Talking Conservation: News and Events

On this page we list news and upcoming events that are of particular interest to Gulf of Maine conservation and environmental organizations.

July 2010: National Wildlife Federation contracts with Talking Conservation to organize Northeast Great Waters Coalition to advocate for full implementation of Gulf of Maine Restoration and Conservation Plan, Lake Champlain Basin Plan, Long Island Sound Study, and Rhode Island Bays, Rivers and Watershed Plan.

November 2009: Second major planning meeting of the Gulf of Maine Restoration and Conservation Initiative takes place at NOAA regional HQ in Gloucester.

June 2009:First planning meeting of the Gulf of Maine Restoration and Conservation Initiative takes place at Wells National Estuarian Reserve (see www.gulfofmaine.org/gomrc).

November 2008: Peter Alexander gives presentation at the New England Ocean Science Educators Collaborotive Conference in Boston. The Powerpoint presentation can be downloaded here.

September 2008: Talking Conservation Conducts Unique Great Lakes Awareness Campaign.
A victory celebration in Port Huron, Michigan on October 10th will mark the final event of a hugely successful 13 city tour of the Great Lakes by the charismatic 60' trimaran, Earth Voyager, to raise awareness about the imperative and the enormous economic benefits of repairing aging waste water treatment systems, curbing invasive species, cleaning up toxic sediments, and restoring wildlife habitat throughout the Great Lakes. The tour was organized for the Healing Our Waters--Great Lakes Coalition by Peter Alexander of Talking Conservation. Press conferences in each port of call were attended by mayors, state representatives, and federal Congresspersons and Senators, all calling for federal support to restore the Great Lakes. "Ten years ago, restoring the Everglades rose as a national environmental priority deserving of federal support. Today, the Great Lakes, which contain 20% of all the world's surface fresh water, are in urgent need of restoration and protection," said Peter Alexander "And it's time for the federal government to step up and do its part for the economy and environment of the region." For more information about the tour and the larger restoration advocacy effort see Healthy Lakes, Healthy Lives, or search Google News for "Earth Voyager."

Note: Could the Gulf of Maine benefit from a campaign like this?

July 2008: Communication Needs Assessment for Gulf of Maine Groups. In April 2008 Talking Conservation held two communications workshops in partnership with the Maine Coastal Program and the US Fish and Wildlife Service Gulf of Maine Coastal Program to assess the communications needs and capacities of many of their partner organizations. The workshops were attended by representatives from more than fifty agencies and organizations. A surevey completed by the participants gave a clear picture of which communications tools, training, and resources will be most useful to the conservation community. We are continuing to work with our state, federal, and private partners to develop a comprehensive program to address these needs. Watch for more in the fall of 2008 and winter of 2009.

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