Climate Speaker Series
Mount Auburn Cemetery has created a Climate Speaker Series to provide a platform for local researchers , academics , public officials , business and non-profit leaders , and volunteer organizations to share with the public their work to investigate , mitigate and adapt to the threats of our warming climate .
Inaugural Climate Speaker Series Event , Fall 2020 :
• Walden Warming : Climate Change Comes to Thoreau ’ s Woods : a zoom presentation by Richard Primack covering the work of his team from Boston University that led to the publication of his acclaimed book about Henry David Thoreau ’ s field observations in the 1850 ’ s and the return to these sites by Primack and his students nearly 150 years later . Thoreau ’ s local observations were a precursor to worldwide phenology studies by the end of the 20 th century .
Winter 2021 Climate Speaker Series Event :
• The Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness ( MVP ) Program : a zoom panel discussion covering an overview of the MVP program in Massachusetts and the efforts of Watertown and Cambridge to conduct vulnerability assessments and implement climate change preparedness and resiliency plans . The role of the urban forest and green infrastructure in addressing heat and flood risks was a major component of this discussion . The panelists included : Kara Runsten , MVP Program Manager ; John Bolduc , Environmental Planner with Cambridge Community Development ; and Laurel Schwab , Senior Environmental Planner & Conservation Agent with Watertown Community Development & Planning .
Cemeteries have become increasingly more popular and important for biodiversity research in urban areas . They are frequently among the largest green spaces in cities and with the continued destruction of habitat to expand urbanization , cemeteries often provide the most desirable habitat for wildlife in an urban area . Trees , shrubs , water features , gardens and flower beds provide opportunities for rest , cover , hydration , food and breeding .
Figure 2 – Image of citizen scientist training program in 2018 . The citizen science program was established in 2016 . Through the fall of 2020 , more than 160 volunteers have participated in citizen science trainings and / or research projects at Mount Auburn .
Mount Auburn Cemetery has collaborated with researchers and faculty from local universities to implement studies to determine species presence and abundance , diversity , and the evaluation of aquatic and terrestrial habitats . Some researchers investigate how species utilize the urban landscape
Mount Auburn Cemetery | Climate Action & Sustainability Plan 66