July 23, 2010
The Nature Conservancy Launches Marine Planning Website
President Obama on July 19, 2010, signed an Executive Order establishing the country's first comprehensive national policy for the stewardship of our oceans, coasts and Great Lakes. This national policy will set the United States on a new path toward comprehensively planning for the conservation and sustainable use of the ocean. To coincide with this Executive Order, The Nature Conservancy is pleased to announce the official launch of the Marine Planning website. The website is designed to help marine and coastal decision-makers to navigate real-world challenges and reach effective solutions. It advances the Conservancy's ecosystem-based management and marine spatial planning approaches, providing key concepts, case studies, and decision support for multiple-objective management. With the field of marine planning undergoing rapid and important changes, the Marine Planning website will be the place to turn for critical information and insights. TNC partnered with Waterview Consulting to plan and implement the site.

July 6, 2010
Science-to-Action Website and Blog Launched by Conservation International
Conservation International's Marine Management Area Science (MMAS) Program seeks the natural and social science-based solutions needed now to protect the ocean's resources from further degradation. In partnership and collaboration, MMAS put science into action so that nature can provide the multiple benefits needed by people today and tomorrow. MMAS partnered with Waterview Consulting to produce and maintain its new Science-to-Action website and blog.

June 9, 2010
Gulf of Maine Council Releases Multi-Volume State of the Gulf Report Designed by Waterview Consulting
Today the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment at its semi-annual meeting released The State of the Gulf of Maine Report, a modular, living document that includes an overview document and a series of theme or issue papers. The overview document, The Gulf of the Maine in Context, provides an introduction to the natural and socio-economic environment of the Gulf of Maine. The theme papers provide in-depth discussions of important issues within the Gulf, based on priorities identified by the Council. The theme papers are being developed incrementally during 2010 and 2011, and subsequently they will be regularly updated at time intervals appropriate to each issue. The Gulf of Maine Council selected Waterview Consulting to develop branding for the State of the Gulf initiative and to design the 56-page The Gulf of the Maine in Context and several 10- to 15-page theme papers. Theme papers included in the initial release are Climate Change and its Effects on Humans, Climate Change and its Effects on Ecosystems, Habitats and Biota, Marine Invasive Species, and Emerging Issues. The Council has partnered with Waterview Consulting to produce several additional theme papers over the next 18 months.

May 20, 2010
Waterview Consulting's Peter Taylor Participates in the 2010 Environmental Communication Symposium
As sustainability science scholars and stakeholders attempt to link the production of knowledge with action to support healthy economies, ecosystems, and communities, the need for research and teaching in communication grows. The 2010 Environmental Communication Symposium brings together scholars from the field of environmental communication with researchers, educators, and students who are interested in sustainability and environmental studies. The interdisciplinary field of environmental communication brings unique and important components to the study of sustainability.

April 15, 2010
Casco Bay Estuary Partnership Selects Waterview Consulting to Produce State of the Bay Report
In 1990, Maine's Casco Bay was designated an estuary of national significance and was included in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's National Estuary Program, established in 1987 to protect nationally significant estuaries threatened by pollution, development or overuse. As a result of this designation, the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership (CBEP) was formed with the mission of protecting and restoring the water quality and the fish and wildlife habitats of the Casco Bay ecosystem, while ensuring compatible human uses. CBEP is one of 28 National Estuary Programs in the United States. Every five years, CBEP releases a comprehensive report on the status of Casco Bay. CBEP is partnering with Waterview Consulting to design and produce its 2010 State of the Bay Report, including a 72-page booklet and interactive web-based maps. The booklet will be richly illustrated with GIS maps, photographs, and conceptual diagrams to convey the latest scientific findings about the health of the bay and its watershed. The interactive maps will complement the printed booklet by enabling people to explore key data on ecological and socioeconomic indicators for Casco Bay.

April 8, 2010
Waterview Consulting's Peter Taylor Is Guest Lecturer at University of New England
Peter Taylor is guest lecturing today at the Environmental Communication course taught by Christine Feurt (Director, Center for Sustainable Communities) at the University of New England. His presentation describes the current theory and practice of science-based communication in resource management and conservation, using projects conducted by Waterview Consulting and other organizations as examples.

