Climate Change impacts all aspects of life on Nantucket Island. The Annual Climate Change Summit brings together our community to learn about those changes and how our island is and will adapt in the future.
Adapting Nantucket: 4 September 2024
Thank you for making the second annual Nantucket Climate Change Summit: Adapting Nantucket a resounding success.
We explored how Nantucket is adapting to the impacts of Climate Change, island researchers, managers, and local experts from various fields share how they see climate change is changing their work. At the Summit, our at capacity crowd learned about current work happening right on our island and discussed the opportunities for adaptation for the island’s future.
Watch NCTV's recording of the full Summit here.
Short talks will be followed by a moderated panel of our speakers.
After the Summit, a social hour will be held to connect with your neighbors. Light food and beverages will be provided.
In partnership with the Community Foundation of Nantucket Remain Nantucket Fund and the Great Harbor Yacht Club, the Summit was held September 4th, 2024 at the Great Harbor Yacht Club, 4pm-6:30pm.
Meet our Presenters and Panelists, Summit 2024
Julie Jordin
Owner: The Garden Design Company
Julie Jordin has been designing landscapes and gardening on Nantucket since 1995. A graduate of Penn State with a BS in Landscape Design and Contracting, Julie is passionate about creating outdoor spaces that reflect the clients’ personalities and lifestyles. Her unique vision has earned her recognition in the industry, making her a sought-after expert in crafting lush, sustainable landscapes. Julie's commitment to environmental stewardship is reflected in her use of native plants and eco-friendly design practices.
Niles Parker
Executive Director: Nantucket Historical Assocation
Niles Parker is the Gosnell Executive Director of the Nantucket Historical Association. He previously held the position as the Robyn and John Davis Chief Curator at the NHA from 1999 to 2006, as well as acting Executive Director from 2005 to 2006. He played a leading role in the Whaling Museum’s major expansion and renovation project in 2005. In the intervening years between his positions at the NHA, Parker held the position of Executive Director at the Penobscot Marine Museum in Searsport, Maine from 2006 to 2010; and Executive Director at the Maine Discovery Museum from 2010-2022, where he helped launch the statewide Maine Science Festival. Parker received his B.A. from Colby College and his M.A. in Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program.
Matt Herr
Owner: Grey Lady Oysters
Matt Herr has 40 years of commercial fishing experience on Nantucket Island. While in high school, Matt spent his summers on Nantucket working on a commercial cod fishing vessel. Upon graduating college with a degree in Political Science from Skidmore College, Matt moved to Nantucket and focused on his passion of commercial fishing working on a lobster boat before branching out on his own where he has been commercially bay scalloping (35 years), conching (30 years), and now farming oysters for the past 11 years. Matt has been actively involved in the community and has served on the Harbor Shellfish Advisory Board (6 years) and served as the chairman for the Shellfish Management Plan Committee. His oyster farm is called Grey Lady Oysters and has a family-focused model on providing a local, healthy, sustainable product that helps to improve water quality while growing seafood that stays on Nantucket.
Welcome our Panel Moderator:
Cecil Barron Jensen, Executive Director Remain
Cecil moved to Nantucket in 1996 and worked for a number of the island’s preeminent nonprofits before assuming the role of Remain’s executive director in 2018. Some of Remain’s signature initiatives launched during Cecil’s tenure include Nantucket Footprints, More Nantucket and the Envision Resilience Challenge. In addition, under her leadership the organization has focused on food systems, food insecurity, affordable housing, architectural salvage reuse and nature-based solutions to climate challenges. Cecil is a graduate of Middlebury College, with a bachelor's degree in English.
These events originated with Drs Jen Karberg and Sarah Bois who partner on climate change and resilience-based research and education while working for two different non-profits on Nantucket: the Nantucket Conservation Foundation and the Linda Loring Nature Foundation.
Dr Jen Karberg
Director of Research and Partnerships
Nantucket Conservation Foundation
