The experience caused some reflection as I realized (shovel in hand) that I had never actually planted a tree. A 26 year-old Coastal Manager with an MEM in Coastal Management and a BA in Biology – and the extent of my field work had been solely aquatic (there was that one vegetation survey, but let’s just say the experience isn’t something I ever hope to repeat!).

And so there I was, holding a boy-scout sized shovel, doing my best to dig deep and wondering what the survival rate would be this time next year. Perhaps the work was a little hard on my back, but it was definitely rewarding.

Stream Restoration

Project # 1 took place at Cabin Branch Stream adjacent to the Annapolis Mall. DNR staff joined Underwood and Associates in the planting of +400 trees along a previously degraded stream. Although I didn’t see the stream’s initial conditions, I did stand near the culvert which feeds the newly restored site. Below the culvert, things looked promising. Above it was another story – impervious surfaces as far as I could see. I looked up, trying to imagine the stream’s headwaters, buried under all the cement and asphalt.

The kicker? I lived just miles from the stream site. Yup – I was part of the problem.

Combating Impervious Surfaces

There has been much heat in the media recently about Maryland’s stormwater control fees. While the public has taken to calling these fees the “rain tax,” the state is certainly not taxing the weather. Ten counties and Baltimore City have been mandated by the state to impose fees for surfaces that can’t absorb rainwater (like roofs, parking lots, and driveways). Each county is responsible for setting an annual fee and these taxes will be used to improve stormwater runoff systems that limit the levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, sediment, and other pollutants entering Chesapeake Bay waterways.

To clean up the Chesapeake Bay, every person needs to be part of the solution because every person is part of the problem (whether we want to admit it or not). If I’m unwilling or unable to give up my Annapolis lifestyle, surrounded by driveways, condos, and shopping centers, then perhaps this tax is my way of becoming part of the solution. It certainly may help address the “free rider” problem in our watershed. If a farmer is responsible for reducing nutrient loads from his or her land, then shouldn’t others take responsibility as well?

Mitigation

Taking responsibility isn’t solely about money, however. In fact, the stormwater tax can be lowered if we take action on our own lands. Rain barrels, rain gardens, and tree planting are just a few activities that can reduce runoff and stormwater fees simultaneously. If there is less stormwater pollution, then fewer funds are needed to control that stormwater.

And that brings me to Project # 2, where DNR staff and some volunteers planted and tubed ~ 1,500 seedlings on a nearby horse farm. Unfortunately, severe weather and the deer population had reduced the seedling population from last year’s planting. We were there to restore what had been lost. Our day was spent trudging up and down grassy hills while a herd of horses watched in amusement. More then once I thought back to my grueling chigger experience courtesy of GIS Field Skills, but I pushed on and took care not to step on any woody debris. The work was methodical, but every project is a small part of the solution.

Dig a hole, plant a tree, drive a stake, set a tube, dig, plant, drive, tube….Every little bit helps.

Not really an age-old question, but perhaps relevant to today’s environmental managers. There are many out there if you are brave enough to step away from ArcMap. I admit that as a Duke graduate, I feel more comfortable in the Arc world. But as John Fay told my Advanced GIS class, “You are now advanced beginners.” There is still much to learn.

Despite my Geospatial Certificate, I am a student and I often find myself on the ESRI help boards looking for innovative solutions to my mapping problems. And while I am searching for answers, I often come across individuals without access to Arc or the updated Arc versions. What are they to do?

Fortunately, there are other options for non profits, community groups, and any individual in need of spatial analysis tools.

• Google (did you know there is more beyond Google Earth and Google Maps?)
• Green Map
• State Coastal Atlas websites or State Mappers
• Free ESRI Tools
• And may others (see the Ecosystem Based Management Tools Network)!

I recently discovered that Google offers grants to nonprofits willing to use Google’s mapping technology to accomplish program goals. Google blogger Tanya Birch recently showcased a WWF project that tracked deforestation in Sumatra. In an era where ”google” is a common verb, I shouldn’t be that surprised.

