Plan ahead to stay on top of the latest science, policy, and implementation innovations in Natural Climate Solutions. Events are sorted by date and color coded by pathway. See the legend below.
Upcoming Events:
POST-ELECTION POLLING ON CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT: December 11 (1pm ET) — Environmental Polling Consortium: Webinar — Poll Briefing: Post-Election Polling on Climate and the Environment.
This briefing is open to the public and will feature important lessons and takeaways for environmental advocates from post-election polling, including presentations on Climate change and energy as issues in the 2024 election, based on exit-style polls and post-election surveys; Voters’ priorities for the EPA under Trump, courtesy of the Environmental Protection Network and Seven Letter Insight; Voters’ attitudes about solar energy and rooftop solar adoption, courtesy of Data for Progress; and Attitudes about clean energy and the economy, including electric vehicles, IRA incentives, and green banking, courtesy of Northwind Climate. Registration required and recording will be sent to registrants. Register here.
RIVER RESILIENCE: December 11 (2-3:30pm ET) — Environmental & Energy Study Institute: Hybrid briefing — The Tennessee River: Resilient and Healthy River Communities Series.
This briefing will focus on strategies to decrease pollution and increase resilience along the Tennessee River, which winds through Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi, and Kentucky. The Tennessee River, one of the most biodiverse rivers in North America, experiences damaging issues ranging from coal ash contamination to chemical pollution from landfills and manufacturing. These issues threaten both water quality and the health and well-being of the many communities in the river’s watershed. This briefing will explore ongoing efforts to address the impacts of water pollution on environmental justice communities situated along the Tennessee. It will also highlight the importance of effective enforcement of local, state, and federal clean water laws and regulations. Panelists will discuss the role of federal policy-making in preventing and mitigating pollution in the region, as well as opportunities to support biodiversity and overall river health. Speakers to be announced. Register here.
FOREST CONSERVATION & REFORESTATION: December 11 (3pm ET) — 1t.org US: Webinar Treekeepers: A Fireside Chat with Lauren E. Oakes
Join the 1t.org US Community Collaborative for an engaging fireside chat with Lauren E. Oakes, conservation scientist, award winning author, and passionate advocate for forests as a climate solution. In her latest book, Treekeepers, Oakes takes readers on a journey from the Scottish Highlands to the Panamanian jungle to meet the people working tirelessly to grow, regrow, and protect forests in the face of climate change. Whether you’re a climate advocate, nature enthusiast, or simply curious about the connection between people and forests, this fireside chat will offer a poetic and practical perspective on the work that lies ahead—and the beauty that surrounds us today. Register here.
PRESCRIBED FIRE ON WETLANDS: December 12 (11am-12:30pm ET) — USDA Forest Service Northern & Southern Research Stations & Joint Fire Science Program (with The Nature Conservancy): Prescribed Fire and Wetlands: an Important but Rarely Told Story.
Wetlands are the forgotten sibling of the prescribed fire world. While upland ecosystems across the Eastern U.S. have received significant attention for their fire-dependency, wetlands—characterized by their more episodic encounters with fire—rarely receive equitable fire management investments. Fire managers face unique challenges in these environments, where hydric soils, muck, and dense vegetation can prolong smoke production, encourage smoldering, and hinder vehicle access. As a result, fire-dependent wetlands nationwide have suffered, leading to declines in numerous plant and animal species. In this Fueling Collaboration panel discussion, we will explore the role of fire in various wetland ecosystems and examine the challenges and opportunities associated with its use. Join us as we hear from scientists, land managers, and biologists working in pocosins, marshes, swamps, bogs, and isolated wetlands. Speakers include:
- Jim Cox, Beadel Fellow, Tall Timbers Research Station;
- Jana Mott, Field Projects Manager, The Nature Conservancy;
- Ben Walker, Inventory and Monitoring Field Biologist, Glacial Ridge and Rydell National Wildlife Refuges; and
- Adam Warwick, Southern Blue Ridge Stewardship Manager, The Nature Conservancy.
VOLUNTARY FOREST CARBON PROJECT LANDOWNER SUPPORT TOOL: December 12 (3-4pm ET) — Michigan State University Forest Carbon and Climate Program: Webinar — Cost-Benefit of Voluntary Carbon Projects: Demonstrating an Online Tool for Landowner Decision-Support.
During this webinar, Dr. Raju Pokharel, assistant professor of forest economics at Michigan State University, will demonstrate and present an on-demand web-based tool for landowner decision-support to conduct a cost-benefit analysis of changing harvest strategies by quantifying subsequent changes in merchantable timber and biogenic carbon using simple forest stand metrics to provide users with estimates of potential costs and payments of enrolling land in a voluntary carbon projects. Register here.
BLUE CARBON: December 16 (4pm ET, 1pm PT) — Blue Carbon Collaborative (WILDCOAST & Coastal Quest, with The Nature Conservancy & Pew Charitable Trusts): Webinar — Updates and Checking in from the Field of Blue Carbon.
