Summer Break for our Monthly Webinar Series.

We will be taking a summer break from our weekly webinar series this month.  We will continue the series next month with our September 18th meeting.  

Our monthly webinar series offers a way to connect with other friends organizations and foundations and to learn more about relevant topics.  Our meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of the month from 2:00 - 3:00PM ET.  We hope you will be able to join us in September!

New Estuaries 101 Middle School Curriculum!

Inspiring people to learn about & protect our nation’s estuaries

Who? NOAA's National Estuarine Research Reserves (NERR) and the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources are pleased to announce.

What? Estuaries 101 Middle School Curriculum, a new online multi-media science curriculum for grades 5-8^th

Why? This curriculum provides interactive learning tools to teach fundamental concepts in science and develop scientific thinking skills, while helping students discover and virtually explore the nation's biologically rich estuaries.

Where? It is available free on the estuaries.noaa.gov site in easy to access teacher downloads.

When? Available NOW!

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Don't miss an opportunity to use this curriculum that engages students in real NERR research and monitoring through interactive classroom activities and user-friendly real time water quality and weather data exercises. Videos, simulations, teacher activity downloads, and interactive maps are all available to further help students visualize the inner workings of an estuary.

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Learn more.

·        Background information and a short video clip click here.

·        Teacher on the Estuary training opportunities using this curriculum click here.

Thank you!

Atziri Ibanez, Bree Murphy and all 28 Education Coordinators from NOAA's National Estuarine Research Reserve System

The Friends of the GTM Reserve need your help today!

Post from Christine Rich, President, Friends of the GTM NERR

The Friends of the GTM NERR would like to urgently request your support in voicing input to the Federal Government as it finalizes the Fort Matanzas Management Plan. This is a national monument run by the U.S. Parks service.  We have come out in support of one of the stated options which does not include beach driving in certain areas adjacent to the Reserve.  We’d like to ask you to visit the Fort Matanzas Management Plan website and state your preferences, particularly endorsing Option B. For more information, please see the Friends of the GTM Reserve Official Statement below.

This is one way to help ensure that real science and the opinions of those with a shared stake in the preservation of pristine natural resources are used to influence the decision-making process.

Comments can be made online at the comments page of the National Park Service site.   

Friends of the GTM Reserve Official Statement to the NPS

The waters on the estuary side of the Matanzas Inlet are within the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve (“Research Reserve”) boundaries. Research conducted by the Research Reserve staff has shown that the water quality of the Matanzas Inlet is some of the most pristine in Northeast Florida. The Friends agree that “Alternative B” creates the widest range of beneficial uses of the environment without degradation or risk of other undesirable consequences due to the continued prohibition against driving on the beach south of the Matanzas ramp. The preservation of the water quality is important to the Friends because it serves the interests of the Reserve’s research and also enhances the quality of water-based recreational activities, including, boating and fishing which take place in the estuary adjacent to the Monument. Additionally, “Alternative B”, will increase environmental interpretation which will create enhanced educational opportunities for visitors to understand the area’s natural environment.

The Friends do not support “Alternative C" as proposed in the Fort Matanzas National Monument Management Plan. The Friends do support the variety of existing beach experiences a visitor can have within the boundaries of the Research Reserve and in St. Johns County. There are 16.7 miles of beaches available for visitor access by motor vehicle in St. Johns County. The Friends do not support “Alternative C” and its potential to allow for beach driving at the Monument due to the adjacent estuary's high water quality, the unique and changing coastal ecosystem at the Matanzas Inlet and the potential for negative effects on wildlife and public safety.

Laudholm Trust Welcomes a New President.

Laudholm Trust welcomed Nik Charov as the new president of the Trust last week.  To find out more about Nik, check out the Wrack - blog of the Wells Reserve and Laudholm Trust or read the press release below.  Welcome Nik!

Incoming Laudholm Trust president Nik Charov stands with retiring president Diana Joyner, who for the past 4 years has led the Wells nonprofit.

WELLS, Maine, July 11, 2012 — Nik Charov has been hired as the new president of Laudholm Trust, the fund raising arm of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, according to Bruce Read, chairman of the Trust board. A search committee composed of Laudholm Trust board members and the retiring president, Diana Joyner, chose Charov after reviewing a strong field of candidates from around the country. Charov will be working with Joyner as he assumes full responsibility as president.

“We are delighted to have a seasoned professional like Nik join our team,” said Read. “Nik’s extensive and proven experience in fund raising and event planning, as well as his passion for the environment, will serve our communities well as the Wells Reserve at Laudholm continues to prosper and grow.”

Charov has been working in science education and environmental preservation for nearly a decade. For the past four years, he has been director of institutional advancement for New York Restoration Project (NYRP), a non-profit organization dedicated to reclaiming and restoring New York City parks, community gardens, and open space. He was responsible for managing more than 90 corporate, foundation, government, individual, and partner relationships that helped raise $10 million annually for operations and programs. He also oversaw fund raising for MillionTreesNYC, a $28 million citywide capital campaign and the nation’s largest and most ambitious urban forestry program.