When I think about all of the available analysis options, my head truly begins to throb. Now I find myself not only an “advanced beginner” of ArcMap, but an absolute beginner in the overall spatial analysis realm. Where is a young professional to start? Well, I guess I could always google it.

“I regret to inform you that the recent sequestration of U.S. Government funds and other near-term budget uncertainties have made it necessary for NOAA to cancel the Coastal GeoTools 2013 Conference to be held inMyrtle Beach,SC, March 25-28…”

Needless to say, we were all shocked. I had just been asked to moderate a session and was in the process of planning meetings with other attendees. This would have been my first conference as a NOAA Fellow.

As I tried to set aside my disappointment, I couldn’t help thinking about how these types of decisions might impact conservation, restoration, and environmental health – especially with recent questioning of the environmental movement’s success. With an “environmentally friendly” president (and in MD, an environmentally conscious governor), it’s clear that many politicians have good intentions. But will intentions be enough in the current economic climate?

Financial arguments reign and tough budgetary decisions must be made. This week a group of scientists and environmental managers missed out on a professional development and collaboration opportunity. It seems like a very small impact in the long run, but even so, it’s important to take note. What if this is a start to a long lasting pattern?

But perhaps all hope isn’t lost. Even as well-attended conferences like GeoTools are cancelled and sequestration impacts countless federal employees, President Obama established 5 new national monuments this week. It seems strange it me that we’re taking on more responsibilities even as we’re eliminating opportunities to improve management. Will federally-driven protection and conservation be enough if management lags behind? If these trends continue, it may fall to organizations at the state and local level to pick up the slack.

One of the things I love about GIS is that it allows you to view and share data in a unique (and dare I say fun) way. Okay, I admit that data processing isn’t always a walk in the park. While spatial analyses have many benefits to coastal managers, there is one glaring disadvantage. Those of you still spending your Saturdays holed up in the GIS lab know what I’m talking about. Interaction. Communication. Fresh air! Do any of these things sound familiar? Unfortunately, they may not.

My GIS perspective recently changed when I involved myself in two participatory GIS (pGIS) workshops. The Mid-Atlantic Regional Council on the Ocean (MARCO) initiated these workshops last summer with the goal of gathering recreational use data for the mid-Atlantic ocean region. Virginia kicked off the mid-Atlantic effort by asking stakeholders to identify recreational use areas within the state’s ocean and coastal bays.

An understanding of how residents use the ocean and coastal bays will help coastal managers reduce conflicts as the demand for ocean resources expands with populations.

Maryland and Delaware’s Coastal Management programs added to Virginia’s data by holding their own workshops earlier this year. I found myself in a GIS role for these meetings, but I didn’t realize how integrated my role would become.

You may still be asking – What is participatory GIS? Well, it’s actually fairly simple.

1) Gather together local residents with knowledge of recreational activities in state ocean waters. This group may include the coast guard, commercial fishermen, recreational fishermen, surf shop owners, lifeguards, birders, state fisheries or wildlife officials, etc.

2) Project your study area on the wall through ArcMap, which allows for zooming, panning, and display of available coastal data.

3) Facilitate a discussion to identify where various recreational activities take place, both generally and dominantly.

4) Have participants draw those areas on the projected map with a special pen called an “E-beam.” This pen utilizes Wii technology (for the video gamers out there). Once an object is drawn, the data is sent to ArcMap to be saved as a shapefile.

As a GIS user, my role was to “drive” the map, so to speak – zooming, panning, clipping, saving, editing, and displaying data. I may have been sitting behind the computer, but I was still engaging with the participants.

Example: “How far from the shore does kayaking usually take place?”

Translation: “What is the shoreline buffer distance for kayaking polygons?”

