Ferry Beach Retreat & Conference Center
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SOS Saco Bay Presents
Second Annual Coastal Conference
September 27, 2023
2023 - Second Annual Conference
2022 - First Annual Conference
2023 - Second Annual Conference
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Program Guide
Sponsorship Opportunities

Schedule

8:00  – 8:30 AM           Registration & Exhibits
8:30 – 9:00 AM            Keynote Address
                                    Lori Gramlich, Maine House of Representatives; Old Orchard Beach, ME
9:00 AM                       Students Depart for Student Track
9:00 – 9:15 AM             SOS Saco Bay – A Coastal Update
                                   David Plavin, Vice President, SOS Saco Bay, Saco, ME
9:15 – 10:00 AM          Living Shorelines – On the Ground in the State of Maine
                                    Paul Bernacki, The Home Place Team, Belmont, ME
10:00 – 10:30 AM         Break in the Exhibit Area
10:30 – 11:00 AM         Confronting Accelerated Shoreline Erosion at Plum Island, Newburyport, MA
                                    Anders Bjarngard, PE, GZA GeoEnvironmental; Amesbury, MA
11:00 – 11:30 AM         Protecting Critical Infrastructure at Prescott Park in Portsmouth, NH
                                    Cassie Bethoney, RLA, Weston & Sampson Design Studio; Boston, MA
11:30 AM – 12:00 PM   Regulatory Update
Marybeth Richardson, Maine Department of Environmental Protection; Portland, ME
12:00 – 1:00 PM           Lunch Provided/Exhibits
1:00 PM                       Students Rejoin Main Track
1:00 – 2:00 PM             Rotating Field Stations on the Beach
  •  Shoreline Construction:  Planning & ImplementationRobert Anderson, Maine Coastal Protection, LLC; North Yarmouth, ME 
  • Understanding the Ferry Beach Shoreline Shoreline Peter Slovinsky, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry; Augusta, ME
  • What are the Future Options for Protecting Camp Ellis Beach? Peter. M. Hanrahan, CPESC; Hanrahan Environmental, LLC; Topsham, ME
2:00 – 2:30 PM             Salt Marsh Restoration at the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge
                                    Rachel Stearns, Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge; Wells, ME
2:30 – 3:00 PM             Break in the Exhibit Area
3:00 – 3:30 PM             Erosion control, Private Structures and the Loss of Public Access in Camden Harbor
Alison McKellar, Town of Camden; Camden, ME
3:30 – 4:00 PM   Working with Proactive Communities in Coastal Maine on Climate Resilience Planning
                          Maggie Kelly-Boyd and Bina Skordas, FB Environmental Associates; Portland, ME
4:00 – 4:30 PM             Wrap Up Session/Questions & Answers
4:30 PM                       Adjourn
 

Student Track

Students will break out after the first two presentations, then rejoin the main group for lunch and afternoon sessions
(20 minute presentations with 10 minutes Q&A)
 
Student Track Schedule
 
9:30 AM    Welcome to the Schiller Center
The Schiller Center enables high level field and laboratory based interdisciplinary study related to critical issues of coastal and climate concern. With its accessible ocean side location and modernized facilities, the Center is foundational to Bowdoin's expanding role as a leader in environmental studies.
Holly Parker, PhD Director, Schiller Coastal Studies Center, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine

10:00 AM   Climate Ready Coast
The goal of this two year project is to develop a regional coastal resilience plan for a 10-municipality region Southern Maine through collaborative engagement of municipalities, local land trusts, regional conservation organizations, and state and federal natural resource agencies.
Abbie Sherwin, Senior Planner & Coastal Resilience Coordinator, Southern Maine Planning & Development Commission, Saco, Maine
 
10:30 AM   Sea Level Rise and Coastal Flooding
Rising seas are impacting coastal communities all over the globe.  Coastal flooding is on the rise.  Coastal residents are faced with more frequent and more intense storm surges.  These conditions require innovative responses and solutions, and solid long-term strategy.
Hannah Baranes, Ph. D. Postdoctoral Researcher, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, Portland, Maine 

11:00 AM   Technology and Tools for Coastal Protection
Alternatives to traditional solutions for shoreline protection are emerging.  The toolbox for designers and installers is growing rapidly.  Living shoreline solutions offer an alternative to hard armor installations. This session will examine a selected array of those alternatives.
Michael Everhart, Eastern Erosion Control and Stormwater Specialist, Everett J. Prescott, Inc. Gardiner, Maine 
 
 
11:30 AM    Resilient Infrastructure
The Maine Climate Action Plan includes strategies to emphasize nature-based solutions in land use planning, regulations, and climate-ready infrastructure investments.  Maine DEP is supporting these efforts through regulatory reform and by improving technical assistance programs as we transition to the future climate.
Nathan Robbins, Climate Change Specialist, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, Augusta, Maine 
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Registration 
$85.00 General Admission
$60.00 Government/Non-Profit
$25.00 Students
Registration fee includes continental breakfast, lunch, all breaks and all conference materials.
 
