National Working Waterfront Network Conference 2022

The 2022 National Working Waterfront Network’s Conference will take place from July 19th to July 21st, 2022 in Boston, MA at UMass Boston’s oceanfront campus. 

The National Working Waterfront Network’s Conference is the only national event that brings together people from across North America to connect with one another and showcase (and initiate) initiatives that protect and promote working waterfronts.

Working waterfronts include waterfront lands, waterfront infrastructure, and waterways that are used for water-dependent activities, such as ports, marinas, small recreational boat harbors, and fishing docks.

By design, the conference moves around the country to highlight the diversity of the nation’s working waterfronts; to foster a cross-fertilization of ideas, knowledge, and solutions; and to generate strategic partnerships.

The National Working Waterfront Network will be partnering with the Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston to host the 2022 conference.

Conference Sessions

Plenary Sessions, which will feature leaders and keynote presenters from the working waterfronts and waterways community.

Traditional Concurrent Sessions, which will include 15-20 minute speaker talks accompanied by PowerPoint presentations. Concurrent sessions will be arranged from individual abstracts submitted on similar topics. 

Breakout “Panel” Sessions, which will include 90-minute breakout sessions with a panel of speakers on topics related to a specific theme. 

Roundtable Discussions, which will include  90-minute breakout sessions of a facilitated and interactive discussion with engaged attendees on specific topics.

Formal Poster Session, which will feature all NWWN Conference poster presentations. 

Creative Communication Installations, includes an individual or team presentation, discussion or performance of art, media, film, poetry, etc. 

Field Trips

As a part of this conference, the NWWN has planned various field trips on the second day Wednesday, July 20th. In addition, there will be full-day field trips happening prior to the conference on Monday, July 18th as well.

The National Working Waterfront Network (NWWN) is a nationwide network of businesses, industry associations, nonprofits, local governments and communities, state and federal agencies, universities, Sea Grant programs, and individuals dedicated to supporting, preserving, and enhancing America’s working waterfronts and waterways.

For more information, visit nationalworkingwaterfronts.com 

2017 Maine - New Hampshire Beaches Conference

The Beaches Conference 2017 (Maine - New Hampshire)
July 14, 2017
Wells High School, Wells, ME
seagrant.umaine.edu/maine-beaches-conference

The Beaches Conference 2017 will be held July 14, 2017 at Wells High School in Wells, Maine. Participant registration will begin in May.

The Beaches Conference works to provide continuing opportunities for exchange of the most current information among beach and coastal stakeholders with diverse interests, and to present the findings from Maine and New Hampshire beach monitoring programs.

Conference Themes:

Management approaches in our coastal habitats
Implementing successful projects in beach communities
Preparing for and adapting to our future
The nature, and culture of our beaches
Monitoring, research, and emerging issues on the coast
Respecting stakeholder needs and values
Coastal development and regulation

The Beaches Conference Steering Committee includes:
Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Kennebec Estuary Land Trust
Maine Coastal Program
Maine Department of Environmental Protection
Maine Geological Survey
Maine Healthy Beach Volunteers
Maine Sea Grant
New Hampshire Sea Grant
Rockingham Planning Commission
Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission
Town of Damariscotta
Town of Kennebunkport
University of Maine Cooperative Extension
Walsh Engineering
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve


For more information, visit: seagrant.umaine.edu/maine-beaches-conference


source: Maine Sea Grant

Help for Coastal and Waterfront Planners & Developers

NOAA, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, the International City/County Management Association and Rhode Island Sea Grant, has released a guide to bring smart growth to coastal and waterfront communities.

“Smart Growth for Coastal and Waterfront Communities” offers communities 10 coastal and waterfront-specific guidelines to help them balance development with the environment and the economy while maintaining the quality of life that makes these communities attractive.

Among its recommendations, the report suggests that communities:

* Plan for natural hazards;

* Use natural buffers to protect people and property from potential hazards;

* Preserve and restore critical environmental areas; and

* Plan for public access to waterfront and coastal waters.

“Coastal and waterfront communities face development pressures that could affect their economy, environment, and quality of life for decades to come,” said John H. Dunnigan, NOAA assistant administrator of the National Ocean Service. “These coastal and waterfront smart growth guidelines will help communities plan for growth and development while protecting their natural and economic resources, maritime heritage, and traditional sense of place.”

Sea level rise and other impacts of climate change are adding new challenges to waterfront community development. More than half the U.S. population lives in coastal counties, which cover less than 17 percent of U.S. land area. An additional 180 million people visit coastal areas every year and many others visit lake and riverfront communities.

The Smart Growth Network started in 1996 as a collaborative effort between the Environmental Protection Agency and several nonprofit and government organizations. It was a response to increasing community concerns about the need for new ways to grow while boosting the economy, protecting the environment, and enhancing community vitality. Today its partners include environmental groups, historic preservation organizations, professional organizations, developers, real estate interests, and local and state government entities.

To download a copy of “Smart Growth for Coastal and Waterfront Communities,” see http://www.coastalsmartgrowth.noaa.gov or http://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth.

source: NOAA press release