Publications by Alexandra Fries

IAN is committed to producing practical, user-centered communications that foster a better understanding of science and enable readers to pursue new opportunities in research, education, and environmental problem-solving. Our publications synthesize scientific findings using effective science communication techniques.

Updating Maryland's Sea-level Rise Projections

Boesch DF, Atkinson LP, Boicourt WC, Boon JD, Cahoon DR, Dalrymple RA, Ezer T, Horton BP, Johnson ZP, Kopp RE, Li M, Moss RH, Parris A and Sommerfield CK ·
26 June 2013

With 3,100 miles of tidal shoreline and low-lying rural and urban lands, "The Free State" is one of the most vulnerable to sea-level rise. Historically, Marylanders have long had to contend with rising water levels along the Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean, and Coastal Bay shores. Shorelines have eroded and low-relief lands and islands (some previously inhabited) have been inundated.

Read more

Baltimore Healthy Harbor Report Card 2012 (Page 1)

Baltimore Healthy Harbor Report Card 2012

Caroline Donovan, Alexandra Fries ·
3 June 2013

This report card was developed to help lead private citizens, government, and businesses toward a healthy Baltimore Harbor, which is swimmable and fishable by 2020. The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, and Blue Water Baltimore, published this Healthy Harbor Report Card to help work toward clean, safe, and accessible streams and Harbor for everyone.

Read more

Sampling and data analysis protocols for Mid-Atlantic non-tidal stream indicators (Page 1)

Sampling and data analysis protocols for Mid-Atlantic non-tidal stream indicators

Wicks EC, Fries AS and Kelsey RH ·
7 May 2013

This document provides guidelines for the successful production of non-tidal stream health report cards. Specifically, this document develops clear and consistent protocols for the identification, collection, and analysis of indicators to be used by report card-producing organizations in Mid-Atlantic rivers and streams.

Read more

2012 Pipe Creek Report Card (Page 1)

2012 Pipe Creek Report Card

Caroline Donovan, Alexandra Fries, Heath Kelsey, Katie Foreman ·
20 March 2013

Pipe Creek is a small tributary to Sandusky Bay on the south-central shore of Lake Erie. The Pipe Creek watershed is largely developed by a combination of urban and agricultural land uses. Pipe Creek is best known for its 97 acre State Wildlife Area located at the mouth of Pipe Creek, which was constructed in the early 1990s as a mitigation site for wetlands destroyed by development elsewhere.

Read more

Measuring effectiveness of Best Management Practices (Page 1)

Measuring effectiveness of Best Management Practices

Simon Costanzo, Bill Dennison, Alexandra Fries ·
22 October 2012

The Chesapeake and Atlantic Coastal Bays Trust Fund was created in 2007 in an effort to reduce nutrient and sediment pollution to these bays. The Trust Fund has focused its financial resources on the implementation of effective non-point source pollution control projects using best management practices (BMPs) in high priority watersheds. Examples of projects supported by the Trust Fund include stream channel restorations, stormwater retrofits, and cover crops.

Read more

Healthy Harbor Report Card (Page 1)

Healthy Harbor Report Card

Caroline Donovan, Alexandra Fries, Heath Kelsey ·
4 October 2012

This report card was developed to help lead private citizens, government, and businesses toward a healthy Baltimore Harbor, which is swimmable and fishable by 2020. The Waterfront Partnership of Baltimore, and Blue Water Baltimore, published this Healthy Harbor Report Card to help work toward clean, safe, and accessible streams and Harbor for everyone.

Read more

A vision for America's Great Watershed Report Card

Heath Kelsey, Caroline Donovan, Brianne Walsh, Jonathan Kellogg, Bill Dennison, Alexandra Fries ·
27 September 2012

Report cards can be part of a tiered approach to communicating results with varying technical detail. Our vision for this report card framework is based on goals identified in America’s Great Watershed Initiative and derived from principles of Integrated River Basin Management. The framework includes balanced information from Social, Economic, and Environmental sectors, and is intended to be transparent and clear.

Read more

Tropical Connections: South Florida's marine environment

Kruczynski WL and Fletcher PJ ·
2 July 2012

This book summarizes information on the south Florida marine ecosystem in a manner that is easy to read and understand. The book covers physical and biological oceanography, ecology, human impacts, and climate change. This book is unique in that it consists of fact pages that were prepared by 162 experts in their scientific disciplines. Filled with rich graphics and photos, it is appropriate for students, educators, scientists, and stakeholders.

Read more