Registration is now open!
The TransCoastal Adaptations Centre for Nature-Based Solutions at Saint Mary’s University is organizing the 2026 Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Resilience Conference in association with the Atlantic Regional Chapter of the Coastal Zone Canada Nature Based Coastal Solutions Community of Practice.
This five-day workshop (including 2 field trip days) provides a space for reflection, collaboration, and growth. It focuses on the principles and techniques for nature-based adaptation. Our goal is to increase local knowledge exchange on nature-based adaptation and to empower more groups to undertake such activities. Through open dialogue, we aim to advance the implementation of nature-based and restoration projects across Canada and North America. The multi-day conference will welcome 120 researchers, policymakers, scientists, engineers, designers, students, community groups, and other experts from across the region.
Together, we are working towards the application, implementation, and delivery of nature-based adaptations to climate change, and sharing the latest research in coastal and estuarine science!
The Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Resilience conference will be held from June 22-24, 2026 at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Bookending the event are 2 optional field trips (June 21, June 25), to view nature-based coastal adaptation strategies in action in Nova Scotia.
Preliminary Schedule
June 21
Field VisitS to local NbS site | 12 pm to 4 pm
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Departure: 12:30 pm, Return: 5:30 pm
Explore nature-based coastal protection in action along the beautiful shores of Mahone Bay. This field trip will immerse participants in living shoreline approaches that enhance coastal resilience while supporting biodiversity.
Participants will:
Visit active shoreline restoration sites
Learn how natural materials and vegetation are used instead of, or in addition to, hard infrastructure
Hear directly from practitioners and local partners working on implementation
Discuss real-world challenges, design considerations, and long-term monitoring
This trip offers a hands-on look at how communities are working with nature to reduce erosion and adapt to climate change.
Footwear may get muddy. Please dress appropriately for weather and bugs. Seats are limited. Drive is ~1 hour each way.
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Departure: 11:30 am, Return: 4:00 pm
Witness the power of the highest tides in the world while exploring their cultural and ecological significance. This experience will include:
A guided visit to local sites of cultural interest
Visit the Onslow-North Managed Dyke Realignment Site; witness this 92-hectare restored tidal wetland
Discussion on how tidal systems shape coastal ecosystems and adaptation strategies
Footwear may get muddy. Please dress appropriately for weather and bugs. Seats are limited. Drive is ~1 hour each way.
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12:00 pm to 4:00 pm
How do we plan for an uncertain climate future? This interactive session introduces adaptation pathways, a forward-thinking approach to decision-making under uncertainty. Participants will explore how to move beyond static plans and instead design flexible, long-term strategies for coastal resilience.
In this workshop, you will:
Learn the fundamentals of adaptation pathways planning with experts Dr. Umme Kulsum and Dr. Elson Galang
Explore real-world coastal case studies
Participate in interactive exercises and scenario-building
Discuss how to apply pathways thinking in your own work
Ideal for practitioners, policymakers, and researchers -- this session will equip you with tools to plan for change.
June 22
Sessions | 9 am to 4 pm
Welcome session, contributed presentations focusing on standards and guidelines for ‘building with nature’ and implementing NbA. This will include engineering standards, guidance, modelling studies and costing frameworks.
June 23
Sessions | 9 am to 4 pm
Presentations focused on real world applications of NbA in North America. This will include sessions such as: how to develop monitoring protocols, how field measurements are used to determine the effectiveness of NbA, and NbA success stories. The evening will include a Public Expo and Poster Session from 5-7 pm.
June 24
Sessions | 9 am to 4 pm
Sessions on the future of coastal habitat restoration, regional implementation of NbA and dykelands (including socio-cultural aspects of transforming landscapes).
June 25
Field VisitS to local NbS site | 8 am to 6 pm (OPT-IN)
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Departure: 7:00 am, Return: 4:00 pm
This trip will visit the Converse Marsh managed dyke realignment and tidal wetland restoration sites, with short stops at the Fort Lawrence National Historic Site and Masstown Market. This experience will include:
Visits to restoration sites
Discussions on dykeland management, sediment dynamics, and ecosystem recovery
Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how restoration, history, and climate adaptation intersect in one of Canada’s most dynamic coastal regions. Lunch is provided (lunch and snacks can also be purchased at the Masstown Market). This trip will take participants through a restored tidal marsh and footwear may get muddy. Please dress for appropriately for weather and bugs.
Seats are limited. Drive to and from location is approximately 2.5 hours each way.
