Coastal Resilience Webinar Series
22 October 2024, 14.00 pm CEST
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Speaker
Susan Bates, Coastal Science Program Manager for the Volgenau Virginia Coast Reserve (VVCR) office of The Nature Conservancy.

Abstract
The Coastal Resilience Program at The Nature Conservancy (TNC) was designed to integrate a community engagement approach with a web mapping decision support tool that is delivered through a network of practitioners around the world supporting hazard mitigation, climate adaptation, and conservation planning. Components of this program include the online Coastal Resilience Mapping Tool (maps.coastalresilience.org), demonstration of Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) and research on the value of those NBS. Examples of the implementation of each of these components at the Virginia Coast Reserve (VCR) will be discussed in this presentation.

The Coastal Resilience Team at VCR has been strategic with methods to enhance NBS for coastal resilience in its rural communities. We have built a strong base for authentic communication with partners and community members, implemented TNC’s Coastal Resilience Tool driven by community and partner needs, and conducted NBS demonstration projects that can be used as blueprints for other coastal areas. Two projects will be highlighted in this talk – one is a marsh protection project in which methods for building oyster reefs are being tested to enhance biodiversity and slow erosion on a marsh that protects a seaside community, and the other has resulted in a Coastal Adaptation and Resilience Plan written by and for the specific community. Both projects have created a pathway for further community engagement and additional coastal resilience projects. Additionally, to affect statewide and policy initiatives, we created an internal TNC-Virginia team focused on effective and equitable NBS opportunities for all Virginia communities.

Susan Bates is the Coastal Science Program Manager for the Volgenau Virginia Coast Reserve (VVCR) office of The Nature Conservancy. In this role, she manages the science within the Marine Habitat Restoration and Migratory and Shorebird Conservation Programs and she leads the Coastal Resilience Program. Her work involves engaging with partners and designing research to develop tools and strategies for informing coastal resilience decisions and projects, demonstrating the value of nature-based solutions for coastal resilience, guiding policy, and building community relationships.

Susan has a Ph.D. in Climate Dynamics from George Mason University, a Master of Science degree in Oceanography from Texas A&M and worked at the National Center for Atmospheric Research for 10 years before joining The Nature Conservancy in January 2020. Much of her work at the Conservancy bridges the gap between research and on-the-ground/decision-making conservation work. She brings this perspective to her positions on the Atlantic Regional Panel of CLIVAR and the Advisory Board of the UN Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience.

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