When I was a first year MEM, I was involved in some participatory mapping through my assistantship and the Saltwater Connections Asset Mapping project. Our tools consisted of data collection sheets, paper maps, pens, and the online Green Map application. I mostly sat behind a computer, entering data into the online mapper. I never imagined translating the data directly into ArcMap through a consensus-building exercise.

New Jersey is next in line for a pGIS workshop. Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay may follow. If you’ve ever participated in a similar process, please share your experiences!

Showing off my little tree and my little kitten.

Thanksgiving came and went, and I proudly marched out and bought myself an apartment-sized Christmas tree. After setting it up, however, I found myself wondering about the origins of my tree. Was I right in buying this tiny tree? I labeled my crisis “Christmas Tree Guilt,” or CTG, if you prefer.

From my CTG onset ensued an extensive online search. It turns out I’m not the only one thinking about Christmas tree sustainability!

Most of the discussion revolves around the “natural tree vs. plastic tree” debate. In my opinion, why have a tree if it doesn’t come with that fresh pine scent?

I admit that my preference doesn’t mean a thing to anyone but me. Beyond the preference argument, here are a few justifications for skipping the plastic tree, or “keeping it real.”

1. Less Waste. Real trees represent a renewable resource, since tree farms plant 1 to 3 seedlings for every tree that is sold. Plastic trees, on the other hand, are usually discarded after 6 – 9 years. Meanwhile, overseas companies continually produce a product that will ultimately end up in landfills.

2. Biodegradable. Many artificial trees are made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC). This non-biodegradable plastic sits permanently in landfills, while real trees can be returned to nature (serving as habitat) or recycled. For example, many counties pick up and convert Christmas trees into mulch.

3. Environmental Benefits. It’s nice to think about the clean air and water derived from tree farms, as well as the cozy habitats created for wildlife. Of course, these benefits are cut short when a tree is, well…cut. But, the essence of a farm is production. More seedlings are always being planted to replace sold product.

4. Carbon Footprint. Most of the fake trees found in the US are made (you guessed it) in China. Meanwhile, local tree farms sequester carbon as seedlings grow.

5. Supporting your Local Economy. When you buy a real bonafide Douglas Fir, Fraser Fir, or White Pine, you are supporting local businesses. Freshly cut trees can’t travel very far, so it’s certain that your purchase is local.

I can now look at my tree without succumbing to CTG. How about you?

The same can be said in the Coastal Environmental Field. The only difference is that Santa isn’t granting environmental wishes and fiscal needs aren’t restricted to one month per year.

I recently attended a Coastal Communities Exchange Workshop through the MD Department of Natural Resources (DNR) in Annapolis, MD. At this workshop, DNR employees met with communities to talk about county-level coastal projects that were funded by state grants. The workshop served as an exchange of information, lessons learned, and project progress.

The day-long discussion got me thinking about money. With storms like Hurricane Sandy wreaking havoc, and sea level rise on everyone’s minds, I’ve realized how much work our coastal communities have ahead of them to prepare for and adapt to a changing climate. And in these tough financial times with limited resources, how will the work be accomplished?

Unfortunately, money woes aren’t occurring solely at the local level. As the UN Climate talks convene this week, participants from developing and developed countries are discussing the financial needs and commitments that go hand-in-hand with emission reductions and global climate change.

Developed countries (i.e. the European Union, United States, Japan) have made fiscal commitments, essentially accepting responsibility for previous emissions. Concern still exists, however, over developing countries like China that are expected to produce the majority of emissions in the near future. In short, we are in a perpetual state of disagreement about…you guessed it. Money.

Regardless of the financial situation, our coastal communities will be impacted in the coming years. Here are just a few Chesapeake-centered climate facts to mull over in your spare time.

