 11^th National Monitoring Conference was held from March 25-29 in Denver, Colorado. Presentations and posters are now available from this five-day conference on water resource protection.

Newsletters and Other Periodicals

Buzzards Bay Coalition Newsletter - The latest edition of The Bay Buzz from the Buzzards Bay Coalition covers efforts to protect three coastal properties in West Falmouth and Dartmouth, summer water quality monitoring on Martha’s Vineyard, results from the June Buzzards Bay Swim, and other regional news, volunteer opportunities, and events.

Coastal Impacts - The July 2019 issue of Coastal Impacts, the newsletter of Woods Hole Sea Grant, includes articles on ensuring oyster safety in Massachusetts, research on oxygen levels in Waquoit Bay, the Coasts, Oceans, and Stewardship (COAST) Program’s efforts to bring marine science to local classrooms, and other news and updates.

Internet Water Report - The May 2019 issue of Internet Water Report, the email newsletter of the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC), features articles on counting juvenile eels in the Hudson River using a new quality assurance project plan (QAPP), reflections on 30 years of underground storage tank regulations, the NEIWPCC 2018 Annual Report, and other New England water pollution news.

Massachusetts Association for Floodplain Management Newsletter - The Summer 2019 Newsletter (PDF, 2 MB) from the Massachusetts Association for Floodplain Management (massFM) reports on the April 2019 massFM training event in Springfield, the new Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant program, the FEMA Community Rating System, and other Massachusetts floodplain management news.

National Water Monitoring News—Call for Articles - The National Water Quality Monitoring Council is soliciting articles and announcements for the 19^th edition of National Water Monitoring News, an electronic newsletter that features updates from the Council, volunteer monitoring groups, and other state, regional, and tribal partners. Submissions are due by August 15 and should announce upcoming events or highlight successes, projects, publications, tools, conferences, or findings. For more information, see the Guidelines for Contributors (PDF, 68 KB).

NOAA HabitatNews - The July 2019 issue of HabitatNews from the NOAA Fisheries Office of Habitat Restoration includes articles on nearly $1 million in NOAA funding for habitat restoration projects, restoration of salmon and steelhead habitat in Washington’s Skokomish River estuary, and other marine fisheries habitat news.

Web-Based and Mobile-User Resources

Preparedness Talks for Emergency Managers - FEMA and partners have released two new episodes of its PrepTalks presentations by experts on emergency preparedness. Visual + Effective Communication for Emergency Information by Claudine Jaenichen—Associate Professor of Design at Chapman University and member of the Board of Governors for the Communication Research Institute and the Executive Board for the Design Network for Emergency Management—explores the thought processes that interfere with making correct decisions in emergencies and how effective maps can help people remember safe evacuation routes. Storytelling to Promote Action by the team behind The Big One: Your Survival Guide podcast series details the development of their podcast about a possible major earthquake hitting Los Angeles and describes how to tell stories that convince people to prepare for disasters. Each PrepTalks web page includes videos of the presentation and question-and-answer session, a discussion guide, and related resources.

New Resources and Data from NOAA Digital Coast - NOAA’s Digital Coast has posted these new resources:

• Risk Communication Essentials for More Effective Conversations, a self-paced training that provides sample flood insurance conversations between floodplain officials and homeowners.
• Risk Communication Mental Shortcuts: Why People Do What They Do, a self-paced training on how to recognize mental shortcuts people use and tips to better communicate past these biases.
• New and updated data sets (PDF, 81 KB).

Job/Internship Postings

Water Resources Analyst - The Cape Cod Commission is seeking a Water Resources Analyst to perform professional, technical, and administrative work to protect Cape Cod’s ground and surface waters. This position requires a master's degree in hydrogeology, environmental science/engineering, or related field and three years’ experience. Candidates should have knowledge of state and federal groundwater and related environmental laws and regulations. For details, see the job listing. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Director of Marine Operations - Sea Education Association (SEA), a nonprofit educational institution in Woods Hole, is seeking a Director of Marine Operations to oversee all shipboard personnel, operation, and maintenance of SEA sailing research vessels, all safety operations and policies of the SEA programs and vessels, and planning and management of ship operating budgets. For more information, see the job posting. Applications are due by September 1.

