NOAA needs assessment for the northeastern U.S.

NOAA has been conducting a needs assessment for the northeastern U.S. (Connecticut and north). The report is expected in June 2008. Socio-economic aspects of EBM were apparently identified as a big need. (NOAA released a different but related report a couple days ago. See blog post below).

Integrative Science for Society and Environment

The U.S. Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network is developing a new initiative to understand socio-ecological linkages underlying critical environmental issues. Integrative Science for Society and Environment: A Strategic Research Initiative is “intended to elevate environmental science in the U.S. to a new level of integration, collaboration, and synthesis needed to address these pressing, emerging challenges.” With the LTER Network, I edited a new brochure that outlines the ISSE framework (PDF, 484 KB). You can also download the complete decadal plan and ISSE report from www.lternet.edu/decadalplan.

NOAA needs assessment for EBM training

The NOAA Coastal Services Center is developing a training course for EBM. As part of the process, they conducted a needs assessment survey of 254 people involved in EBM. The summary report has just been released. It has info that will be useful for lots of other EBM-related efforts. The report is available on the CSC website (listed under Technical Reports). Here is the citation:

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Coastal Services Center. 2008.
Summary Report for the Coastal Ecosystem-Based Management Course Needs Assessment.
NOAA/CSC/RPT 08-01. Charleston, SC: NOAA Coastal Services Center.

Salt marsh booklet released by Gulf of Maine Council

Today the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment released a 42-page booklet that I wrote under contract with the Science Translation Project in collaboration with 2 Council subcommittees. The booklet is called Salt Marshes in the Gulf of Maine: Human Impacts, Habitat Restoration, and Long-term Change Analysis. You can download a PDF or request a hard copy at www.gulfofmaine.org/saltmarsh. It’s a beautifully designed, full-color, glossy document with lots of photos and illustrations. The booklet is intended as a useful tool for resource managers, lawmakers, non-governmental organizations, educators, and others interested in understanding salt marshes as a key element of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem.

SeaWeb’s national survey on EBM communication

Yesterday I was at a small meeting in New Hampshire for a work group focused on developing communications infrastructure for ecosystem-based management (EBM) in the Gulf of Maine (click here for info about the work group). At the meeting, Kathleen Reaugh of SeaWeb presented preliminary findings from a national survey conducted over the last year-and-a-half. Results of the survey will probably be released by the end of March. Kathleen is SeaWeb’s Ecosystem-Based Management Communications Project Manager.

The purpose of the survey was to learn how to talk about EBM effectively with the public, “translate” science, and avoid communications pitfalls. They conducted a nationwide randomized poll and held focus groups in California, Florida, South Carolina, and Maine.

As next steps, SeaWeb plans to create research briefs, tools, training, and a website with resources that NGOs can use to communicate effectively about EBM. They also plan to organize a 2nd Annual EBM Communications Meeting in Washington, DC, probably in October 2008. For more information, check www.seaweb.org or contact Kathleen Reaugh at kreaugh@seaweb.org.