The Manomet Team

Manomet Conservation Sciences is partnering with Cathleen Stone Island Outward Bound School (CSIOBS) and the UMass Boston Stone Living Lab (SLL) to develop a new coastal resilience learning sequence that will bring climate science and hands-on field experiences to Boston Public Schools students and beyond. Led by Manomet’s Wade Institute for Science Education, the initiative will connect coastal resilience research with experiential learning opportunities designed to strengthen climate literacy and student engagement.

The partnership formalizes the collaboration between CSIOBS and SLL to expand access to climate resilience research and outdoor learning opportunities to historically marginalized schools and communities. Developing the coastal resilience learning sequence is a key priority for CSIOBS and SLL as they begin their first year of partnership.

“This partnership allows us to bring real coastal resilience research into classrooms that have historically been excluded from hands‑on environmental learning,” said Dr. Katherine Dafforn, Director of the Stone Living Lab.

Manomet was awarded the contract for the development of lesson plans which will link Stone Living Lab’s coastal resilience research and CSIOBS’ education activities on Cathleen Stone Island. Manomet’s Wade Institute will work closely with staff from the Stone Living Lab and CSIOBS to develop and support implementation of a curriculum aligned with Massachusetts Science and Technology/Engineering Standards. Once implemented, the field experience programming is expected to reach a total of 2,000+ students each school year.

“We jumped at this opportunity,” said Dr. Molly Jacobs, Vice President for Education at Manomet. “What Cathleen Stone Island and the Stone Living Lab are doing by combining strong place-based science, environmental education, curricular integration with schools, and Outward Bound’s focus on social and emotional growth and leadership is truly innovative, and our team is excited to support it.”

The initiative, which is funded by the James M. and Cathleen D. Stone Foundation, reflects both CSIOBS’s commitment to building stronger, more equitable school communities and SLL’s commitment to engaging local communities in education and outreach programs. Together, the partners will bring research on nature-based approaches and climate resilience to the forefront of environmental education at Cathleen Stone Island.