Public Comment

Please note: All official CZM requests for public comment are published in the Public Notices section of the Environmental Monitor, the bi-weekly publication from the Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act (MEPA) office.

NOAA Marine Debris Program Strategic Plan - The NOAA Marine Debris Program (MDP) is seeking public input to help with the development of their next five-year strategic plan (FY 2021-2025), which will replace and update the 2016-2020 Strategic Plan. Comments on current strategic plan goals, what MDP should focus on for the next five years, and how MDP can improve collaboration with other agencies and organizations are specifically requested. For details, see the MDP website. Please submit comments by August 16 to [e-mail].

Calendar - Individual Events and Announcements

Shell Day—Seeking Volunteers - From August 22-23, the Northeast Coastal Acidification Network will hold Shell Day, a single day blitz to gather information on coastal water conditions to get a snapshot of coastal acidification from Downeast Maine to Long Island Sound. Organizers are seeking interested groups to collect samples and measure seawater temperature and salinity through a tidal cycle at one site on August 22 and transport water samples to a partner laboratory on August 23, where each laboratory will host an open house to discuss sample analysis and their research. Please contact Carolina Bastidas at [e-mail] by August 5 if interested in participating.

Fish and Invertebrate Production and Coastal Habitat Webinar - On August 6, the Lenfest Ocean Program will host Estimating Fish and Invertebrate Production Associated with Key Coastal Habitats in the U.S., a webinar on a project that explores the biological and environmental factors that have the greatest influence on fish and invertebrate production in oyster reefs, salt marsh, seagrass beds, and other coastal habitats. For more information, see the project fact sheet. Registration is required.

Science Stroll - On August 10, the Woods Hole Science Stroll will be held on Water Street in Woods Hole. Local organizations will provide science demos, hands-on activities, crafts for kids, a documentary screening, research vessel tours, and more activities to showcase Woods Hole science.

Eelgrass Blitz Week on the South Shore - From August 11-17, the North and South Rivers Watershed Association (NSRWA), Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program, and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries will coordinate an eelgrass survey in Duxbury, Kingston, and Plymouth Bays as part of an ongoing effort to explore the cause of extensive eelgrass losses observed in these embayments since 1995. Multiple teams of volunteers on boats will collect data on eelgrass at multiple points throughout the bays. A training session will be held on August 11 followed by the survey from August 12-17. NSRWA is seeking boat owners and volunteers to help conduct the survey. To get involved, please submit your availability on the Eelgrass Blitz Form. For more information, contact Sara Grady at [e-mail].

Floodplain Management Conference - From September 3-6, the Flood Management Association will hold the Floodplain Management Annual Conference, Knowledge Is Power: Keeping the Lights on Floodplains, Resilience Planning, and Risk Reduction, in San Diego, California. The conference provides a forum for floodplain management experts and policy makers to address local, state, and federal regulatory and policy issues regarding flood risk management and planning.

Cape Cod Wildlife Festival - On September 7, the Cape Cod Wildlife Collaborative will hold their annual Cape Cod Wildlife Festival at Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary in Barnstable from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. This free event includes family friendly activities, interactive exhibits, live animal presentations, live music, book signings, and refreshments.

Green Careers Conference - On September 20, the Massachusetts Green Careers Conference will be held at the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife Headquarters in Westborough. Attendees can meet employers, green-career candidates, and experts from business, education, government, and nonprofits. Early registration discounts are available through August 20.

Boston Harbor Marine Educators Conference - On October 5, Massachusetts Marine Educators will hold the Boston Harbor Educators Conference, A Working Harbor: Past, Present, and Future, at the Deer Island Wastewater Treatment Plant in Boston. The 2019 conference will include speakers, hands-on workshops, a panel discussion, and treatment plant tours. Registration is required.

