Waving Goodbye: Greg Berman Sets Sail for Chatham

Photo: Coastal Extension Team members Shannon Hulst and Shelly McComb doing their best imitation of Greg Berman at his send-off.

This fall, WHOI Sea Grant bid a reluctant but fond farewell to our coastal extension team member Greg Berman, who took a position with the Town of Chatham.  For more than 14 years, Greg served as the coastal processes specialist for WHOI Sea Grant and Cape Cod Cooperative Extension. Highly respected for his expertise and level demeanor, Greg was the “go-to” resource for conservation commissions on the Cape and surrounding areas, providing an unbiased, third-party opinion on matters relating to use of coastal resources.

During his tenure, Greg conducted research on beach grass and living shorelines and developed several coastal resilience and processes-related programs. He is credited with creating the floodplain specialist position at WHOI Sea Grant, establishing the Islands Coastal Conference with the Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management, developing CoastSnap installations throughout the region, and more. Greg provided dozens of presentations to the public each year on erosion and sea level rise as well as producing several essential publications on common shoreline issues for Cape Cod communities, including the Homeowners Handbook to Prepare for Coastal Hazards, a brochure on the spectrum of erosion control methods, and a beach nourishment guide for homeowners. Greg also served on multiple task forces and assisted in Sea Grant Extension budgets and grants management.

Greg’s sense of humor, easygoing and calm attitude, and expertise will be sorely missed by the WHOI Sea Grant and Cape Cod Cooperative Extension teams. We wish Greg the best of luck in his new venture as director of Natural Resources in Chatham.