• Maryland has experienced about one foot of relative sea level rise over the past century.
• Maryland is expecting a 2.7 to 3.4 foot rise in seal level by 2100, depending on global emissions.
• Chesapeake Bay water temperatures have been increasing about 0.4°F per decade.
• Maryland may see a rise in air temperature from 4°F  to  9°F by the end of the century.
• Maryland is planning for habitat shifts and changes to species ranges as coastal inundation and saltwater intrusion cause wetland migration and diebacks.
• A change in timing and intensity of extreme storm events and rainfall is expected, with an increase in precipitation in the winter and spring. Precipitation may increase up to 10% by 2100, while more drought events are expected in the summer months.

What lies ahead is uncertain. Fortunately, funding does exist at the local level to help local communities adapt and address climate change. I hope that progress can be made at the global level to reduce emissions as our communities brace for changing coastlines.

Perhaps you’re thinking that 7+ hours is far too long to drive just for a weekend trip. But I would disagree. I admit that I could make a 2 1/2 hour drive to the nearby Ocean City, M.D. Its noise, traffic and congestion, however, take away from the serenity an ocean view should offer. And Beaufort did not disappoint.

Ocean Bound

“I can’t talk to you right now, I see the ocean!”

These words tumbled from my mouth, my phone dropping slightly from my ear as I walked up the wooden boardwalk near Fort Macon and the ocean came into view. My mother, who I happened to be talking to at the time, was probably rolling her eyes on the other end of the line. Needless to say, our conversation ended abruptly.

The ocean offered a great deal more than a beautiful view and the feel of sand between my toes. It also offered wildlife.

This octopus was caught by one the numerous fishermen I passed while walking down the beach. Gotta love those invertebrates – and those fishermen!

These little sanderlings eyed me warily. While their brethren ran in and out with the cascading waves, searching for food, they sat peacefully.

Finding My Way Back

Although I can now easily find my way to Beaufort by land, there are other ways to reach the small town. By boat, dare I say?

Perhaps I’m not there yet, but I definitely took a step in the right direction this weekend. On Saturday evening I tagged along with a former CEM to an Aids to Navigation class offered by the Fort Macon Sail and Power Squadron. We spent the evening learning about beacons, buoys, chart symbols, and navigation aboard the Carolina Princess. I’m not sure I’d trust myself to navigate down the Intracoastal Waterway, but I can now tell you what the letters and numbers on a chart indicate, and why some buoys sport yellow squares and triangles, while others do not.

Setting out from Morehead City aboard the Carolina Princess.

In case you’re still thinking I’m a tad crazy to spend a majority of Friday and Sunday in my car, just for a short jaunt in Beaufort, I offer my last justification. This year, Beaufort was named one of America’s coolest small towns (tying with Hammondsport, N.Y). Now who can argue with that?

I was recently recruited to help with Wetlands and Wildlife Field Day on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. I thought to myself, “Hey, I know a little about wetlands and a bit about wildlife. Why not?” I did not think to myself, “Hey, I know a lot about fourth graders.” Because that is definitely not true.

Wetlands and Wildlife Field Day is an annual education event held at Monie Bay’s Deal Island Wildlife Management Area. Volunteers from DNR and the Chesapeake Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve spend two days teaching Somerset County’s fourth graders about…well, wetlands and wildlife. The day was full of discussions and group activities covering topics from adaptation and predation to invasive species and wildlife management. I was impressed by one boy’s attempt to bring up “carrying capacity.”

The site was beautiful and the kids were enthusiastic. I, unfortunately, was completely out of my element. But after observing for a while, I joined in at the “predator and prey” booth and helped out with a predator and prey simulation game (a.k.a. freeze tag with a few twists).

The predator/prey station before the children arrived. Can you pick out the predator species? The herbivores? The omnivores?

Expanding my comfort zone isn’t such a horrible thing. For starters, I was challenged in a new way. And the view wasn’t so bad either.

My most recent adventure consisted of water quality sampling in Monie Bay, part of the Chesapeake Estuarine Research Reserve on Maryland’sEastern Shore. The drive was long, but oh so worthwhile.

