by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Jul 29, 2026 | Past Webinars, Webinars
This webinar originally aired on Wednesday, July 29, 2026. Presented by: Adrian Laufer of Sea & Shore Solutions and Christopher Janousek of Oregon State University. Description: Coastal wetlands – marshes, tidal forests, seagrass meadows, and mudflats – deliver an estimated $23 billion in storm-protection benefits in the US alone. The Pacific Northwest Regional Blue Carbon Calculator gives state agencies, planners, and conservation practitioners an easy-to-use tool and scientifically rigorous way to estimate the carbon emissions and sequestration impacts of land use planning decisions that affect wetlands. Built on a decade of regional data collected from the Pacific Northwest Blue Carbon Working Group from Northern California, Oregon, and Washington, the tool translates complex blue carbon science into actionable, regionally grounded estimates. This webinar will provide background about the working group’s regional projects that support development of the calculator and will show how the tool tracks the full range of land management actions, from conservation and restoration to disturbance and degradation, producing actionable results that agencies can use in funding applications, reports, and long-term planning. Real-world case studies, including wetland dredging and tidal restoration projects, will demonstrate the calculator in action. While the calculator’s current data is specific to the Pacific Northwest, this webinar will discuss how the underlying methodology can be replicated in other regions using local data.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Jul 15, 2026 | Past Webinars, Webinars
This webinar originally aired on Wednesday, July 15, 2026. Presented by: Sarah Hameed, Jessica MacCarthy, and Leticia de Bonilla of the Marine Conservation Institute; Ratana Chuenpagdee of Memorial University of Newfoundland; Rodolphe Devillers of the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD); and Maylin Mora Arias and Yareth Ledezma of Cahuita National Park. Description: The Blue Park Standard sets a global benchmark for what effective marine protection requires: strategic design, equitable governance, strong protection, evidence-based management, compliance, and capacity. The reality is that most marine protected areas (MPAs) fall short of that bar. Blue Parks is a global initiative working to improve conservation quality alongside quantity, building a representative, connected network of protection that revitalizes ecosystems and recovers wildlife. The Blue Park Awards uses the Standard to encourage decision-makers to raise the bar, while celebrating and elevating successful conservation efforts worldwide. Join Marine Conservation Institute, members of the Blue Parks Science Council, and awarded Blue Park managers for an in-depth discussion of how this initiative is driving meaningful progress toward strategically protecting at least 30% of the ocean.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Jun 9, 2026 | Past Webinars, Webinars
This webinar originally aired on Thursday, June 9, 2026. Presented by: Helen Klimmek and Heather Bingham of UNEP-WCMC; Aishath Amal and Muhusina Abdul Rahman of the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Maldives; Uthpala Karunadipathi of the Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka; and Jamie Small, Holly Baigent, Beth Flavell, and Hannah Lawson of JNCC. Description: The Protected Planet Initiative plays a central role in tracking global progress towards Target 3 of the Kunming Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. The World Database on Protected and Conserved Areas (WDPCA) provides the official global indicator of progress towards the 30% coverage target… but how is the effectiveness of these areas tracked? This session spotlights the Global Database on Protected Area Management Effectiveness (GD-PAME), which is hosted on protectedplanet.net alongside the WDPCA. The webinar will begin with a presentation from UNEP-WCMC summarizing the origins and evolution of the database and its role in collating data from diverse assessment tools and approaches. Then speakers from the Ministry of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Maldives; Department of Wildlife Conservation, Sri Lanka; and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), UK, will share firsthand their experiences of assessing the effectiveness of marine protected areas, including the process of reporting their findings to the global database. The webinar will conclude with a live Q&A session.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | Jun 4, 2026 | Past Webinars, Webinars
This webinar originally aired on Thursday, June 4, 2026. Presented by: Nik Strong-Cvetich and Diego Sancho-Gallegos of the Save The Waves Coalition. Description: Surf ecosystems – the land-to-sea interface that creates the conditions for breaking, rideable waves for surfing, and the flora, fauna, and human communities that depend on them – generate enormous economic and cultural value for coastal communities, yet they remain largely unrecognized as natural assets in coastal policy and planning. This webinar introduces Surfonomics – a methodology that quantifies the economic value derived from surfing in coastal communities – and illustrates how reframing a surf break as a natural asset can support coastal conservation. Drawing on Save The Waves Coalition’s work around the world, presenters will trace the evolution from economic valuation of surf breaks to include climate vulnerability assessments and the design of financial tools that can sustain surf-dependent economies under a changing climate. The featured case study focuses on Oriente Salvaje World Surfing Reserve in El Salvador, where the Save The Waves Coalition and partners are developing a parametric insurance pilot to protect surf ecosystems and the coastal communities that depend on them – the first of its kind. Attendees will come away with an understanding of natural resource valuation and its role in supporting conservation and the livelihoods that rely on the sustainable use of these resources.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | May 19, 2026 | Past Webinars, Webinars
This webinar originally aired on Tuesday, June 2, 2026. Presented by: Wave Moretto of Oregon State University, Yudmila Chunguane of Love the Oceans, and Andrea de Moura Milanelli of The Thünen Institute. Description: Join us to hear from the winners of the 2026 Ocean Innovator Award opportunity, which recognizes and promotes innovative ocean-related research and applied solutions. Early career professionals from around the globe submitted creative presentations about their innovative projects related to coastal, ocean, and estuarine environments. The three winners were selected by a team of expert reviewers across several dimensions of the ocean and coastal career field. Winners include: 1st Place: Wave Moretto, “Fish, Kelp, and Habitat Health: Redefining how we monitor Oregon’s nearshore kelp forests”; 2nd Place: Yudmila Chunguane, “BEAM – Biodiversity Enhancement and Algal Management: Youth lead coral restoration in Jangamo Bay”; and 3rd Place: Andrea de Moura Milanelli, “PearlNet: An innovative gillnet modification to reduce bycatch of toothed whales in set net fisheries”.
by Sarah Carr, Ph.D. | May 19, 2026 | Past Webinars, Webinars
This webinar originally aired on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Presented by: Jasmine Fournier of Ocean Sewage Alliance and Jenny Myton of Coral Reef Alliance. Description: Nearly half of the world’s wastewater flows untreated into our rivers and oceans, fueling biodiversity loss, threatening human health, and costing the global economy over $4 trillion annually. But here’s the good news: it’s solvable. Eliminating sewage pollution isn’t just good for the ocean; it’s good for business. Clean water supports healthier ecosystems, more resilient reefs, and sustainable coastal economies. It’s a win-win-win. This webinar brings together the vision for a Global Sewage Treaty with real-world experience from Coral Reef Alliance, an organization working at the intersection of marine conservation, wastewater management, and international policy. Jasmine Fournier, Executive Director of the Ocean Sewage Alliance, will lead the discussion on the Global Sewage Treaty, outlining the vision for a United Nations framework and the growing movement behind it. Joining the conversation is Jenny Myton, Global Lead, Protected Areas and Clean Water Solutions at Coral Reef Alliance. Drawing on her experience engaging with United Nations frameworks, including the Cartagena Convention, Jenny will share how global agreements can translate into local action. She will highlight Coral’s work in West End, Roatán, Honduras, where improved wastewater management has led to measurable gains in reef health and community resilience. Explore how a United Nations treaty could establish international standards, unlock financing, and support locally led solutions to end sewage pollution.
