A vision for America's Great Watershed Report Card
On September 26 and 27, Heath Kelsey from IAN and Jonathan Higgins from The Nature Conservancy (TNC) presented a framework and vision for a report card at the America's Great Watershed Initiative (AGWI) Summit in St. Louis, MO. The framework includes balanced information from Social, Economic, and Environmental sectors, and is intended to be transparent and clear. AGWI is led by TNC, and aims to implement integrated river basin management for the Mississippi River watershed by assessing progress toward seven broad goals. IAN will continue to work with TNC to advance the project, framework, and report card.
Shenandoah National Park natural resource condition assessment underway
IAN has joined forces with the University of Richmond and the National Park Service (NPS) to undertake the first Natural Resource Condition Assessment for Shenandoah National Park. The project was initiated this September with a two day trip to the Park that involved a guided tour by NPS staff highlighting the Parks resources and threats, followed by a workshop to outline project specifics. The project will run over the next 18 months with involvement from Simon Costanzo, Alex Fries, Tracey Saxby and Bill Dennison from IAN and Todd Lookingbill and Justin Madron from the University of Richmond.
Improving management of a Mid-Atlantic coastal barrier island through assessment of habitat condition
To achieve desired environmental outcomes, conditions and trends need to be measured and communicated. However, there is often a disconnect between responsive ecosystem monitoring and decision-making for strategic long-term management. Recently published in Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, this paper demonstrates how historical monitoring data can be used to inform integrated resource management decision-making at Assateague Island National Seashore by using ecological reference conditions to identify monitoring needs, areas of high vulnerability, and areas with potential for improved management. This approach provides a framework that can be applied to assess the effectiveness of these management decisions on the condition of island habitats, and demonstrates effective incorporation of diverse monitoring datasets into an adaptive management cycle.
Welcome to Kate Skaggs
Kate comes to IAN through a partnership with UMCES and MD DNR. She is serving as DNR's new CoastSmart Communities Planner. Kate will be coordinating Maryland's CoastSmart Communities Initiative, helping local communities identify and implement strategies to protect life and property vulnerable to coastal hazards and climate change. Kate received a BS in Environmental Science from Lynchburg College in 2006 and an MS in Environmental Studies, with a Certificate in Urban and Regional Planning, from the College of Charleston, SC in 2010. After graduating, Kate accepted a two-year NOAA Coastal Management fellowship in Olympia, WA with the Washington State Department of Ecology. The final deliverable for the fellowship was a guidebook for local governments in WA to help plan for sea-level rise adaptation. Outside of coastal work, Kate picked up a great interest in many stereotypical PacNW activities such as yoga, rock climbing, hiking, a huge appreciation for sunshine, as well as a love for good coffee and smoked salmon.