This past month, I had the opportunity to continue helping the Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience (OPDR) with two projects focused on building resilience networks for Oregon’s coastal communities.\u00a0 The first was the North Coast Community Network Pilot Project.\u00a0 As I’ve explained in previous blogs, the purpose of this this DLCD-led NOAA funded project is to help build a resilience network for communities on Oregon’s north coast.\u00a0 Specifically, we are focusing on the cities of Seaside, Cannon Beach, and Gearhart, as well as Clatsop County.\u00a0 This past month, we held a technical work group meeting at the DLCD office\u00a0 in Salem to discuss the results of our public outreach.\u00a0 Mostly, the conversation focused on how we should think about the edits made to the USAID benchmarks as a result of input by local residents.\u00a0 We also discussed the role that interactive mapping will play in this project.\u00a0 Our hope is that we can build a website that allows local residents to input their own information onto a map so that other residents can be aware of potential hazards.\u00a0 The next step of this project is to create specific measures that would allow us to analyze whether the communities are meeting their benchmark goals.<\/p>\n
I also helped OPDR with a workshop pertaining to a South Coast Socio-Economic Resilience Network they are working on.\u00a0 The purpose of this Ford Family Foundation funded project is to create a resilience network amongst the local businesses on Oregon’s southern coast.\u00a0 This past month, we held a meeting at the Culinary Institute in Coos Bay to engage local business owners.\u00a0 OPDR invited a number of speakers to join a panel discussion about the natural hazards that face the area, and they led a workshop to get feedback from the business owners.\u00a0 In the end, this project hopes to focus on socio-economic gaps that many times are forgotten by planners who are working to create resilience networks.<\/p>\n
I also organized a meeting for the Oregon Sea Grant Marine Debris Coordination Group.\u00a0 This time, we asked a number of external partners to join us: Kim Lippert (OEM), Nir Barnea (NOAA), Alicia Lyman-Holt (Hinsdale Wave Center), and Mary Donohue (Hawaii Sea Grant).\u00a0 A lot of great projects were discussed, and a number of new connections were made.\u00a0 For example, Kim Lippert’s work as OEM’s Public Information Officer seems to be a great fit for a number of Sea Grant partners. \u00a0 As a result of this meeting, some of her work will be promoted through the Sea Grant. Another meeting is tentatively scheduled for January.<\/p>\n
There is a lot coming up next month.\u00a0 Stay tuned.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
This past month, I had the opportunity to continue helping the Oregon Partnership for Disaster Resilience (OPDR) with two projects focused on building resilience networks for Oregon’s coastal communities.\u00a0 The first was the North Coast Community Network Pilot Project.\u00a0 As … Continue reading