COASTAL AMERICA UPDATE |
SPRING 1998 |
[FIGURE] Dr. Sylvia Earle, Ms. Julie Packard, Dr. Nancy Foster and Mr. Robert B. Pirie, Jr., at Monterey Bay Aquarium Designation.
The first learning center on the west coast, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, was designated on January 27, 1998. Sylvia Earle, noted explorer with the National Geographic Society, was the keynote speaker. The learning centers, she said, are "a powerful antidote to ignorance." Mr. Robert B. Pirie, Jr., Assistant Secretary of the Navy, represented the Principals and signed the MOU together with Ms. Julie Packard, Executive Director of the Aquarium. Ms. Packard spoke of the opportunity to educate the public and create active stewards of coastal ecosystems. Dr. Nancy Foster, Assistant Administrator of NOAA introduced the regional agency representatives and emphasized the importance of this federal/private partnership to the Monterey Bay. Initial gifts to the Aquarium included grey whale baleen, a variety of educational materials, native plants, and ship time. Also, the state of California made several commitments including the provision of highway signage identifying the learning center.
The Texas State Aquarium became the seventh Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center designated on March 30, 1998. Mr. Michael Davis, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army represented the Principals, signed the MOU and presented the plaque to the aquarium. Mr. Stephen A. Ordahl, Executive Director of the Aquarium, signed the MOU and said that the Aquarium would display the Coastal Ecosystem Learning Center plaque "with great pride as a symbol of a long and beneficial partnership with all the Coastal America agencies." State Senator Carl Truan, Dean of the Texas Senate, remarked that "Coastal America is a flagship program which just makes sense...coordinating across agency lines works." Presentations to the Aquarium included educational materials, posters, a slide show about endangered sea turtles as well as commitments for speakers and other technical support in the future.
In support of the Year of the Ocean (YOTO) and the learning center network, Coastal America has organized a series of lectures. Dr. John Reynolds, Chair of the Marine Mammal Commission will kick-off the series with a lecture at the New England Aquarium on May 20, 1998. He will speak on "From Moby Dick to Free Willy: Marine Mammals in a Changing World." Dr. Sylvia Earle, noted explorer with the National Geographic Society, will be the keynote speaker at a program at the Aquarium for Wildlife Conservation in Brooklyn, NY, on June 20, 1998. Her presentation "Sea Change" will summarize the ecological change she has witnessed over the years during her many ocean dives. The National Aquarium in Baltimore will host Dr. Robert Ballard, the scientist and explorer who discovered the Titanic, on November 19, 1998. His lecture on ocean exploration will highlight his recent discoveries. Additional lectures are being scheduled. For further information contact the Coastal America office.
Strategic Vision Distributed. On December 9,1997 Mr. Robert Perciasepe, Chair of the Principals Group and Assistant Administrator for Water, EPA forwarded to all Coastal America participants the approved "Strategic Vision". In developing the Strategic Vision, two specific operational themes were kept in focus, i.e., confining Coastal America's future activities to coastal issues and maintaining a watershed approach. Addressing these themes, five major goals were identified, each with a corresponding set of objectives, as follows:
Potential Dam Removal Projects Sought. Building upon the success of the Neuse River Dam removal in Goldboro, North Carolina last December, Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt has requested his office be informed of any and all potential dam removal projects undertaken by the Coastal America partnership. Based on the response he has received when mentioning the Neuse River Dam removal, Secretary Babbitt believes dam removal projects are important to the general public. Each of the Coastal America RITs have been requested to provide a listing of potential dam removal projects in their respective regions.
Annual Call Letters for Projects Distributed. On March 24, 1998 Mr. Robert Perciasepe sent to all Coastal America Regional Principals a letter requesting the nomination of projects for which they would like the collaborative support of the appropriate Regional Implementation Team (RIT). Nominations are to be forwarded to the appropriate RIT chair by May 22, 1998. This call letter was in response to the Principals agreement that they should encourage greater activity and commitment from their respective agencies to the Coastal America process.
Demonstration Project with the Coastal States Organization. At their last meeting on November 6, 1997, the Principals were briefed on the activities of the Coastal States Organization (CSO) by Mr. Tony MacDonald, Executive Director of CSO. Following his briefing, the Principals agreed that a pilot project with CSO involving an individual member state would be a worthwhile undertaking. Discussions are currently underway among the Coastal States Organization (CSO), Coastal America's National Office and the SERIT to develop a demonstration project in North Carolina. The CSO's newly elected chair, Mr. Roger Schecter, who is also the North Carolina Director of Coastal Management is very enthusiastic about the possibility of demonstrating a collaborative, watershed project on the Neuse and/or Cape Fear Rivers in his state. Mr. Schecter believes that if a successful demonstration project could be developed, state participation in Coastal America projects will increase.
Next Meeting. The next Coastal America Principals meeting will be in late April or early May. The agenda calls for the following issues to be discussed:
The New England Aquarium, in partnership with Coastal America and the Boston Public Schools, received a grant from the EPA Environmental Justice Small Grants to establish an Environmental Teacher Sabbatical program for 14 middle school teachers.
The goal of this program is to develop a cadre of teachers who are prepared to lead the way in developing environmental stewardship among Boston's schoolchildren. Science teachers in the Boston Public Schools were eligible to apply. The program addresses strategies for teaching about environmental issues relevant to the inner-city communities of Boston, and meeting science curriculum standards.
The sabbatical weeks were held in January and included orientation and tours; mini-workshops; independent time for individual projects; meetings with Aquarium staff; presentations and field trips led by environmental experts; observing visitors and school groups in the Aquarium; and journal writing.
Coastal America's NERIT provided Bill Hubbard, NERIT chair, who gave a slide presentation on Coastal America's efforts to restore salt marshes and Ed Reiner, EPA, who led a field trip to Belle Isle Salt Marsh. A June 26, 1998 exploration of Boston Harbor aboard the EPA vessel OSV Anderson is also part of the program.
Preliminary evaluations indicate that teachers are highly enthusiastic about the program. Teachers reported that they learned to be more observant and to help others be more observant; learned more about scientific tools and techniques; and gained an appreciation of the importance of environmental education. Teachers reported that they found many resources to take back to their classroom and believe that their students will benefit both immediately and in the long run from their participation in the program.
Coastal America's newest publication is Coastal Challenges: A Guide to Coastal and Marine Issues. This booklet, an update of the Reporter's Guide, was updated with the assistance of the Environmental Health Center of the National Safety Council. It includes information on a variety of coastal issues and definitions of coastal terms. Also, it includes descriptions of federal authorities which affect coastal resources. This publication, revised for the Year of the Ocean, is available from the Coastal America office.
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