Reminders - The following calendar items posted previously in CZ-Mail are still to come:

• Gulf of Maine Climate Resilience Conference—Early Registration and Call for Abstracts - From November 4-8, the Gulf of Maine 2050 International Symposium, Challenges and Opportunities for Regional Resilience, will be held in Portland, Maine. The conference will focus on the changes expected in the Gulf of Maine over the next 30 years to help develop ideas, next steps, and collaborations for climate resiliency throughout the region. Early registration discounts are available through August 5. Abstracts for posters, oral presentations, and panel presentations can also be submitted by August 5.
• Living Shoreline Project Tour - On August 9 in Stratford, Connecticut, the Southern New England Chapter of the Soil and Water Conservation Society will hold a Summer Meeting and Living Shoreline & Restoration Field Tour for members and the public. The meeting will feature presentations, lunch, and a field tour of several restoration sites, including Connecticut's first living shoreline project.
• Annual Swim & Fin - On August 11, Salem Sound Coastwatch will host the 14^th annual Swim & Fin Race for Salem Sound at Forest River Park in Salem. Swimmers of any age or skill level may join the event for open-water swimming races. Proceeds support Salem Sound Coastwatch's work to protect local beaches, streams, salt marshes, and coastal waters. Registration is required.
• Stormwater Conference - From August 18-22, StormCon, the North American Surface Water Quality Conference and Exposition, will be held in Atlanta, Georgia. This annual conference will feature presentations on stormwater infrastructure and best management practices, green infrastructure, stormwater program management, permitting, stormwater research, monitoring, and industrial stormwater management.
• Annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival - From August 24-25, Hawthorne Cove Marina in Salem will host the 37^th annual Antique & Classic Boat Festival with vessels of all sizes and shapes on display, including antique motor yachts, mahogany speedboats, various sailboats, and a 19^th century gold-leaf canoe. This celebration of maritime heritage also includes a craft fair, artists, music, children’s activities, and a Blessing of the Fleet.

Calendar - Multiple/Ongoing Events

Barnstable Walks, Talks, and Events - The Barnstable Land Trust has scheduled several upcoming events, including a Wildlife Wonders Journal Program on August 8 and a Sandy Neck Summer Flora and Fauna Hike on August 14. For a full schedule, see their 2019 events page.

Boston Harbor Events - Boston Harbor Now hosts events throughout the Boston Harbor area. August events include a summer night on Spectacle Island, a hike and yoga class on Peddocks Island, and Boston Harbor for All, Mattapan & Dorchester! A Free Community Cruise on August 19. For additional events, see the Boston Harbor Now Events page.

Buzzards Bay Walks and Events - The Buzzards Bay Coalition Events page includes outdoor and environmental offerings hosted by numerous organizations and land trusts in the region. August events include a sunset kayak tour, bike rides, sailing classes, walks, yoga, and other opportunities for all ages. Events can be filtered by town, month, host, or select topics, such as kid-friendly and volunteering.

Cape Cod Bird Walks - The Cape Cod Bird Club holds free bird watching field trips with walks at Ellisville State Park in Plymouth on August 5 and Crane Wildlife Management Area in Falmouth on August 18. See the full schedule on their field trips page.

Cape Cod Canal Activities - On Tuesdays in August, the Cape Cod Canal Visitors Center will present Canal Kids (PDF, 227 KB), which features free hands-on activities for kids led by the Canal Park Rangers. Topics include mapping the seafloor, how boats float, a marine life touch tank, and bees and flowers.

Cape Cod Museum of Natural History Programs - In August, the museum will host a variety of lectures, butterfly feedings, family walks, carving demonstrations, and other events including Lunch ‘n Learn: Forage to Table on August 5. Check out their calendar for additional events.

Center for Coastal Studies Events - The center will present public events on Cape Cod throughout August, including lectures, walks, activities for kids, and a Guided Seal Walk on August 7. For additional upcoming activities, see their events page.