March 29, 2010
Conservation International Publishes E-Newsletter on Efforts to Protect Ocean Life
Today Waterview Consulting distributed an e-newsletter that we wrote and designed for the Marine Management Area Science (MMAS) Program of Conservation International. We worked with CI staff in several locations around the world to identify content for the newsletter. We created the e-newsletter and sent it to a CI mailing list using a no-fee web-based system that we selected because it offers excellent features equivalent to those of fee-based solutions such as Constant Contact, including easy list management and real-time reporting of recipient response rates for each mailing.

March 17, 2010
Symposium Presentation on Communication for Ecosystem-Based Management
Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting was selected as a speaker for the Maine Water Conference being held today at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta, Maine. The Maine Water Conference was founded in 1994 by the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Environmental and Watershed Research at the University of Maine as an annual forum for water resource professionals, researchers, consultants, citizens, students, regulators, and planners to exchange information and present new findings on water resource issues in Maine. Summary of Peter's presentation: Increasingly, environmental management demands the direct engagement of diverse sectors and stakeholders in decision-making processes. Sharing salient, credible, and accessible science-based information among stakeholders and decision-makers is crucial for effective decision-making. As a result, science communication is now recognized as a core element of the management process, not an optional, add-on activity. However, communicating science-based information in environmental management presents considerable challenges: (1) participants vary widely in scientific understanding, (2) science to address environmental issues is complex and multidisciplinary, (3) volume of useful information far exceeds the capacity of participants to absorb and use it, (4) communication needs to be interactive and multidirectional, not unidirectional, among participants, and (5) budgetary constraints affect funding available for communication efforts. These challenges are especially acute in ecosystem-based management (EBM). In the last several years, numerous organizations in Maine and around the world have sought to address the need for enhanced science communication in environmental decision-making. How effective have these tools and methods been in supporting management decision-making? This talk will integrate findings from several projects to identify successful practices for science communication in environmental management.

March 1, 2010
Online EBM Roadmap Is Featured in Marine Ecosystems and Management
The latest issue of Marine Ecosystems and Management features an article about the Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM) Roadmap, which was developed by Waterview Consulting with COMPASS and the EBM Tools Network. MEAM is a bimonthly international newsletter dedicated to providing information on coastal and marine ecosystem-based management.

February 15 , 2010
Waterview Consulting Helps Create Online Guide to Invasive Species
The Northeast Aquatic Nuisance Species (NEANS) Network has launched a new online guide to invasive species. These non-native animals and plants, such as Asian shore crab and Eurasian watermilfoil, are causing major changes in freshwater and marine ecosystems. Waterview Consulting produced the content for the online guide. We conducted background research on the natural history, identification, impacts, and geographic distribution of each species. We distilled this information into brief write-ups with careful attention to accuracy and reader-friendliness for non-expert audiences. For each species, we also obtained a selection of high-quality photographs with usage permissions. Developed with partners Yellahoose and Slickfish Studios, the NEANS guide features a searchable database, on-the-fly PDF creation, and a content-management system.

January 18, 2010
Peter Taylor Becomes Weekly Contributor to Conservation Maven Blog
Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting is now a weekly contributor to Conservation Maven, an online hub where conservation practitioners, researchers, educators and students stay connected to what's going on in the field. Link to Jan. 18 post: Shifting baselines: how quickly we forget about declining species. Link to Jan. 22 post: Climate change reducing stream habitat for fish.

December 14, 2009
Report Released on Economic Analysis for Ecosystem-Based Management
The field of economics offers a conceptual framework for thinking about interactions between humans and the natural world. Many decisions regarding natural resources hinge on questions of how people value these resources and how to make appropriate tradeoffs. Economic analysis provides rigorous, well-developed methods and a useful set of decision-support tools for natural resource management and policy. However, these economic methods are underutilized for resource management decision-making. To address this gap, the Massachusetts Ocean Partnership is releasing a reader-friendly, 13-page document called Economic Analysis for Ecosystem-Based Management of Ocean and Coastal Resources: An Introduction (PDF, 2.2 MB). The report provides an accessible, useful overview for managers, policy makers, stakeholders, and others with an interest in marine ecosystems. Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting co-authored the document with three natural resource economists, and Waterview Consulting designed the interior pages of the report.

