The schedule of events for the 2024 Great Lakes Coastal Symposium is available below. Please check back for updates.
Schedule of Events
The schedule of events for the 2024 Great Lakes Coastal Symposium is available below. Please check back for updates.
Organized Sessions
Organized sessions are a series of integrated presentations that address aspects of a single topic or theme. They will run concurrently with other technical sessions. The session titles and their overviews are below.
1. Rock – it’s not just for revetments anymore: Restoration along Great Lakes coasts
Lead: Anna Harrison, NOAA
This session will highlight how rock has been used for restoration in the past, as well as new and innovative uses for rock in coastal restoration projects. Rock can be a useful tool for habitat creation and to protect Great Lakes shorelines from storm surges and fluctuating water levels. Invited speakers will showcase several shoreline habitat restoration projects funded through the NOAA Restoration Center that use rock to protect and create habitat.
2. Supporting sediment transport so it supports us
Lead: Stevie Adams, The Nature Conservancy
During this session, five experts will discuss their latest research and insights to help the audience understand longshore sediment transport (past, present and future), how alternative sediment and coastal management approaches can be more strategic and adaptive, what options planning and policies offer, and which legal doctrines authorize and constrain state and local actions.
3. Using nature and nature-based solutions to enhance Great Lakes resilience
Lead: Rachael Franks-Taylor, NOAA
Invited speakers will share information about their experiences with natural and nature-based solutions in the Great Lakes. The vision for the session is to focus on specific elements of natural and nature-based project implementation, including site selection, community engagement, design challenges, assembling funding and financing, and monitoring effectiveness. After all speakers present their work, the session will open up for panel Q+A and bi-directional exchange with the session participants.
4. Landscape-scale conservation planning & prioritization efforts
Lead: Liz Berg, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
There are many ongoing conservation planning and prioritization efforts across the Great Lakes that encompass various geographic scales, ecological scopes, and levels of stakeholder engagement. During this session, invited speakers will showcase a variety of conservation plans, prioritization efforts, and the data, tools and partnerships that support them. After all speakers present their work, the session will open up for a panel discussion and open exchange with session participants.
Lead: Anna Harrison, NOAA
This session will highlight how rock has been used for restoration in the past, as well as new and innovative uses for rock in coastal restoration projects. Rock can be a useful tool for habitat creation and to protect Great Lakes shorelines from storm surges and fluctuating water levels. Invited speakers will showcase several shoreline habitat restoration projects funded through the NOAA Restoration Center that use rock to protect and create habitat.
2. Supporting sediment transport so it supports us
Lead: Stevie Adams, The Nature Conservancy
During this session, five experts will discuss their latest research and insights to help the audience understand longshore sediment transport (past, present and future), how alternative sediment and coastal management approaches can be more strategic and adaptive, what options planning and policies offer, and which legal doctrines authorize and constrain state and local actions.
3. Using nature and nature-based solutions to enhance Great Lakes resilience
Lead: Rachael Franks-Taylor, NOAA
Invited speakers will share information about their experiences with natural and nature-based solutions in the Great Lakes. The vision for the session is to focus on specific elements of natural and nature-based project implementation, including site selection, community engagement, design challenges, assembling funding and financing, and monitoring effectiveness. After all speakers present their work, the session will open up for panel Q+A and bi-directional exchange with the session participants.
4. Landscape-scale conservation planning & prioritization efforts
Lead: Liz Berg, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
There are many ongoing conservation planning and prioritization efforts across the Great Lakes that encompass various geographic scales, ecological scopes, and levels of stakeholder engagement. During this session, invited speakers will showcase a variety of conservation plans, prioritization efforts, and the data, tools and partnerships that support them. After all speakers present their work, the session will open up for a panel discussion and open exchange with session participants.