UMass Boston

UHI, working with MA Division of Marine Fisheries and the Cape Cod Commercial Fishing Alliance, is updating the 2022 Port by Port: Profiles and Analysis of the Massachusetts Commercial Fishery which assessed commercial fishing resources and infrastructure in Massachusetts ports. This new project is aimed to update current conditions while engaging harbormasters and commercial fishermen in determining infrastructure needs and opportunities for improvement.

UHI is partnering with Dr. Sung Park (UMass Boston’s Gerontology Department) and Dr. Sowmya Balachandran (UMass Boston’s Urban Planning and Community Development) to explore how older adults in coastal Massachusetts could be impacted by climate-driven relocation. The project will clarify social and health-related vulnerabilities of this population and the barriers and opportunities they perceive in relocating. This project is funded by the University’s Grand Scholarly Challenge program.

UHI is working with the Town of Falmouth and Geosyntec, Inc. to update the 2008 Falmouth Beach Management Plan. The plan focuses on Falmouth's ten public beaches, which are a critical natural resource to the Town. It will address beach management operations and long-term planning to balance public reaction with stewardship of the natural resources. The plan will include input from municipal staff and the public. UHI and Geosyntec are working with the Town to draft the plan which is anticipated to be finalized in 2026.

UHI is working with The Nature Conservancy, Communities Responding to Extreme Weather, UMass Amherst, Mass ECAN, and several others to advance proactive, community-led relocation as a nature-based climate adaptation strategy. This project will develop a community of practice, professional networks, and a resource database. Additionally, the team will produce a comprehensive report documenting perspectives of managed retreat among Massachusetts coastal residents. This project, which was funded by the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, will provide an important step towards a safer, better connected, and more resilient Massachusetts coastline.

As part of this project, UHI worked with the team to host the "Massachusetts Coastal Relocation Workshop" on June 3rd, 2025. This in-person workshop is the first of two workshops which provided over 70 members of the Coastal Relocation Network an opportunity to (1) make new connections through activities designed to encourage engagement; (2) learn about new and forthcoming plans, tools, and resources; and (3) think deeply about planning for retreat, engaging communities, and using data to inform decisions. 

Led by UHI's graduate student Andrew Laquerre, the team also developed a "knowledge hub" which contains over 200 resources related to managed retreat. 

Are you someone who is interested in managed retreat based on your professional or volunteer roles? If so, consider joining the Planned Coastal Relocation Network—a peer-learning network focused on supporting climate and planning practitioners in planning for community-driven relocation as a nature-based solution to reduce flood risk and increase climate resilience for coastal residents. We meet approximately every other month and have a listserv to share questions, ideas, and resources.

Read Workshop Summary Report and Proceedings

View Knowledge Hub

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UHI is partnering with Dr. Juanita Urban-Rich (UMass Boston’s School for the Environment) and Carol Sharicz (UMass Boston Cirriculum and Instruction Department) to explore how plastic pollution, specifically microplastics, behave within green infrastructure systems to be able to develop effective management strategies for maintaining effective green infrastructure to support stormwater management. This project assess macroplastic debris along the Neponset River, as river's act as major transport pathways for debris, examine how  microplastics are retained in green infrastructure, and develop a microcredential framework on plastic pollution management in green infrastructure. This project is funded by the University’s Grand Scholarly Challenge program.

UHI is working with the Town of Swansea to engage members of the public in waterways planning activities. The plan will cover a wide range of topics including public access, water quality, natural resources, commercial and recreational uses, and climate change. The plan should be finalized at the end of 2025.

UHI, in partnership with Woods Hole Group, is working with the Town of Nantucket to engage members of the public in developing the Nantucket and Madaket Harbors Action Plan Update. The plan will cover a wide range of topics including public access, water quality, natural resource management, commercial and recreational fishing and boating, climate change, dredging, and water quality. A draft plan is now available. 

View Draft Plan

Email Kim Starbuck For More Information On Plan

The Town of Manchester-by-the-Sea is developing the Manchester-by-the-Sea Harbor Management Plan, with support from UHI and the Town's Harbor Management Task Force. 

Over the past year (2024-2025), UHI held a public meeting to collect input,  conducted interviews with stakeholders, and performed document and resource reviews. UHI has submitted a plan for public review. Public comment period is open through January 6th. To review the plan and provide comment visit the Town's website. For questions or more information, email Shannon.Hogan@umb.edu. 

UHI hosts occasional webinars to share new, groundbreaking research being conducted by UMass Boston professors/staff and other professionals from around the world. The webinar topics include: climate change, marine debris, fisheries, municipal planning, waterfront issues, community outreach, and more. The 60-minute webinars are free and geared towards professionals in the ocean science field, yet open to all.

UHI also organizes marine debris clean-ups and campus events. In September 2025, we partnered with the Office of Student Leadership and Community Engagement to clean UMass Boston's harborwalk. That month, we also hosted a screening and panel for Footprints on Katmai, a film following artist Max Romey as he retraces his late grandmother’s travels to Alaska’s remote Katmai beaches, joining experts to conduct beach clean-ups. Among its messages, the film highlighted the global impact of marine debris and other human activity on the environment.

To be informed of upcoming webinars and events, please sign up for our newsletter.

UHI serves as the administrative coordinator for the Citizen Planner Training Collaborative (CPTC), a collaboration of citizens, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies dedicated to providing essential and advanced training to individuals involved in municipal planning and land use. 

A founding member of the NWWN, UHI is leading several initiatives to advance the resilience of working waterfronts in partnership with Network members.

UHI staff assisted in coordinating the NWWN's 2025 conference that was held in San Diego in February. Additionally, staff at UHI are managing the NWWN Internship Program, which is in its fourth year and will happen during spring/summer 2025. 

Learn About NWWN

Join NWWN Listserv

Email Shannon Hogan To Get Involved In NWWN

The Stone Living Lab is an innovative and collaborative partnership for testing and scaling up nature-based approaches to climate adaptation, coastal resilience, and ecological restoration. The majority of the Lab’s work is conducted in Boston Harbor and surrounding communities. The Lab is a partnership between UMass Boston’s School for the Environment, Boston Harbor Now, the City of Boston, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the National Park Service, and the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation. Staff from UHI are working with the Lab to coordinate research and monitoring activities and assist with management for the Lab.

The Town of Mashpee, led by the Harbor Management Committee and the Department of Natural Resources, with support from the Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) at the University of Massachusetts Boston and Woods Hole Group, is developing the Mashpee Harbor Management Plan

The draft plan is now available for public review and comment. A virtual public meeting was held on July 15, 2025 to present an overview of the draft plan and to receive comments and questions from the public.

Read Draft Plan

Read Draft Appendices

View Public Meeting Presentation

View Recording (Use Passcode: eG1Qs^DE)

Provide Your Email Address For Plan Updates

Email Allison Novelly For More Information