GARSCON
Greater Atlantic Regional Stranding Conference
GARSCON
2026
Greater Atlantic Regional Stranding Conference
"STRANDING ON A SHOESTRING."
September 14 - 16, 2026
Ronkonkoma, NY
GARSCON 2026 Schedule
Wednesday
September 9th
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11am - 5pm
VIRTUAL STAKEHOLDER SESSIONS
Network members only.
Discussions will facilitate the growth of stranding organizations, and the alignment of network priorities. Open to Stranding Network members (local and national) and related agencies. Not open to the public.
THURSDAY
September 10th
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New Time!
10:30am - 12pm
VIRTUAL
GARS CONSORTIUM MEETING
Open to consortium members only.
Monday
September 14th
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9am - 12pm
SEA TURTLE RELEASE DISCUSSION
Open to Stranding Network members (local and national) and related agencies. Not open to the general public or volunteers. No limit on the number of staff from each organization.
No services or refreshments provided during this session.
1pm - 5pm
STRANDING COMMUNICATIONS WORKSHOP SESSION
This session will include light snacks in the afternoon.
6pm - 9pm
ICEBREAKER
Great South Bay Brewery
Open to the public and volunteers, in addition to network members.
This will include 2 drinks per person (21 yrs or older) and Hors d'oeuvres.
Tuesday
September 15th
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9am - 5:30pm
SCIENCE SESSION
Open to the public and volunteers, in addition to network members. Keynote Address and presentations will highlight the unique role that each network member serves, as well as how our work fits into the larger environmental community and helps shape conservation decisions.
This session will include lunch, as well as a morning and afternoon break with light snacks.
Wednesday
September 16th
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9am - 2pm
IN PERSON
STAKEHOLDER SESSION
**Stranding Network Members Only.**
Discussions will facilitate the growth of stranding organizations, and the alignment of network priorities. Open to Stranding Network members (local and national) and related agencies. Not open to the public.
This session will provide a boxed lunch.
______
2pm - 3:30pm
IN PERSON
GARS CONSORTIUM MEETING
Open to consortium members only.
WORKSHOP
Response Planning for High-Interest Stranding Events:
Managing Public Expectations and Communications While Maintaining Operational Continuity
When the Pressure Hits
Building Trust, Managing Communication, and Supporting Responders During High-Interest Stranding Events
When high-interest marine animal stranding events occur, responders are tasked with far more than field operations and scientific assessment. They are suddenly navigating public concern, media attention, stakeholder expectations, social media pressure, and the emotional weight carried by their own teams, all in real time.
This workshop explores how proactive communication systems can reduce anxiety, strengthen operational clarity, and build long-term public trust during high-visibility incidents.
As marine animal response operations continue to evolve in an area shaped by rapid information sharing, heightened public engagement, and increased visibility of stranding events, communication systems have become a critical component of operational readiness. This workshop recognizes communication not as a secondary task, but as essential response infrastructure that supports responders, agencies, stakeholders, and the communities they serve.
Built around the TRUST Framework. Transparency, Readiness, Unity, Stability, and Trust. Participants will engage with practical tools and real-world strategies designed specifically for the marine mammal response, management, and research community.
Through case studies, collaborative discussion, and applied planning exercises, attendees will gain more tools to:
· manage communication during rapidly evolving incidents
· maintain public confidence while protecting scientific integrity
· reduce communication overload and responder stress
· strengthen coordination across agencies and stakeholders
· create educational and post-incident communication strategies that build lasting community trust
Responders already carry the weight of the science, logistics, and animal care. This workshop focuses on the often-overlooked layer of incident response: managing public perception, expectation, and anxiety in a way that supports both the community and the responder.
Because in high-interest events, trust is not built during the crisis. It is built before it.
TRUST Workshop Facilitator Guide
GARSCON 2026 September 14, 2026
Building Public Trust During High-Interest Stranding Events
Workshop Purpose
Provide response organizations with a practical communication framework for managing high-profile marine mammal stranding events by building public trust before, during, and after an incident.
Workshop Objectives
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Illustrate how pre-planning with limited resources can improve outcomes.
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Develop field training tools for organizing response events.
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Develop a communication strategy that builds long-term support for the response network.