Dr. Danika van Proosdij and Dr. Jonathan Fowler presenting to 50 in-person participants and 30 virtual participants in the inaugural event in the Reimagining Rural Resilience: Changing Landscapes and Lifescapes series. Photo by Ive Velikova.
On Thursday, February 26, 2026, we welcomed 80+ community members, researchers, practitioners, and students to reimagine resilience in the Bay of Fundy dykelands.
This was the inaugural event in our new public series titled Reimagining Rural Resilience: Changing Landscapes and Lifescapes.
Co-hosted by the Gorsebrook Research Institute for Atlantic Canada Studies, the TransCoastal Adaptations Centre for Nature-Based Solutions at Saint Mary's University, and the Community Conservation Research Network, the evening marked an important step in bringing leading coastal adaptation research into conversation with the public.
Our team’s work combines award-winning restoration initiatives, applied nature-based solutions, and sustained boots-on-the-ground research across Nova Scotia’s coastal landscapes. This fireside chat format was intentionally designed to make complex research more approachable.
TransCoastal Adaptations’ booth showcasing our managed dyke realignment work projects. Photo by Ive Velikova.
Attendees could engage directly with science, ask questions, and explore what resilience means for communities living and working along the Bay of Fundy.
Led by Dr. Danika van Proosdij and Dr. Jonathan Fowler, the discussion highlighted how dykelands sit at the intersection of environmental change, agricultural heritage, community values, and climate adaptation planning.
The strong turnout and active participation reinforced the growing appetite for practical, collaborative approaches to climate resilience grounded in both science and community knowledge.
Through this event, we successfully:
Made current coastal adaptation research accessible to a broader public audience
Strengthened relationships between researchers, practitioners, and communities
Showcased applied, field-based research shaping real-world decisions
Built momentum for future conversations on rural resilience in Atlantic Canada
Dr. Danika van Proosdij showcasing her geomorphology research in the Bay of Fundy Dykelands. Photo by Ive Velikova.
Thank you to S. Karly Kehoe, Dr. Tony Charles, Dr. Jen Vanderburg, Mathias Rodorff, and Ive Velikova for your leadership on this event.
If you’re interested in collaborating, supporting this work, or helping expand community-engaged climate research through partnerships or funding, we would love to connect.
Reach out to transcoastaladaptations@smu.ca.