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What is a salt marsh?

March 20, 2010 by Leave a Comment

A salt marsh is the habitat where freshwater (from rivers and lakes) mixes with the saltwater (from the ocean). The salt marshes that I am most familiar with have tall cordgrasses near the water’s edge. Usually, it is a mix of two types of cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora and Spartina pattens. Away from the water’s edge is a mix of woody shrubs, including bayberry (very fragrant).

The interesting thing about the cordgrasses is that the entire marsh ecosystem depends upon them to die. The dead cordgrasses fall to the ground to build a base for mud flats, in between the other living plants. What happens next is that layers of peat will continually form on each new level of cordgrass, and protect the entire salt marsh from flooding over.

Another important contribution (and the reason I think salt marshes to be more valuable than oceans themselves) is that salt marshes are considered the nursery ground for many saltwater fish species. The saltwater fish travel into the freshwater to spawn. The eggs are protected in the calmer waters of rivers, creeks, and streams. Once they hatch the young-of-year grow up in salt marsh before heading to the ocean as adults.

For more information, I highly recommend The Life and Death of a Salt Marsh by John and Mildred Teal. (1971, Ballantine Books)

Image (c) National Marine Fisheries Service.

Filed Under: Ocean

NE Saltwater Fishing Show

March 19, 2010 by Leave a Comment

For all the anglers out there get to the NE Saltwater Fishing Show in Providence, RI from March 19-21, 2010. Great exhibits and a wide array of seminars for the expert to the beginner.

Filed Under: Ocean

The Cove

March 3, 2010 by Leave a Comment

The Oscars are this Sunday and there is one documentary which you may want to check out. I have posted a review of “The Cove” by Kenneth Turran, a film and book critic for the Los Angeles Times.

Have you already watched the film? I would love to know what you think.

Filed Under: Ocean

What inspired you to become an environmental educator?

March 2, 2010 by 1 Comment

Some form of this question is probably the question I get the most often on BCS. It is usually a bit more blunt, “Why do you do your Beach Chair Scientist?” or “What made you come up with the idea?” It is simple. I was sitting in a web design class at the Bethesda Writer’s Center and the term Beach Chair Scientist popped into my brain.

It was the summer and I had just returned from a trip home where I went to the beach and some of my family from Philly (Go, Phils!) continually tried to stump me with interesting beach questions. They know I have a B.S. degree (insert joke) in marine sciences so I really was the best person to ask. But, what I discovered was that I love to make the answers entertaining and somehow less intimidating (This type of environmental education somehow coined ‘edu-tainment’). I thought if I started the blog they would be able to shoot me the questions all year round, even when I am not at the beach with them. I used to teach outdoors to people about the environment for a salary (and housing). Now, I just teach people about fisheries data from an office. The blog was my outlet.

I do want to pay homage to all those who do work tirelessly teaching people about the environment. It is often a thankless, over-worked and under-paid bunch of people. People with more enthusiasm than one could ever imagine. Environmental education has many various facets and is often difficult to define. But, the one constant of anyone in the field is heart and dedication. I love you all!

I decided to ask a few of these wonderful environmental educators the same question people ask me “What inspired you to become an environmental educator?” Here are their answers. Thanks to everyone that contributed.

  • “I always wanted to make a difference. Environmental education allows me to make a difference by combining my love of nature and my ability to communicate with people.” Kate Anderson, ___ @ ___ in somwhere, MA.
  • “EE is a way for me to share one of my passions (the environment) with people and make a positive difference towards the future at the same time.” Beth Jones Cranford, Summer Camp Coordinator @ Morehead Planetarium and Science Center in Chapel Hill, NC
  • “I have always loved nature and sharing it with others.” Travis Davis, Education Director @ Wetlands Institute in Stone Harbor, N.J.
  • “I LOVE sharing my passion for science with others!” Laura Diederick, Marine Education Specialist @ Smithsonian Marine Station, Fort Pierce, FL
  • “I wanted to help conserve all of Mother Nature’s bounty and you cannot obtain conservation without education and vice versa.” Kristi Martin Moyer, Facilities and Land Manager @ Pine Jog Environmental Education Center in West Palm Beach, FL
  • “Ranger program at Rocky Mountain National Park in 4th Grade.” Katie Navin, Program Coordinator with the Colorado Alliance for Environmental Education in Golden, CO
  • “I want to humans to have less of an impact on the Earth!” Leslie Sprague, Director of Education @ the San Antonio Children’s Museum in San Antonio, TX
  • “I think my inspiration came from my love of teaching and working with kids which I discovered in college combined with my love of being outdoors as a kid. The two came together when I “found” EE at Pine Jog. Oh, and hope I have made a difference (if only a small one!).” Susan Toth, Education Director @ Pine Jog Environmental Education Center in West Palm Beach, FL

To me it seems that one answer is clear: What inspires us to keep doing what we are doing is because we love it.

Image (c) agreenerindiana.com

Filed Under: Conservation, People, Random Fun! Tagged With: , ,

Answers to “Seashell, seashell by the seashore”

February 10, 2010 by Leave a Comment

From the post on February 8, 2010 “Seashell, seashell by the seashore”

1. Sea Biscuit 2. Cushion Star or Bahamas Star 3. Purple-spined Sea Urchin 4. Pear Whelk 5. Fighting Conch 6. Calico Scallop

Filed Under: Ocean

Seashell, seashell by the seashore

February 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Can you identify these different seashells? (Answers as common names in the next post)

1. 2.

3. 4.

5. 6.

Images (c) seashells.org

Do you have another great question for the Beach Chair Scientist? E-mail info@beachchairscientist.com or just let us know at http://www.beachchairscientist.com.