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Departure: 10:00 am, Return: 4:30 pm
Discover coastal resilience in the Minas Basin—a globally significant tidal ecosystem shaped by both natural forces and human history.
Led by experts, this field trip will explore:
The Belcher Street Marsh and its rapid ecological recovery
Dykeland systems and coastal infrastructure
The cultural landscape of Grand Pré National Historic Site
Nature-based solutions for restoring wetlands and adapting to sea-level rise
Stops may include scenic and educational locations around Wolfville, with opportunities to reflect on how history, community, and ecology shape coastal futures.
We will tour several coastal wetland restoration sites around the Minas Basin showcasing different vegetation communities. Lunch will be provided. This trip will take participants through field sites and footwear may get muddy. Please dress for appropriately for weather and bugs.
Keynote Speakers
Dr. Iris Möller, Coastal Geomorphologist and Geographer
Dr. Iris Möller holds a Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Cambridge. After a short spell of working at HR Wallingford Ltd, she acted as Deputy Director of the University of Cambridge’s Coastal Research Unit with a College Lectureship in Physical Geography at Fitzwilliam College and completed a University Lectureship in Physical Geography (Coastal Processes) at the Department of Geography at the University of Cambridge. In October 2019, she moved to Trinity College as Chair Professor of Geography and Head of Discipline (2020 to 2025). She is internationally recognised for providing the first empirical evidence for the buffering function of salt marshes in the mid-1990s and running a true-to-scale large flume experiment to evidence this function in simulated extreme storm surge conditions in the mid 2010s. Since then, she has been advocating the incorporation of coastal ecosystems as nature-based solutions in sustainable coastal flood and erosion risk management approaches. Her most recent research has focused on bringing together an understanding the bio-physical functioning of coastal ecosystems and landforms with that of the human interaction with such spaces to achieve a more integrated land- and seascape scale approach towards sustainable use of coastal environments.
Anne Salomon, Applied Marine Ecologist
Anne Salomon is a distinguished professor of applied marine ecology and social-ecological system science at Simon Fraser University. Her research program aims to reveal the coupled social and ecological relationships that underpin our oceans’ resilience, productivity, and biodiversity to inform ecologically sustainable and socially just ocean policies. By bringing Indigenous and western knowledge systems into conversation, her lab aims to provide greater time-depth to our understanding of coastal ecosystems and democratize ocean science and governance. Salomon and her students link science to policy by co-designing, co-producing, and co-delivering research with Indigenous knowledge holders, resource users, and governments, with knowledge mobilization as a fundamental goal of her research program. Salomon was elected to the Royal Society of Canada College in 2019, named a Pew Fellow in marine conservation in 2013, and awarded the International Prize for Professional Excellence in Ecology in 2013.
Call for Sponsors is Now Open!
We are currently seeking sponsors to support the conference. By supporting our event, your organization will:
Support the development of innovative, nature-based restoration approaches to coastal climate adaptation.
Gain recognition on promotional materials, including the conference website, program guide, and onsite signage.
Reduce financial barriers for groups such as students, NGOs, local organizations, and Indigenous community members.
Connect with a diverse group of professionals committed to building coastal resilience.
Opportunities to sponsor the conference are outlined below. Contact us if you’d like to tailor packages to meet the needs of your organization.
To inquire about sponsorship, please contact us at transcoastaladaptations@smu.ca.
Welcome to Halifax, Nova Scotia
The 2026 Nature-Based Solutions for Coastal Resilience Conference will take place at Saint Mary’s University in Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia, a vibrant coastal city known for its maritime history, thriving research community, and spectacular oceanfront views.
Halifax offers the perfect setting for a conference focused on coastal resilience. Within minutes of campus, you’ll find ocean views, historic districts, and kilometres of shoreline shaped by the very climate challenges we will be discussing. The city is rich with culture, food, and music.
Travel & Accommodation
We are pleased to offer reduced conference accommodation rates for attendees (details coming soon). Saint Mary’s University is centrally located and easily accessible by transit, with hotels, restaurants, waterfront trails, and museums close by.
While You're Here
We encourage you to take time to explore Halifax and the surrounding region:
Wander the iconic Halifax Waterfront Boardwalk
Visit the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
Hike coastal headlands at Point Pleasant Park
Enjoy local seafood and independent cafés
Extend your trip to see Lunenburg, Peggy’s Cove, or the Bay of Fundy’s dramatic tides.
Halifax is a fantastic home for our sessions, field trips, or networking opportunities. We look forward to welcoming you in June 2026!