December 10, 2009
New Website Provides Practical Support for Ecosystem-Based Management
Many organizations seek to advance ecosystem-based management (EBM) for the ocean and coast. Launched today, the online EBM Roadmap provides a concise introduction to the concept and practice of EBM, a launching point for implementing EBM, and a touchstone for all EBM participants and stakeholders. With the Roadmap, users can find information, case studies, methods, tools, and data to address the eight Core Elements of EBM. Waterview Consulting developed the EBM Roadmap with the Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea (COMPASS) and the EBM Tools Network. For a 2-page brochure about the EBM Roadmap, click here (PDF).

November 19, 2009
Packard Foundation Awards Grant to Waterview
The David and Lucile Packard Foundation has awarded a grant to Waterview Consulting to study ecosystem-based management (EBM) tools. The study will analyze the impact of EBM tools on management decision-making, and it will identify practices that can increase the success of EBM tool use. Peter Taylor (Waterview Consulting) will conduct the project in collaboration with Mike Beck (The Nature Conservancy), Heather Leslie (Brown University), and Sarah Carr (NatureServe/EBM Tools Network).

November 2, 2009
Waterview and The Nature Conservancy Produce Report on Marine Spatial Planning
President Barack Obama in June 2009 established an Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force to develop a national ocean policy with marine spatial planning (MSP) as a cornerstone. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Global Marine Team is now releasing a report on Best Practices for Marine Spatial Planning (PDF, 2 MB) based on a recent workshop of MSP experts held in Santa Cruz, California. Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting participated in the workshop and wrote the white paper with TNC staff.

October 30, 2009
Waterview Creates Publication on Ocean Observing
The national association that represents regional ocean observing systems in the U.S. is releasing a new flyer that provides an overview of its mission and membership. Waterview Consulting edited and designed the flyer for the National Federation of Regional Associations (NFRA) for Coastal and Ocean Observing, including a customized map of all waters in the U.S. exclusive economic zone (EEZ). Download: NFRA flyer (PDF, 1.2 MB)

October 28, 2009
Waterview Partipates in Coastal Waters Conference
Today Waterview Consulting is participating in the Maine Coastal Waters Conference in Northport, Maine.

September 10, 2009
Peter Taylor Selected as Presenter for Gulf of Maine Symposium
Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting has been selected as a presenter at the Gulf of Maine Symposium (October 4-9, 2009). He will present a talk on ecosystem-based management (EBM) during the plenary session on "Tools for integrated policy and management."

July 27, 2009
Waterview Presents Talk at Coastal Management Conference
Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting made a presentation at the Coastal Zone 09 conference in Boston. The title of his talk was "How Do We Get There From Here: A Science-Based Roadmap for Implementing Ecosystem-Based Management (EBM)". The talk focused on the Ecosystem-Based Management Roadmap that he developed with COMPASS and the EBM Tools Network.

June 22, 2009
Waterview Travels to Santa Cruz for Marine Spatial Planning Workshop
The Nature Conservancy held a workshop on marine spatial planning in Santa Cruz, California, on June 18 and 19. Participants hailed from the United States, Canada, Costa Rica, and Venezuela. Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting attended the workshop, and he is writing a report with the workshop organizers on best practices for marine spatial planning.

May 8, 2009
Waterview, COMPASS, and EBM Tools Network Produce Online Guide to Ecosystem-Based Management
COMPASS and the EBM Tools Network are launching version 1.0 of the Ecosystem-Based Management Roadmap. The EBM Roadmap is an online resource that helps environmental managers, policy makers, scientists, conservationists, and stakeholders to move ecosystem-based management from concept to practice. Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting developed the Roadmap concept, researched and wrote the content, and created the web pages in collaboration with the Communication Partnership for Science and the Sea (COMPASS) and the EBM Tools Network. Over the next few months, he will be expanding the Roadmap with case studies and tools.

