Creating Conceptual Models to Systematically Think About Ecosystem Services

The Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve is offering an online 2020 Science Solutions series to learn about the conservation work happening at Rookery Bay. In this two-day workshop, Nicholas Institute policy associate Sara Mason will discuss how conceptual models can be applied to establish a common but flexible ecosystem services management approach to help ensure consistency in consideration of ecosystem services, standardization in monitoring, transparent sharing of ecosystem services outcomes, and stakeholder engagement for ecosystem services management decisions. The workshop will be relevant for researchers, coastal managers, and outreach professionals.

Workshop sessions will be held 1–3 p.m.each day.

Sara Mason is a policy associate at the Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy Solutions at Duke University and holds a Masters of Environmental Management in ecosystem science and conservation. She is also a coordinator of the National Ecosystem Services Partnership. Sara has worked with federal and state entities, including the National Estuarine Research Reserve System, in various capacities for the past three years developing methods for integrating ecosystem services into coastal decision-making.