Event Location
Ferry Beach Retreat & Conference Center; 14 Boardwalk Drive; Saco, Maine
Parking along Boardwalk Drive, 21 Ferry Park Avenue and 96 Seaside Avenue
Register online at FERRYBEACH.ORG/SOS
 
Attendees who complete the course will earn six (6.0) Professional Development Hours.
​

Thank You Sponsors!

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2022 - First Annual Conference
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SOS Saco Bay Presents
1st Annual Coastal Conference
A Call to Action - Confronting Rising Seas and Coastal Erosion
Schedule & Presentations

8:30 - 9:00 am Registration / Continental Breakfast

9:00 - 9:30 am Keynote Address [Download Presentation]
Lori K. Gramlich, Maine State House of Representatives; Old Orchard Beach, ME
9:30 - 10:30 am Panel Discussion - Past, Present & Future of Saco Bay
Peter Slovinsky, Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation & Forestry; Augusta, ME​
Brian Ambrette, Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future, Augusta, ME
Charles Tilburg, Ph. D., University of New England; Biddeford, ME
Rick Milliard, Chairman, City of Saco Shoreline Commission
Patrick Fox, Director, City of Saco Public Works
Marybeth Richardson, Maine Department of Environmental Protection; Portland, ME
Moderator:  Kevin Roche, President; SOS Saco Bay; Saco, Maine
10:30 - 10:45 am Break in Exhibit Area

10:45 - 11:30 am Going on Offense: Wave Attenuation [Download Presentation]
Scott Bartkowski, Living Shoreline Solutions, Dade City, FL

11:30 - 12:00 pm Climate Ready Coast-Southern Maine:  Developing a regional coastal resilience plan for Southern Maine communities [Download Presentation]
Abbie Sherwin, Southern Maine Planning and Development Commission; Saco, Maine

12:00 pm Lunch Provided

1:00 - 1:30 pm Maine’s Coast: A 2050 Vision [Download Presentation]
Peter M. Hanrahan, CPESC, Hanrahan Environmental, LLC; Topsham, ME

1:30 - 2:30 pm Breakout Sessions

1. Shoreline Restoration
Cathy Stackpole, Ferry Beach Retreat & Conference Center, Saco, ME

2. Coir Fiber Products
Bill Yaffa, BMT Commodity Corporation: New York, NY
Zack Lacasse, Everett J. Prescott, Inc. Gardiner, ME

3. Shorebird Protection
Brad Zitske, State Shorebird Specialist, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife; Augusta, ME

2:30 - 2:45 pm Break in Exhibit Area

2:45 - 3:30 pm Demystifying Sea Level Rise and Flooding Projections:  What Projections Are Available, Why They Vary, and Which to Use [Download Presentation]
Hannah Baranes, Ph.D, Gulf of Maine Research Institute; Portland, ME

3:30 - 4:00 pm Closing Remarks / Q&A
David Plavin, SOS Saco Bay, Saco, ME

4:00 pm Adjourn

Ferry Beach Retreat & Conference Center is a 501(c)3 membership organization. 
Our mission is to awaken hearts to explore, grow and renew the spirit of universal love.  We accomplish our mission through work in the areas of
​arts & culture, education, spirituality, sustainability, personal growth and justice & action.
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Copyright © 2023 
Ferry Beach Retreat & Conference Center
5 Boardwalk Drive, Saco, ME 04072 - Our Address has Changed.  Click here to learn more.
​phone 207.282.4489  • fax 207.690.4800
​
info@ferrybeach.org
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  • Home
  • Organization
    • Governance
    • Board of Directors
    • Staff
    • Work at Ferry Beach
  • Membership
  • Giving
    • One-Time Giving
    • Sustaining Gifts
    • The Beachkeeper Program
    • Quillen Shinn Society
    • Memorial Garden
    • Endowment Fund
    • Scholarship Program
    • Capital Campaigns >
      • Generator
      • GAYLA Theatre Renovation
      • ADA Campus
  • For Members
  • About
    • Our Mission & Values
    • History
    • Contact Us
    • Directions
  • Schedule
    • Community Dinner
    • Open Jam
    • Winter Solstice
    • Nonprofit Retreat
    • SOS Saco Bay Conference
    • Bones and Seeds: Engaging Spiritual Imagination
    • Book Group
    • Women's Retreat
    • 2023 Northeast Changemakers Jam
  • What to Expect
    • Our Facility
    • Our Retreats
    • Our Dining Center
  • Lodging
  • Register
  • News
    • Blog
    • Discovery
  • Plan an Event
    • Gathering Spaces
    • Planning Resources