Schedule of Events

Conference Registration Opens - Hotel Atrium

When you arrive to the Graduate for WSC22 & ISBW14, please check in to let us know you're here and receive your information packet and personal schedule.

Happy hour at the Trophy Room (The Graduate Annapolis restaurant)

Event planners will be taking a breather for Happy Hour at the hotel bar (Trophy Room). Stop in to say hi!

Conference registration, coffee, and networking

Coffee provided in the Atrium!

Welcome and Chesapeake Bay Plenary

Dr. Bill Dennison, Professor of Marine Science and Vice President for Science Applications at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, along with University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science President, Dr. Peter Goodwin , and Mayor of Annapolis, Gavin Buckley, will welcome delegates to the first ever World Seagrass Conference and International Seagrass Biology Workshop to come to the United States. Welcoming remarks will be followed by the Chesapeake Bay Plenary with invited speaker Rich Batiuk. Rich Batiuk spent more than three decades with U.S. EPA and the Chesapeake Bay Program partnership, where he led the integration of science into multi-partner collaborative decision-making. He was the principal architect of the Chesapeake Bay TMDL, a groundbreaking pollutant accountability system spanning six states and the District of Columbia. Rich has led the development and expansion of one of the world's most comprehensive estuarine and watershed monitoring networks, designed to assess an array of water quality standards, environmental indicators and outcomes directly linked to management.

Break

Coffee and snacks available for purchase from Poindexter Cafe

Concurrent session 1A and 1B

1A: Chesapeake Bay Partnership and Collaboration

1B: Successful tropical/subtropical seagrass restoration: Longevity, species for various impacts, services reassembled

Lunch break

Lunch on your own at Poindexter Cafe or one of the many delicious restaurants in walking distance of The Graduate Annapolis.

Concurrent sessions 2A and 2B

2A: Trajectories of recovery after degradation in seagrass ecosystem structure, function and services

2B: Seagrass wasting disease: understanding host-pathogen interactions to ensure success in seagrass conservation & management

Coffee break

Coffee provided in the Atrium!

Concurrent sessions 3A and 3B

3A: Ecosystem ecology: Advances in understanding seagrass and submersed aquatic vegetation ecosystem functioning

3B: General/Open Call Session 1

WSC22 & ISBW14 Opening Reception

The Opening Reception will take place in the hotel Atrium and include multiple welcomes and announcements and will officially mark the opening of the World Seagrass Association Silent Auction. Proceeds of the Silent Auction will go towards the WSA Evamaria Koch Student Travel Award Fund. Also of note, Jay Flemming - a renowned Chesapeake Bay photographer and author - will join us for a book signing. His books and prints will be available for purchase.

Hors d'oeuvres will be served and a cash bar will be available for beverages.

Hotel Happenings

Test Your Smarts Trivia Night at the Trophy Room

Virtual Breakfast Plenary on Global Seagrass Coordination

The Virtual Breakfast Plenary will be the only hybrid in-person and online event. Dr. Maria Potouroglou will join us online to present ‘Out of the Blue: The Value of Seagrasses to the Environment and to People’, a global synthesis report that was released in 2020 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) together with GRID-Arendal, UNEP’s World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC) and the World Seagrass Association. The aim of ‘Out of the Blue’ was to generate increased interest in seagrasses by policymakers, helping to ensure a sustainable future for these essential but undervalued ecosystems. It provides a science-based synthesis of the numerous services linked to seagrasses and the associated risks in losing them in the age of climate change and ongoing global habitat loss and degradation. The report provides management and policy options at the local, regional and global levels, with the aim to share best practices and prevent further losses. It also highlights the opportunities that effective conservation measures, sustainable management, and successful restoration efforts for seagrass ecosystems can provide to governments in order to achieve their international environmental policy commitments, targets and objectives.

Following Dr. Potouroglou, Drs. Carmen and Rui Santos will present SeagrassTraitDB, a global database of seagrass traits. SeagrassTraitDB has been developed to integrate seagrass trait data from around the world, based on datasets contributed by scientists, into a consistent format. The aim of SeagrassTraitDB is to integrate and make available global empirical seagrass trait data. They hope that this will contribute to understanding and predicting how the expression of functional diversity of seagrass individuals varies along environmental gradients and how this translates into higher levels of population and community structure and ecosystem functioning.

During the plenary, in-person participants will be welcomed to coffee and a light breakfast. Free online registration for this plenary will be available soon.

Concurrent session 4A and 4B

4A: Plant-animal interactions that affect success

4B: Advances in Seagrass and Optical Water Quality Remote Sensing

Break

Coffee and snacks available for purchase from Poindexter Cafe

Concurrent sessions 5A and 5B

5A: General/Open Call Session 2

5B: Seagrass-shellfish interactions

Lunch break

Lunch on your own at Poindexter Cafe or one of the many delicious restaurants in walking distance of The Graduate Annapolis.