Filed Under: Random Fun!, Seashells

Heeeeeeeere’s Carson (Rachel)!

February 6, 2010 by 3 Comments

Spring time is right around the corner (or so I hope) and with the change comes migrating birds of course!

One of my favorite sites is a female osprey tending her nest on an uplifted platform.

Each time I see one I am so grateful for Rachel Carson who had the courage and gumption to write Silent Spring. The book was published in 1962 as the launching pad for the environmental movement. The subject matter was the basis to ban the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane, or DDT, in 1972. Ms. Carson was able to link DDT to a decrease in the thickness of the eggs of large birds of prey, such as the bald eagle and osprey. This led to very few bald eagles and ospreys being born.

Although, sometimes I feel a lot of distress being an environmentalist one major success is the increase in numbers of mating pairs of ospreys since the ban on DDT. I am proud to say that prior the the ban there was fewer than 8,000 pairs and almost thirty years there are approximately 16,000 pairs. This is yet, another reason to say “Go Ospreys!” other than the fact that they are my college mascot.

Image (c) Fish and Wildlife Service.

Do you have another great question for the Beach Chair Scientist? E-mail info@beachchairscientist.com or just let us know at http://www.beachchairscientist.com.

Filed Under: Birds, People

Can I adopt a whale?

January 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Of course! Now, do not expect to take a whale home. There is no way your tub can fit a marine mammal comfortably, plus, taking care of a salt water tank is all too fussy.

If you are willing to donate the money you can do just about anything in the world. Adopting a whale is something I highly recommend for a classroom or family project. My fifth grade class adopted a humpback whale (named Pegasus). From the organization that my teacher used to adopt the whale the class received annual letters on the migration of Pegasus. This was a fabulous way to conceptualize currents and migration patterns. I am pretty sure my younger brother’s class adopted her baby.

The well established non-profit, Save the Whales, has a great program to adopt killer whales.

Do you have another great question for the Beach Chair Scientist? E-mail info@beachchairscientist.com or just let us know at http://www.beachchairscientist.com.

Filed Under: Marine Mammals, Random Fun!

What is your fish of the day?

January 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment

When you are going out to eat and want to eat seafood that is good for you and good for the sustainability of the ocean carry around the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch pocket guide. It lists the best choices, good alternatives and what to avoid.

This guide can be downloaded and printed out, is an iPhone app, or they will kindly mail you one. The guide is even broken down regionally: west coast, southwest, southeast, northeast, central US and Hawai’i.

Here is a list of the best choices nationally:
Arctic Char (farmed)
Barramundi (US farmed)
Catfish (US farmed)
Clams (farmed)
Cobia (US farmed)
Cod: Pacific (Alaska longline)+
Crab: Dungeness, Stone
Halibut: Pacific+
Lobster: Spiny (US)
Mussels (farmed)
Oysters (farmed)
Sablefish/Black Cod (Alaska+ or British Columbia)
Salmon (Alaska wild)+
Scallops: Bay (farmed)
Shrimp, Pink (Oregon)+
Striped Bass (farmed or wild*)
Tilapia (US farmed)
Trout: Rainbow (farmed)
Tuna: Albacore (troll/pole, US or British Columbia)
Tuna: Skipjack (troll/pole) – pictured.

+ part or all of this fishery is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council.

Read more about being a socially responsible consumer of seafood.

Image (c) Monterey Bay Aquarium.

Filed Under: Ocean

What is marine spatial planning?

January 21, 2010 by Leave a Comment

I will get into more detail quickly, but, want to mention that marine spatial planning is gaining a lot of momentum these days because it is part of creating the National Ocean Policy.

A National Ocean Policy was recommended by the Pew Oceans Commission (in 2003) and the US Commission on the Oceans (in 2004) after these organizations observed that the ocean is “ruled” by over 140 different laws and 20 different organizations to implement these laws. Currently, there is an Ocean Policy Task Force working diligently to streamline the governance of the ocean. Last month, the Task Force released a framework for creating the National Ocean Policy (open for comment until mid-February 2010).

This framework for creating the National Ocean Policy has some core themes that may already be clear to you. For instance, for the planning of the policy the Task Force wants to create an atmosphere of transparency and make certain that all stakeholders have the opportunity to voice their opinions and ask questions about the changes that may occur. Also, the Task Force wants to plan and implement the policy with (not for) state, tribal, regional and local authorities.

The framework for creating a National Ocean Policy also has some core themes that are rather new to traditional ocean governance.

First, the framework mentions that the Task Force will use scientific data (coupled with traditional knowledge) when making decisions.

Secondly, and this brings it full circle, the Task Force will take an approach called Marine Spatial Planning when creating the new laws that will eventually come to be known as the National Ocean Policy.

Marine spatial planning is a unique way to look at the ocean and who uses it. For instance, when we look at the Gulf coast of Florida it is a patchwork of various authorities. There are fishery management plans, marine protected areas, and oil and gas leases that mandate permissions to that coastal area. Marine spatial planning will consolidate and bring these patches together for a better understanding of what and who is using our oceans. Imperative to the concept of marine spatial planning are good maps (see below for example). These maps will help create less conflict and more comprehensive approaches to how we use our oceans. Rhode Island and Massachusetts already have marine spatial planning as a tool for making decisions.

image (c) Ocean Conservancy.

Want to tell President Obama

you support the creation of

a National Ocean Policy? Write him a letter.

Do you have another great question for the Beach Chair Scientist? E-mail info@beachchairscientist.com or enter it at http://www.beachchairscientist.com.

Filed Under: Ocean, People