Maryland Coastal Bays report card 2013
The aim of this report card is to provide a transparent, timely, and geographically detailed assessment of 2013 Coastal Bays health. Coastal Bays health is defined as the progress of four water quality indicators (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen) and two biotic indicators (seagrass, hard clams) toward scientifically derived ecological thresholds or goals. These six indicators are combined into one overarching Coastal Bays Health Index, which is presented as the report card score. Detailed methods and results are available on the EcoCheck Coastal Bays report card website. The overall score for the Coastal Bays was a C+ in 2013, with a slight improvement since 2012.
Kickoff of the Willamette River Report Card
IAN, in collaboration with the Meyers Memorial Trust, has begun the development of the Willamette River Report Card. The 187-mile-long Willamette River is located entirely in Oregon and is a major tributary of the Columbia River. Flowing northward between the Oregon Coast Range and the Cascade Range, the Willamette River basin contains two-thirds of Oregon's population, including the state's largest city, Portland, positioned near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. Heath Kelsey, Tracey Saxby, and Simon Costanzo held introductory workshops in Portland and Corvallis, OR with eminent scientists in the area and relevant stakeholders associated with the management and use of the Willamette River and its watershed. Pam Wiley, from the Meyer Memorial Trust, hosted and gave an excellent tour of the lower and mid Willamette River. A workshop to fully develop the Report Card will be held in September 2014 with a draft available for review in December 2014.
Louisiana Sea Grant LA DIA program launched
Members of the IAN team traveled to Baton Rouge in July (Bill Dennison and Bill Nuttle) and August (Bill Dennison and Tracey Saxby) to work with Louisiana Sea Grant to launch an innovative program called Louisiana Sea Grant Discovery, Integration and Application (LA DIA). Teams of Louisiana State University researchers and Sea Grant Marine Extension Program agents have been formed to work with different coastal communities on various issues associated with coastal restoration efforts. The IAN team had a series of science communication training sessions with the LA DIA scholars. In addition, we organized some additional training for staff from The Water Institute of the Gulf, also based in Baton Rouge.
IAN Welcomes Patricia Harcourt
Pat Harcourt is excited to be working with the MADE CLEAR project at UMCES. In addition to a passion for climate education, she has a special interest in marine science, engendered by research work aboard a square-rigged sailing vessel when she was fresh out of college. At Waquoit Bay National Estuarine Reserach Reserve and Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE) West, Pat worked to provide opportunities for K-12 and informal educators to meet scientists and use environmental data with their students. Most recently, she served as Administrator of Woods Hole Science & Technology Education Partnership where she worked to bring scientists into classrooms and teachers into Woods Hole labs, and to engage teachers and students in field studies. Pat has taught classes and courses on climate change for teachers and helped develop the "Climate Change Backpack," which is a teaching kit that can be used in the classroom or on the trail. For recreation, Pat enjoys sailing, hiking, horseback riding, and singing Renaissance music.