Concurrent Sessions 6A and 6B

6A: Carbon ecosystem services: The role of seagrasses in carbon cycling and climate change mitigation and adaptation

6B: Next generation of technologies for improved seagrass restoration

Coffee break

Coffee provided

Concurrent sessions 7A and 7B

7A: Seagrasses into the 21st century: Insights from global coordination and a way forward

7B: Microbial ecology in seagrass ecosystems: Uniting the microscale and macroscale perspectives

Poster Session and Reception

The WSC22 Poster Session will feature approximately 70 poster presentations from students and professionals alike. Join us in the Point Rooms (The Graduate's auxillary building across from the hotel entrance) and learn about seagrass research from all over the world.

Hors d'oeuvres will be served and there will be a cash bar available. Music will be provided by local soloist Josh Kachura!

Field Trip Day to sites around Chesapeake Bay

Field trips to amazing locations all over the Chesapeake Bay will depart the hotel lobby at 8:00 AM EDT and return at approximately 5:30 PM EDT. Boxed lunches and water will be provided, but we encourage all participants to bring their own water bottles, sunscreen, towels, a change of clothes, and whatever else is appropriate for the field trip that you signed up for.

• Jug Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve - Boating & Kayak Tour
• Susquehanna Flats SAV Adventure - Boat and Snorkel Tour
• Smithsonian Environmental Research Center- Canoe and Hike Trip
• Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center- Kayak and Hike Trip
• Assateague Island - Kayak Trip
• Poplar Island - Boat and Bus Tour
• Mattawoman Creek Kayak Trip

IUCN seagrass species group: Red List expert assessment Meeting

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species TM is widely recognized as the most comprehensive
and objective approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant species. The IUCN Species
Survival Commission tasks the Seagrass Species Specialist Group (SSSG) with evaluating the
risk of extinction for seagrass species around the world. The International Seagrass Biology
Workshop provides a critical platform for global coordination and discussion of Red Listing
progress. This introductory meeting, led by the SSSG Co-Chair, Dr Fred Short and Co-Chair and
RLA Coordinator, Dr. Brooke Sullivan, will 1) introduce the WSA membership to the
organizational structure, 2) key topics, 3) methodologies employed by the SSSG and IUCN
to identify the conservation status of global seagrasses and 4) encourage the membership to share
relevant research and results with our Bioregional Leadership Team through participation in the
ISBW Red List workshop later in the week. This preliminary meeting provides a forum for
existing and potential members to familiarize themselves with the information needed to
effectively participate in the ISBW workshop and to share preliminary thoughts, concerns and
information related to global seagrass statuses and the goals and priorities we have set for the
2021-2025 quadrennium. Lastly, the session will introduce the membership to the IUCN ‘Green
list’ of global seagrass and begin a discussion about relating these criteria to seagrass. We
encourage all members to attend and participate in important discussions and data sharing,
especially related to seagrass taxonomy and global population trends. We are particularly
interested in hearing from biologists working with endemic and threatened species, especially
from traditionally underrepresented regions of the world.

Location: Stivador Room (on your way to the bathrooms in the main lobby)

Continue the Conversation with Drs. Zimmerman and Carlson: Advances in Seagrass and Optical Water Quality Remote Sensing

Join Drs. Zimmerman and Carlson to continue the conversation following their session on Advances in Seagrass and Optical Water Quality Remote Sensing.

Location: Salon C

Hotel Happenings and Fun around Town

If you're tired after a long day of taking in the Chesapeake Bay, stay close to home and enjoy Drop the Mic Karaoke at the Trophy Room.

If you've still got some energy and want to partake in one of Annapolis's best traditions, we recommend making a reservation and joining Annapolitans for Dinner Under the Stars on West St. (CANCELED Due to Rain)

Conference registration, coffee, and networking

Coffee provided in atrium!

Seagrass as a Catalyst for Collaborative Conservation: Plenary on the role of NGOs in Seagrass Research and Conservation

Seagrass ecosystems serve as critical habitat for many species, can help meet climate change mitigation and adaptation objectives, and support community needs and livelihoods worldwide. Despite these benefits, too often coastal conservation policies fail to incorporate seagrass science and protective measures or prioritize data collection of this critical habitat. While scientific advancement is expanding the knowledge base for seagrass, there remains a formidable science-to-policy gap that can hinder conservation from regional to global scales. Environmental organizations can play an important role in better integrating the use of science and communication into decision making. This plenary will explore three case studies (Seychelles, North Carolina, Florida) where more than half a million acres of seagrass will be better protected through collaborative initiatives facilitated by conservation groups.

