Webinar | Regional Ocean Data Sharing: Southeast Sand Resources Project

Join SECOORA for a webinar titled “Regional Ocean Data Sharing: Southeast Sand Resources Project” hosted by Mary Conley, The Nature Conservancy. Mary will be discussing results from a project aimed at understanding existing resources and information gaps related to sand management.

Sand may not immediately come to mind as a critical ocean resource. However, amongst its ecological and socioeconomic values are offshore fisheries habitat, sea turtle nesting and beach tourism. Between 2008-2018, there were 208 beach nourishment projects using over 105 million cubic yards of sand along the southeast Atlantic coast. Some locations are facing sand shortages, looking further offshore to identify viable beach sand. Multiple government agencies, universities, and private engineers are part of the effort to identify and manage sand resources. Over the past year, we engaged these constituents to understand existing resources and information gaps related to sand management. Join us to hear the results of this effort and learn how you can directly access the tools and resources that were uncovered.

Click here to reserve your spot for the webinar on February 23, 2021 at 12:00 PM ET.

Meet the Presenter

Mary Conley serves as The Nature Conservancy’s Director of Marine Conservation for the southeast United States. Working in collaboration with staff from Virginia to Louisiana, she leads regional coastal and marine conservation initiatives focused around climate adaptation, ocean protection and sustainable fisheries. Her roles include strategic planning, facilitation, and partner engagement. Prior to joining the Conservancy, Mary worked with the Maryland Coastal Zone Management Program and the Chesapeake Bay Program.  She holds a Masters in Marine Science, with an emphasis in benthic ecology, from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor of Science in Marine Biology, with a Geology Minor, from the College of Charleston.