Prior to his position at NYRP, Charov was the senior grants manager for the New York Hall of Science in Queens, the city’s hands-on science museum and research center. He holds a philosophy degree from Stanford University.

As president, Charov is responsible for overseeing the daily operation of Laudholm Trust, including managing membership, interacting with donors and business partners, working with the Wells Reserve staff, developing fund raising programs, and overseeing the Trust’s signature events such as the Laudholm Nature Crafts Festival and Punkinfiddle, a National Estuaries Day Celebration.

A husband and father of two preschool boys, Charov is no stranger to Maine. He has spent more than 30 summers exploring the tide pools, pines, and breakwaters of Peaks Island.

Charov is the sixth president in Laudholm Trust’s 30-year history. The Trust was formed in 1982 to protect and preserve historic Laudholm Farm, but soon became a driving force for the creation of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve. With the support of its 1700 members, Laudholm Trust has contributed millions of dollars to the reserve for research, education, stewardship, and preservation.

Charov can be reached at 207-646-4521 ext 144 or nik@laudholm.org.

The Friends of Rookery Bay receive grant on behalf of the Rookery Bay Reserve

Blog posting from Bruce Robertson, Friends of Rookery Bay

Rookery Bay Reserve recently announced the completion of a Florida Division of Historical Resources grant-funded assessment of historic sites on state-owned lands and the creation of a comprehensive, multi-layered database of historic and cultural resources within the managed boundary.  The grant funds enabled Rookery Bay Reserve’s stewardship team to work with a contractor to complete visual surveys of known and suspected sites in the reserve, document artifacts, photographs, and historical deeds records from the National Archives, and combine these data with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and other advanced technology into one comprehensive computerized catalog of records and details, all viewable in layers on a map.  This tool will be used for future management of cultural and historic sites in the reserve.  The project was financed in part with historic preservation grant assistance provided by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior, administered through the Bureau of Historic Preservation, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State, assisted by the Florida Historical Commission.  The grant was awarded to the Friends of Rookery Bay on behalf of the Reserve, and was one of 12 awards from a pool of nearly 100 applications.  The $50,000 project comprised $25,000 from the granting agency with matching funds from the Reserve.

Port of Anacortes, Washington wins NOAA Award

PORT of ANACORTES WINS NOAA’S WALTER B. JONES AWARD for excellence in local government. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration has announced winners of the 2012 Walter B. Jones Awards for Excellence in Coastal and Ocean Management. These awards honor the individuals and organizations that have made a difference by dedicating countless hours and energy to conserving coastal resources and improving coastal communities throughout America. Awarded every two years, the awards were created to honor the late 11-term Congressman Walter B. Jones of North Carolina. As chairman of the House Merchant Marine & Fisheries Committee, Congressman Jones was a strong supporter of the National Marine Fisheries Service and the Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management. He provided leadership on numerous legislative initiatives addressing coastal and ocean issues such as commercial shipping, oil spill clean-up & prevention and flood insurance reform. The Port of Anacortes was nominated to receive an award by Kay Reinhardt, Padilla Bay Foundation Administrator. Their project was a restoration of coastline in Anacortes visited by citizens of the area and out of town visitors. It adjoins the Cap Sante Boat Haven and Seafarers’ Memorial Park. Formerly the area was derelict and possessed toxins underwater in soils long ago contaminated during the decades under which plywood mills and tangent industries were operated. The restoration recovers shoreline configuration to encourage habitation of forage fish and sea grasses, with a gradual shoreline welcoming to use by people and critters alike. It’s a comprehensive project which could be replicated elsewhere; one of the award’s criteria. For more about the Walter B. Jones Awards for 2012, please visit NOAA online. http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/programs/ocrm/jones-noaa-awards.html

Mark Your Calendars for Our Monthly Webinar Meetings!

Based on feedback from all of you, we will be hosting monthly webinar meetings of the Friends and Foundations.  They will be held on the 3rd Tuesday of every month from 2:00 - 3:00 Eastern Time.  Each webinar will follow the structure that we have been using over the past few months and will include -

• a few minutes for updates and news, 
• a review or presentation on the topic identified for the meeting, 
• followed by time for discussion to share what is happening at your organization/reserve and learn what is happening at other reserves.  

The goals of the meetings will be to - 

• Provide a regular opportunity to connect with each other;
• Share information and knowledge with each other to foster growth and learning;
• Provide input for NERRA on how we can help on a national/regional level.  

We will begin our series on Tuesday, June 19th at 2:00pm Eastern Time.  The topic of this month's meeting is Marketing.  We hope that you will be able to join us!  More information on this meeting will follow next week.