Southeast Conservation Adaptation Strategy
SECAS brings together public and private organizations around a bold vision for the future of our region. We're connecting the lands and waters of the Southeast and Caribbean to support healthy ecosystems, thriving fish and wildlife populations, and vibrant communities. With a data-driven spatial plan and an ambitious regional goal, SECAS helps accelerate conservation action in the places where it will make the biggest impact.
From the blog
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Hurricane Laura approaches the Gulf Coast. Photo by NOAA Satellites/Flickr. The Blueprint and building resilience
The sheer number and magnitude of the natural disasters in 2020 is breathtaking. While choosing just one catastrophe out of the cornucopia of calamities is hard, the record-breaking hurricane season must surely be toward the top of the list.
For the first time in recorded history, two hurricanes formed in the Gulf of Mexico at the same time in late August. For only the second time on record, the National Hurricane Center burned through its regular list of 21 names for tropical storms and hurricanes and began assigning names based on the Greek alphabet. But as bad and historic as this year’s hurricane season has been, previous years’ storms were just as devastating to many of our coastal communities.
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SECAS map. Updates from the SECAS Coordinator
Back in July, I reported on new membership for the SECAS Steering Committee, and since change is the constant in life, the Steering Committee is adjusting once again. I’m pleased to announce Robert Boyles, Director of the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources was appointed to replace Chuck Sykes, who withdrew from the Steering Committee due to numerous prior commitments. Following almost a year of interim service, Robert was appointed SC DNR director in February 2020. He brings a strong management and marine science perspective to the SECAS Steering Committee. Robert is also an enthusiastic SECAS supporter due to South Carolina’s long record of participation and success in landscape conservation action.
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Cedars of Lebanon State Park in Tennessee. Photo by Michael Hicks/Flickr. CC BY-ND 2.0. Connecting Forest Action Plans to State Wildlife Action Plans
Across the nation, state forestry agencies are preparing to publish their comprehensive Forest Action Plans. The purpose of Forest Action Plans is to determine the status of forest resources through an assessment (e.g., what’s there, who owns it, how is it threatened) and develop strategies and actions to address challenges facing forest resources. Forest Action Plans set the foundation for how state forestry agencies can leverage internal resources to develop strategic partnerships and procure external funding. Forest Action Plans are analogous to State Wildlife Action Plans in that these plans have a ten-year planning horizon, establish places and actions of priority, and enable state agencies to be eligible for a number of federal grants.
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Visit the SECAS blog for a full archive of posts.