Conservation Commission Education - The Massachusetts Association of Conservation Commissions provides specialized training programs. See their Complete Education Catalog for an overview of upcoming wetland delineation and other workshops and the Community Calendar for a schedule of other programs, including the webinar Natives for Pollinators on August 14.

Green Infrastructure Webcasts - EPA’s Green Infrastructure Webcast Series features sessions geared toward public officials and practitioners just beginning to implement green infrastructure, as well as those looking to enhance established programs. The next webcast is Going Wild: The Conservation Co-benefits of Green Infrastructure on August 7.

Inflatable Humpback Whale - On several dates this summer, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History will allow visitors to walk inside a 44-foot inflatable humpback whale to learn about humpback whale behavior and habits from the inside out. The next session is on August 8. Registration is recommended.

Ipswich River Events - The Ipswich River Watershed Association hosts events on the North Shore. August events include garden volunteer days, paddling trips, and more. See their events page for details.

Ipswich River Programs and Activities - In August, Mass Audubon’s Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary will host numerous nature walks, talks, and adventures. See their programs, classes, & activities page and search the program catalog for event and schedule information on a seabird cruise, family art class, family campout, day camp for kids ages 4-16, and more.

Joppa Flats Programs and Events - The Mass Audubon Joppa Flats Education Center hosts a variety of programs for children and adults. See their program catalog for August events and education opportunities, including family touch tank experiences, morning birding field trips, lectures, nature walks, and summer camp for children ages 6-11.

Mass Audubon Cape Cod Walks, Lectures, and Events - The Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary in South Wellfleet and Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary in Barnstable offer educational programs for children, adults, and families including August kayak trips, nature/birding walks, tidal flat explorations, paddle board tours, and day camps for ages 4-17. Search the calendar of programs, classes, and activities for Wellfleet Bay and Long Pasture for all events.

Mudflat Mania - Through August 26, the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History will hold Mudflat Mania!, twice weekly hikes to Cape Cod Bay to explore the life on and below the Brewster sand flats.

Mystic River Watershed Events - See the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) Calendar for links to lectures, trivia night, and other August events by date, including the Water Chestnut Removal - Community Day on August 10.

NOAA Coastal Training and Learning Resources - NOAA’s Digital Coast offers a range of training opportunities, from in-person instructor-led courses, online instructor-led sessions, and numerous self-guided resources, case-studies, videos, webinars, and publications. On August 21, the online course OpenNSPECT will present the technical aspects of this GIS-based tool used by planners to estimate runoff, nonpoint source pollution, and erosion. For the full schedule of opportunities, see the Training Calendar.

NOAA Science and Climate Seminars - The OneNOAA Science Seminar web page provides details on NOAA science and climate seminars and webinars that are available across the nation, including 2018 State of U.S. High Tide Flooding with a 2019 Outlook on August 8.

North and South Rivers Events - The North and South Rivers Watershed Association hosts events on the South Shore. August events include paddling activities, nature and history pontoon tours, and a Sunset on the Spit Paddle on August 16. See their events page for details.

Salem Sound Workshops, Trainings, and Events - Salem Sound Coastwatch will host a variety of educational events in August, including several Marine Invasive Species - Citizen Science Monitoring sessions and the Teacher Summer Institute, Experience “Place” Like Never Before, from August 12-15. For details on these and other events, see their August calendar.

Waquoit Bay Summer Programs and Activities - This summer, discover the Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. For a full list of activities and programs for kids and adults, including a Watershed Block Party on August 6, see the Discover Waquoit Bay Reserve 2019 Summer Schedule (PDF, 581 KB).

Other Items of Interest

Be a Pen Pal of a Future Scientist - Letters to a Pre-Scientist has a goal to clarify and explain careers in science by creating connections between real scientists and students from schools with large numbers of low income families. Interested scientists are invited to be matched with a pen pal for the 2019-20 school year. Learn how to sign up.