As a GIS Analyst, I spend copious amounts of time staring at water quality data. Dissolved oxygen, salinity, temperature, secchi depth, chlorophyll, Nitrogen and Phosphorus, total suspended solids…the list goes on and on. Still, it’s refreshing to participate in all stages of the process: data collection, processing, geocoding, and spatial analysis.

I’d been hoping to get some hands on experience with Chesapeake Bay water quality, and Monie Bay was a good place to make my wish become reality. One boat ride and two bald eagle sightings later, we were preparing water samples for processing at University of Maryland’s Chesapeake Biological Laboratory.

The Chesapeake Bay Program recently blogged about DNR’s larger water quality sampling endeavors and included a video of the entire process. Reserve sampling is similar, only at a much smaller scale.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U1prV3zpeZA

From the Field: Monitoring water quality in the Chesapeake Bay

I knew I was close when I passed a sign boasting “George Washington’s Birthplace.” Although the sign beckoned to me, I stayed strong and continued forward.

The Chesapeake Bay Commission (CBC) is a tri-state legislative assembly representing Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania that advises each state on Bay issues and coordinates state policies. Last week’s meeting was a two day event – one day devoted to a Virginia aquaculture tour and another devoted to a more formal decision-making meeting.

When I arrived I was quickly whisked away by CBC staff for introductions and preparations. Before I knew it, we were climbing onto a large bus ["we" meaning politicians, citizen representatives, scientists, environmental managers, CBC staff, and me…a lowly NOAA fellow who felt all the good fortune of this opportunity!].

On the Road Again

The starting point for this journey was steeped in history, so it was only fitting that the day’s initial presentations provided a general history of the Chesapeake Bay’s blue crab and oyster fisheries. While the blue crab tales ended on a semi-happy note, those for the oyster did not. What’s a manager to do with these shellfish sitting at less than 1% of their historic population? The question taunted me as we listened to our presenters en route to the first stop of the day.

Sadly, the weather prevented us from visiting the nearby blue crab shedding facilities and oyster aquaculture sites. But, we were able to tour an oyster shucking and packing facility, followed by an oyster hatchery.

The machine behind Bevans’ frozen oysters on the half shell

Juvenile hatchery grown oysters.

Adult hatchery oysters. The hatchery produces individual oysters, as well as clustered oysters (pictured here).

Staring off into the Coan River behind the oyster hatchery.

It was late afternoon when we exited the hatchery and walked in view of the Coan River. Water and agricultural land surrounded us, and if you stared hard enough, you could just make out colored aquaculture buoys floating in the distance. The sun dared to peak out from behind the clouds as we gathered together to hear the oyster’s sad tale.  Woe and heartache and disease and decline. Yes, the oyster fishery is just a fraction of what it once was.

The Oyster Tale

The oyster’s tale of woe begins in the 1800s when oysters were hauled and mined from the water for use in roads and construction. Watermen began using dredges, which destroyed up to three quarters of the Bay’s oyster reefs between 1860 and 1920 (See CBF for more info). Overfishing and habitat destruction did occur, yes, but that isn’t the whole story.

Disease in the form of MSX and Dermo swept through the Bay, decimating the now fragile populations. Other populations declined from freshwater input during storm events. And with oysters dying at the young age of 3 or 4, large shells were unavailable for reef growth. A researcher from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science rightly described these occurrences as “natural insults.”

This is where aquaculture comes in. The beacon at the end of the tunnel!

Virginia’s aquaculture industry looks very big to a girl from Maryland, where in-column aquaculture permits are hard to come by and the permitting process has just been re-organized. Will Maryland’s industry follow Virginia’s lead?

A hatchery scientist explained that their industry preserves working waterfront infrastructure and the waterman’s knowledge for future use. Perhaps, one day, the oyster population will exceed the 1% mark. Perhaps, one day, harvest in the Potomac River will exceed this past year’s 340 bushels. Until then, aquaculture might be the way to go.