We’ve all heard a lot about climate change. But what about the local effects? What’s really going to happen here? What can or should we be doing about it? Is there anything we can do locally to mitigate some of the negative impacts? What can individuals, local organizations and local governments be doing to plan for the best possible outcomes, or avoid the worst possible disasters? How can we all work together, learn from others and collaborate on this vital mission to deal with the effects of climate change?

The impacts of climate change are also linked with ongoing problems of nutrient pollution in our local waterways, Narragansett Bay and Buzzard’s Bay. Increasing ocean temperatures are likely to exacerbate the effects of nutrient overload and complicate our efforts to deal with excessive nitrogen.

A small ad hoc group of interested parties has arranged two events on September 21 and 30 to be held at the Stone Barn Farm, Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary, 786 East Horseneck Road, Dartmouth, to discuss these issues and decide if we should form a South Coast Climate Coalition.

The first event on 21 September, 2-4 p.m., will provide an overview of the biology and science of salt marshes that will be followed by a report on one approach to salt marsh recovery.

This event is free and open to the public. Many communities are reporting that their salt marshes are degrading and diminishing in size. The two speakers will discuss the possible causes of these problems and what might be done to address them.

— Dr. Judith Weis, professor emerita of biological sciences at Rutgers University, and author of a most informative and readable book, Salt Marshes-A Natural and Unnatural History, will give the first talk, which will cover key aspects of her book: The basics of salt marshes-the dominant plants and animals that live there (focus on mid- and north-Atlantic marshes), and the functions that salt marshes perform, such as serving as a nursery for many species of fish, buffer against storms, and filter for pollutants.

Then she will discuss the ways in which people have altered salt marshes, including physically (filling in for development, mosquito ditches), chemically (pollution of various kinds), and biologically (invasive species). She will discuss contemporary problems such as marsh loss due to submergence and sea level rise, the marsh die-back in various parts of the country and the causes of the die-back. Finally, she will discuss marsh restoration projects, and look at the gradual progress towards recovery of the highly urbanized Hackensack Meadowlands of New Jersey after centuries of abuse.

— Sam Whitin, who has over 15 years of experience related to the implementation of salt marsh restoration projects in the New England and mid-Atlantic Region, will deliver a presentation focused on the most current restoration techniques being applied to salt marsh systems that are degraded as a result of submergence. The presentation will draw upon his experience using thin layer deposition (also known as elevation enhancement) restoration techniques, which are currently being pilot-tested in the mid-Atlantic region by the US Army Corps of Engineers and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  Mr. Whitin currently serves as the New England operations manager for the environmental consulting firm EA Engineering, Science, and Technology, Inc. in Warwick, RI.

The second event on September 30, will first explore some of the tools at our disposal to deal with local climate change issues and then discuss the potential benefits of forming a local organization to help us respond to the effects of climate change.

The morning session, from 11 am to 1 pm will include the following presentations:

— Mark Carullo, of the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, will discuss the new computer program that has been have developed to model marsh migration scenarios as sea level rises. He will discuss the new SLAMM modeling data which will help to identify areas where marsh migration (inland) is possible and those areas where there are potential barriers to this natural process.

— Daniel Brown, climate change program coordinator for Mass Audubon, will discuss climate education resources, how to communicate the science, the need for civic engagement around the issue, and how we should think of climate change as a new aspect of the challenges our communities face.

— Bill Napolitano, environmental program director, SRPEDD (Southeastern Regional Planning and Economic Development District — the Regional Planning Agency for most of Bristol County and the South Coast of Mass.) will talk about how communities can use planning tools to ready their communities for the coming changes.

He has much experience in this regard, having been instrumental in kick-starting The Resilient Taunton Watershed Network.

—Eric Walberg, senior program leader, Climate Services Program, Manomet, Plymouth, will talk about land management strategies that will help communities and landowners prepare for the effects of climate change in a talk titled “Science to Guide Land Management.”

Following these talks and starting at 1 p.m., there will be an open discussion of the pros and cons of starting a South Coast Climate Coalition, its possible form and activities. This will be an opportunity for small, large, local, regional and national nonprofit environmental groups as well as citizens from towns and cities along the coast of both Massachusetts and Rhode Island to discuss creating this possible coalition. It will provide an opportunity to forge a wide-ranging collaboration between disparate entities with a common goal of dealing with the ongoing impacts of climate change.

Both events are free, but persons planning to attend are requested to pre-register with Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary via email: allenspond@massaudubon.org or online:

http://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/allens-pond