Blue Carbon refers to the ability of certain coastal ecosystems – salt marshes, seagrass beds, and mangroves – to capture and store carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses from the atmosphere, helping to mitigate the effects of climate change. Coastal ecosystems are more efficient than upland forests at this process of carbon sequestration, but they tend to be smaller and in more densely populated areas. We have already lost many of our coastal ecosystems, and they remain under pressure from human development and from sea level rise. Recent interest in blue carbon is bringing new attention to the importance of maintaining healthy and thriving coastal wetlands, for all the benefits that they provide, including habitat for fisheries and migratory birds, flood protection, and climate mitigation. This Ecological Landscape Alliance online presentation on November 3 at noon will explain how carbon cycles through coastal systems, what makes these environments so efficient at carbon sequestration, and what measures can help to protect and restore coastal ecosystems. Free for ELA members, $10 for nonmembers. Register at www.ecolandscaping.org

Speaker Hilary Stevens is the coastal resilience manager at Restore America’s Estuaries. She oversees the Blue Carbon and Living Shorelines programs. She is a geologist and environmental scientist with extensive experience in coastal resource management. Ms. Stevens has worked on coastal issues and climate change adaptation around the U.S. and globally, with an emphasis on using best-available science to address community needs and improve resource management. She has a particular affinity for island communities, stemming from her time working in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, and as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Philippines. She holds a master’s degree from the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies and a bachelor’s degree from Wesleyan University.