International Tidal Wetlands Conference
An International Tidal Wetlands Conference is being held May 31-June 2, 2006 at Salisbury University to discuss the ecological, economic and engineering issues associated with using dredged materials to restore the eroding marshes of mid-Chesapeake Bay.National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment Workshop
The NEEA goal is to analyze current conditions and decadal changes of estuarine eutrophication on a nation-wide basis and assess the susceptibility of estuarine systems to future nutrient enrichment. To assist in this challenge, over 50 experts from around the nation are convening at a workshop in Baltimore from May 9-10 to provide the latest data, interpretation and future outlook of eutrophic condition. IAN developed the NEEA website to facilitate survey data entry – please enter data into this site as soon as possible so that it can be included in the update.EcoCheck newsletter
EcoCheck is a partnership between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. The group recently published a newsletter conveying their goals and approach towards improving Chesapeake Bay health. The types of projects on which EcoCheck works are also described in the newsletter.
Menhaden newsletter
EcoCheck has also recently completed a newsletter describing their work on developing a menhaden recruitment model. The menhaden recruitment model newsletter describes an approach to explain and predict menhaden recruitment based on striped bass predation, including a novel method of checking the model through hindcasting. After further improvements, this new model has the potential to be an important tool to aid ecosystem based management of both menhaden and striped bass.
Science communication course
April 3–7, 2006, the IAN group held their “Science Communication and Integrated Assessment” course in the AREL building at the Horn Point campus. For the first time, this course included modules on performing and analyzing integrated ecosystem assessments. The participants included HPL graduate students and staff, as well as people from the Healthy Waterways Campaign (Australia), National Park Service (Virginia), Sonoran Institute (Arizona), Louisiana State University (Louisiana), and NOAA (Oxford, MD).
Joanna Woerner - new IAN science communicator
Joanna Woerner who has just finished her 4 month internship with IAN became our newest Science Communicator, starting May 1. Joanna has become an integral part of the IAN team, working on many projects including the Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Estuarine Eutrophication Assessment (NEEA) and teaching at our recent Science Communication Course.