2021 Highlights
2021 Highlights
Marine Education Program
July 23rd-Coastal Steward held a marine ecology program for the Belle Terre Summer Youth Group at their beach in Port Jefferson. Approximately 30 children ranging from Pre-K to 10th grade attended the day-long session.
August 5th-Fifteen students in grades 7-12, from the Farmingdale State College Step Program, took part in a learning rotation which included tabletop microscopy of local marine organisms, net seining of Mt. Sinai Harbor waters and a tour of the Town of Brookhaven Mariculture Facility and Marine Environmental Stewardship Center.
September 24th-'Day In The Life of a River' at Carmans River in Brookhaven Township.
Coastal Steward supported the "Day in the Life" programs on Long Island and in doing so was able to introduce and educate many local schools and hundreds of young people about the potential for citizen science and how they can become stewards as they live on an island surrounded by an interesting and valuable environment that benefits from our care and conservation.
The 'Day In The Life' Programs have grown to include a large number of schools from many districts all over Long Island. The program is an exciting STEM-oriented outdoor education program designed to celebrate Long Island's rivers and the connecting estuary ecosystems unique to Long Island. Environmental education partners and students from school districts all over Long Island work alongside environmental scientists/professionals like Coastal Steward's Adult and Youth Educators to collect scientific information and analyze samples to capture a snapshot of the environmental health of these ecosystems. Students use hands-on field techniques to describe their sites, catch fish in nets, collect water and invertebrate samples, develop a biodiversity inventory of the riparian zone and analyze water chemistry. They examine the physical and chemical aspects of the river/estuary, such as where freshwater and saltwater meet, the amount of sediments in the water and turbidity and oxygen levels, as well as conduct biodiversity inventories of the flora and fauna in and around the ecosystems.
During the Fall 2021 season Coastal Steward helped the Day in the Life Programs achieve the following three primary goals:
Using the Environment Integrated Context for
Learning-
At each location, teams of students
use seine nets and lab equipment to investigate
aquatic life, biodiversity, water chemistry and
quality, tides and weather and other parameters
that fit into the STEM curriculum.
Citizen Science-
Results for all locations and
schools are posted on our “A Day in the Life”
website to be used by the students, land use
decision makers, civic groups, and the general
public.
Creating Environmental Stewards-
Students are our future decision makers; our goal is to
give them the inspiration and knowledge to make
informed decisions for environmental health.
Shellfish Restoration Program
The shellfish program had a very successful year. We had a total of 90 volunteers who worked a total of 473 hours spread out over ten sessions. Approximately 30 of the volunteers who signed in were of junior/high school age. All 80,000 oysters were placed in either the Mt. Sinai or Port Jefferson sanctuary.
In the wild, only 4-5 oysters per million (.0005%) live to reproduce. Our mortality rate was just 5% (95% survival rate).
One diving expedition this past summer revealed 3-4 year old oysters (identified by the unique black genetic marker) with spat attached to them. This is a positive sign that the work Coastal Steward and Brookhaven Town are doing is producing desired results.
Coastal Steward would also like to recognize Ethan Nichols and Yvette Reyes for their leadership and dedication to the Shellfish Restoration Program this past year.
Marine Education Program
July 23rd-Coastal Steward held a marine ecology program for the Belle Terre Summer Youth Group at their beach in Port Jefferson. Approximately 30 children ranging from Pre-K to 10th grade attended the day-long session.
August 5th-Fifteen students in grades 7-12, from the Farmingdale State College Step Program, took part in a learning rotation which included tabletop microscopy of local marine organisms, net seining of Mt. Sinai Harbor waters and a tour of the Town of Brookhaven Mariculture Facility and Marine Environmental Stewardship Center.
September 24th-'Day In The Life of a River' at Carmans River in Brookhaven Township.
Coastal Steward supported the "Day in the Life" programs on Long Island and in doing so was able to introduce and educate many local schools and hundreds of young people about the potential for citizen science and how they can become stewards as they live on an island surrounded by an interesting and valuable environment that benefits from our care and conservation.
The 'Day In The Life' Programs have grown to include a large number of schools from many districts all over Long Island. The program is an exciting STEM-oriented outdoor education program designed to celebrate Long Island's rivers and the connecting estuary ecosystems unique to Long Island. Environmental education partners and students from school districts all over Long Island work alongside environmental scientists/professionals like Coastal Steward's Adult and Youth Educators to collect scientific information and analyze samples to capture a snapshot of the environmental health of these ecosystems. Students use hands-on field techniques to describe their sites, catch fish in nets, collect water and invertebrate samples, develop a biodiversity inventory of the riparian zone and analyze water chemistry. They examine the physical and chemical aspects of the river/estuary, such as where freshwater and saltwater meet, the amount of sediments in the water and turbidity and oxygen levels, as well as conduct biodiversity inventories of the flora and fauna in and around the ecosystems.
During the Fall 2021 season Coastal Steward helped the Day in the Life Programs achieve the following three primary goals:
Using the Environment Integrated Context for
Learning-
At each location, teams of students
use seine nets and lab equipment to investigate
aquatic life, biodiversity, water chemistry and
quality, tides and weather and other parameters
that fit into the STEM curriculum.
Citizen Science-
Results for all locations and
schools are posted on our “A Day in the Life”
website to be used by the students, land use
decision makers, civic groups, and the general
public.
Creating Environmental Stewards-
Students are our future decision makers; our goal is to
give them the inspiration and knowledge to make
informed decisions for environmental health.
Shellfish Restoration Program
The shellfish program had a very successful year. We had a total of 90 volunteers who worked a total of 473 hours spread out over ten sessions. Approximately 30 of the volunteers who signed in were of junior/high school age. All 80,000 oysters were placed in either the Mt. Sinai or Port Jefferson sanctuary.
In the wild, only 4-5 oysters per million (.0005%) live to reproduce. Our mortality rate was just 5% (95% survival rate).
One diving expedition this past summer revealed 3-4 year old oysters (identified by the unique black genetic marker) with spat attached to them. This is a positive sign that the work Coastal Steward and Brookhaven Town are doing is producing desired results.
Coastal Steward would also like to recognize Ethan Nichols and Yvette Reyes for their leadership and dedication to the Shellfish Restoration Program this past year.