Join WILDCOAST and Coastal Quest to hear the latest from ongoing blue carbon efforts to accelerate implementation. Learn more about the science, strategies, and tools being used to get blue carbon projects off the ground. Speakers include Sydney Chamberlin, Project Director, Climate and Nature-Based Solutions, The Nature Conservancy; James Holmquist, Research Scientist, Smithsonian Institute; and Alex Clayton Moya, U.S. Conservation Officer, Pew Charitable Trusts; Register here.
FOREST SECTOR WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT: December 18 (10am ET): Western Forestry & Conservation Association: Forest Sector Workforce Development Working Group Monthly Meeting.
These monthly meetings bring together education, private industry, government, non-profits, and tribes for conversation and connection. These opportunities provide space for those working in the forest sector to discuss specific topics, learn from each other, and identify ways to address workforce challenges. Register here. Register here.
RIVER RESILIENCE: January 15 (2-3pm ET) — Environmental & Energy Study Institute: Virtual briefing — The Columbia River: Resilient and Health River Communities Series.
This EESI briefing focuses on climate adaptation, resilience, and mitigation strategies in the Columbia River basin. The Columbia, which winds through British Columbia, Oregon, and Washington state, is an important source of food, drinking water, irrigation, recreation, and clean energy for the Pacific Northwest. However, the effects of climate change have created and exacerbated problems like estuarine habitat loss, toxic algal blooms, low water levels, and diminished fish populations, highlighting the importance of finding science-based solutions to these issues.
This briefing will also discuss the outcomes of the Uncommon Dialogue, which brought together tribes, national and local government, the hydropower industry, and river conservation stakeholders to identify shared approaches to steward river health and safety while ensuring hydropower operations provide clean, affordable energy. Panelists will also discuss the role of federal investments in the Columbia River’s resilience and health, including Inflation Reduction Act and Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act funding. Speakers to be announced. RSVP here and livestream briefing here.
SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE: February 8-12 (Salt Lake City, UT) — National Association of Conservation Districts: National Association of Conservation District’s 2025 Annual Meeting.
NACD will hold its annual meeting in February in Salt Lake City (plenary and breakouts take place February 10-12). Generally, between 800-1,000 participants attend the conference, representing local conservation districts across the country, as well as state and federal partners and NRCS leadership.
NACD has issued a call for breakout session proposals, which are due October 2. The themes this year include Community Outreach – to include approaches for reaching new and varied audiences for district programs and examples of successful outreach and education projects; Conservation Implementation: Now and in the Future – examples of successful projects in natural resources, agriculture, urban conservation, and climate resilience; Conservation Capacity, Funding and Operations – innovative ways districts are maintaining or growing capacity in a changing political and economic environment, to include successful strategies for securing funding, approaches for staff management or board recruitment, etc.; and Conservation Partnerships – partnership opportunities for districts, new and innovative ways districts have partnered with foundations, local or state government, nonprofits, corporations and others.
WILDLAND FIRE MANAGEMENT: February 20 (11am-12:30pm): USDA Forest Service Northern & Southern Research Stations & Joint Fire Science Program: Social Acceptance and Communication Strategies for Wildland Fire Management.
Prescribed fire is one of the most effective tools for fuels reduction, habitat improvement, and ecological restoration. Yet, there are challenges surrounding social acceptance in implementing prescribed fire programs across the region. This Fueling Collaboration panel discussion will explore the factors that influence public perception and acceptance of prescribed fire in land management. Experts from diverse fields will share insights into effective and culturally appropriate communication strategies that engage communities, address concerns, overcome resistance, and build robust support for ecological restoration practices that include the use of fire. By highlighting successful examples from across the region, this panel aims to equip both fire researchers and fire managers with the tools needed to foster community trust and collaboration in fire-adapted landscapes. Speakers include:
- Dr. Kristin Floress (Moderator), Research Social Scientist, USDA Forest Service Northern Research Station;
- Dr. Ludie Bond, Wildfire Mitigation Specialist/Public Information Officer, Florida Forest Service;
- Dr. Catrin Edgeley, Assistant Professor of Natural Resource Sociology, School of Forestry at Northern Arizona University;
- Steve Miller, Regional Director, Fire and Aviation, USDA Forest Service Region 9; and
- Dr. Emily J. Silver (formerly Dr. Emily S. Huff), Interim Director of the Forest Carbon and Climate Program at Michigan State University in the Department of Forestry.
FOREST CONSERVATION: July 15-18 (Washington, DC) — American Forest Congress: 9th American Forest Congress
The American Forest Congress is a proud tradition that has influenced the direction of forest conservation and management in America for more than a century. Since the first American Forest Congress in 1882 to the most recent in 2022, these seminal events have led directly to major outcomes in the forestry sector, including the creation of the U.S. Forest Service, the establishment of the eastern National Forests, new community-based and collaborative approaches to forestry, and efforts to ensure women and allies lead the way in diversifying leadership within the forest community. Submit nominations here.