This plenary is being planned, coordinate, and implemented by leading members of the The Pew Charitable Trusts.

Break

Coffee and snacks available for purchase from Poindexter Cafe

Workshop Session 1

Novel species in seagrass ecosystems (Nash, Hughes, Sorte, and Vergas) - Salon C

Promoting underrepresented voices in seagrass science (Yancy) - Powerhouse Rm 1

IUCN seagrass species group (Sullivan and Short) - Powerhouse Rm 2

Seagrass nurseries for research and restoration (Jackson, Govers, Rees, and Sherman) - Powerhouse Rm 3

For more information on each workshop, click here: Workshops

Lunch break

Lunch on your own at Poindexter Cafe or one of the many delicious restaurants in walking distance of The Graduate Annapolis.

Workshop Session 2

Novel species in seagrass ecosystems (Nash, Hughes, Sorte, and Vergas) - Salon C

Engaging international seagrass experts (Kenworthy et al.) - Powerhouse Rm 1

IUCN seagrass species group (Sullivan and Short) - Powerhouse Rm 2

Science communication (Dennison)- Powerhouse Rm 3

For more information on each workshop, click here: Workshops

Coffee break

Coffee provided in the Atrium!

Workshop Session 3

Novel species in seagrass ecosystems (Nash, Hughes, Sorte, and Vergas) - Salon C

Engaging international seagrass experts (Kenworthy et al.) - Powerhouse Rm 1

IUCN seagrass species group (Sullivan and Short) - Powerhouse Rm 2

Science communication (Dennison)- Powerhouse Rm 3

For more information on each workshop, click here: Workshops

Hotel Happenings and Fun Around Town

Tonight is the night to explore Annapolis and see what this little coastal capital has to offer. Bill Dennison will lead a walking tour of downtown Annapolis for anyone interested in joining. Or if you do want to stay closer to home, join us for SEAGRASS TRIVIA from 7:00 - 8: 30ish with Bryan Gomes of the Severn River Association at the Trophy Room! There will be prizes!!

Conference registration, coffee, and networking

Coffee provided in Atrium!

Workshop Session 4

Novel species in seagrass ecosystems (Nash, Hughes, Sorte, and Vergas) - Salon C

Crowdsourcing environmental data (Landry and Jones) - Powerhouse Rm 1

Coping with eco-anxiety (Swerida and Weilminster) - Powerhouse Rm 2

Harnessing seagrass expert networks (Bandeira, Cheikh, and Santos) - Powerhouse Rm 3

For more information on each workshop, click here: Workshops

Break

Coffee and snacks available for purchase from Poindexter Cafe

Workshop Session 5

Novel species in seagrass ecosystems (Nash, Hughes, Sorte, and Vergas) - Salon C

Stakeholder engagement (Laumann) - Powerhouse Rm 1

The use of high-resolution satellite imagery (Hill) - Powerhouse Rm 2

Harnessing seagrass expert networks (Bandeira, Cheikh, and Santos) - Powerhouse Rm 3

For more information on each workshop, click here: Workshops

Lunch break

Lunch on your own at Poindexter Cafe or one of the many delicious restaurants in walking distance of The Graduate Annapolis.

Workshop Session 6

Novel species in seagrass ecosystems (Nash, Hughes, Sorte, and Vergas) - Salon C

Facilitated migration and selective breeding (Peterson et al.) - Powerhouse Rm 1

Seagrass mapper (Terauchi and Trinh) - Powerhouse Rm 2

Harnessing seagrass expert networks (Bandeira, Cheikh, and Santos) - Powerhouse Rm 3

For more information on each workshop, click here: Workshops

Coffee break

Coffee provided in Atrium!

WSC22 & ISBW14 Closing "Plenary"

Please join us in Salon A/B for the closing "Plenary". The plenary will be a celebration and reflection of the week's events provided by event hosts Bill Dennison and Brooke Landry.

World Seagrass Association meeting

The World Seagrass Association Board of Governors, members, and any other interested participants will join for the annual WSC Business Meeting.

Location: Salon A/B following the closing plenary.

WSC22 & ISBW14 Awards Ceremony and Conference Celebration

The Awards Ceremony and Conference Celebration will close out this week-long gathering of the global seagrass community. Poster and student travel awards will be presented, the WSA will host the live-auction portion of their student travel award fundraiser, ISBW15 will be revealed, and closing remarks and final announcements will be made. A small-plate buffet will be provided and a cash bar will be available for beverage purchase.

Location: Starting in Salon A/B and then moving into the Atrium

Hotel Happenings

After the awards ceremony and closing reception, wander on over to the Trophy Room and give a listen to Red Sky Dawn, a local musical duo.