March 27, 2009
Waterview Helps CLF Launch the Great Bay Initiative
The Conservation Law Foundation is announcing the Great Bay Initiative to protect one of New Hampshire's most important natural resources. The health of the Great Bay Estuary is in jeopardy from rising levels of nutrient pollution, inadequate sewage treatment, harmful stormwater runoff, and sprawling development. Waterview Consulting edited and designed the Great Bay Initiative brochure and two half-page newspaper ads to announce the initiative.

January 26, 2009
State of California Releases Booklet Written by Waterview Consulting
The California Department of Fish and Game is releasing a new report called Channel Islands Marine Protected Areas: First 5 Years of Monitoring 2003–2008. DFG produced the report in conjunction with the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO), Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and Channel Islands National Park. Contributors included scientists from research institutions and government agencies who conducted biological and socioeconomic monitoring in the Channel Islands region. Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting wrote the report in collaboration with the sponsoring organizations.

November 26 , 2008
The Maine Natural Areas Program has hired Waterview Consulting to produce descriptions of ten of the state's Focus Areas of Ecological Significance. Waterview Consulting is writing, editing, and designing the documents.

October 8, 2008
The Massachusetts Ocean Partnership is producing a booklet describing the role that economic analysis can play in ecosystem-based management (EBM). Waterview Consulting is writing, editing, and designing the booklet.

June 16, 2008
QLF has released Seascapes, an 80-page book written by Peter Taylor of Waterview Consulting. Intended for non-scientists, Seascapes presents a novel process for collecting information about bays, gulfs, and other ocean areas, as well as coastal watersheds. The process can be used to produce a "marine area characterization" that is valuable for resource management, conservation, and environmental planning. Peter worked with Jennifer Atkinson (QLF Marine Program Director) and an advisory group of scientific experts from numerous organizations to define the necessary components and the process of a marine area characterization (MAC). In addition to writing the document, Waterview Consulting compiled a comprehensive directory of information sources for the state of Maine, which are presented in an appendix. Click here for more information.

April 17, 2008
Waterview Consulting conducted the Gulf of Maine Ecosystem-Based Management Toolkit Survey in collaboration with COMPASS and the EBM Tools Network. We also did the writing, photo research, photography, graphics, and design for the survey report (PDF, 2.1 MB) and a one-page flyer (PDF, 1.1 MB). We created a web version of the report with supplemental material, including an interactive version of survey questions and results.

March 27, 2008
An article by Peter Taylor on climate change's impact on the coastline appears in the spring 2008 issue of Special Places, the magazine of the Trustees of Reservations.

March 13, 2008
Peter Taylor wrote an article on new technology for septic systems that appears in the spring 2008 issue of the Gulf of Maine Times.

February 29, 2008
The U.S. Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network has released a new booklet for Integrative Science for Society and Environment: A Strategic Research Initiative. Waterview Consulting provided editing services for the booklet.

February 26, 2008
Today marks the release of a new, 42-page booklet called Salt Marshes in the Gulf of Maine: Human Impacts, Habitat Restoration, and Long-term Change Analysis. Waterview Consulting provided writing; photography; photo research; and coordination of design, printing, and distribution for the booklet. We also created the web page for the booklet, including downloadable images that are available for presentations and web pages. In addition, our client wanted a user-tracking system so they could gather valuable information about the audience for the publication. We worked with Jim Cradock of Yellahoose LLC to create web forms to request name and contact info from people who download the electronic (PDF) version of the booklet. The forms also enable users to request hard copies to be sent by postal mail. These requests are automatically transmitted to the centralized distribution office. The user-tracking database will allow our client to evaluate the booklet's usefulness and effectiveness for the target audience.

February 15, 2008
Waterview Consulting is launching the OCEAN & COAST Blog as a place to put interesting info and odds-and-ends that we come across while working on projects.

February 7, 2008
Waterview Consulting provided editing, photo research, graphics, and design for a new report on Habitat Classification in the Gulf of Maine. We also set up the web page for the report.

January 9, 2008
The Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment is releasing the 84-page Stream Barrier Removal Monitoring Guide, which provides detailed methods for ecological monitoring of rivers before and after the removal of dams. Waterview Consulting provided editing, photography, graphics, and design services for the guide and created the web page for it on the Council's server.