Marine Debris. Education and Outreach. Dodie Sanders University of Georgia Marine Extension Service

Transcription

1 Marine Debris Education and Outreach Dodie Sanders University of Georgia Marine Extension Service

2 Overview Where we started. Where we are now. The current project, the components and the importance of outreach and education. Funded by NOAA Marine Debris Program Where do we go from here?

3 Where we started. Project funded by State of Georgia Coastal Incentive Grant Program 2011: Evaluating plastics abundance and degradation within coastal Georgia marshes Skidaway Institute of Oceanography: Dr. Richard Lee and Dr. Jay Brandes Searched various data bases to determine the amount and rate of accumulation of plastic debris at various beach/marsh sites in coastal Georgia Data from Clean Coast, Friends of Sapelo, Georgia Beachsweep, Rivers Alive, National Debris Survey, NOAA Marine Debris Program

4 Large amounts of plastics collected during beach cleanup efforts along the coast We don t have a good idea of the overall distribution, but plastic trash found in all surveys

5 Less data on plastic accumulation rates, even on pristine islands Plastic accumulation and total amounts highest near population centers (Savannah)

6 NOAA Marine Debris/Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative 2012 and 2013: Plastic Debris Along the Georgia Coast Dr. Richard Lee: Skidaway Institute of Oceanography, UGA Dodie Sanders: Marine Extension Service, University of Georgia This project continued the data collection with the implementation of marine debris shoreline surveys, provided educational programs and community outreach efforts (brochure, marine debris shoreline surveys).

7 Where we are now. Funded by NOAA Marine Debris Program Project SORT: Using Marine Debris Surveys to Encourage Environmental Stewardship Provides an important conduit for fostering public knowledge, awareness and understanding of the global issue of marine debris on a regional level Uses a cadre of existing partnerships and networks Composed of two, intertwined program elements: educational programs and outreach as components 1-3 exhibits designed to educate the general public

8 Project SORT: Using Marine Debris Surveys to Encourage Environmental Stewardship Educational and stewardship activities for teachers and their students Component 1: development of pre and post learning activities for middle and high school students, with an emphasis on the reduction and prevention of marine debris. Plastics in the Ocean, Assessing Your Watershed, Making it Disappear Programs will be piloted in the Project SORT Marine Debris Teacher Workshop in July 2014.

9 Project SORT: Using Marine Debris Surveys to Encourage Environmental Stewardship Educational and stewardship activities for teachers, students and the general public Component 2: marine debris shoreline surveys as educational programs. The marine debris programs support the environmental education continuum of experiences by fostering knowledge, awareness, stewardship and ultimately encouraging changes in behavior to address the issue of marine debris. The marine debris shoreline surveys incorporate the NOAA Marine Debris accumulation survey protocol: determine the debris deposition rate (# items/unit area/unit time) determine the material types determine the weight of plastics Priest Landing Wassaw Island, north Wassaw Island, south

10 Project SORT: Using Marine Debris Surveys to Encourage Environmental Stewardship Educational and stewardship activities for teachers, students and the general public Collect, Sort, Tally & Weigh

11 Before

12 and After

13 By the numbers, what we have found at one site

14 Project SORT: Using Marine Debris Surveys to Encourage Environmental Stewardship Educational and stewardship activities for teachers and their students Component 3: regional marine debris workshop at UGA MAREX in July 2014 twenty informal and formal educators recruited from North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia Content, Curriculum and Field Research Integrating Marine Debris Citizen Science and Classroom Education: Georgia Sea Turtle Center Plastic Marine Debris Along the Georgia Coast: Skidaway Institute of Oceanography Marine Debris Activities for the Classroom: Richmond High School Marine Debris Video Gaming: STEM Academy Micro Plastics: Skidaway Institute of Oceanography Mobile Application for Marine Debris: University of Georgia Marine Debris Activities for the Classroom: St. Andrews School

15 Project SORT: Using Marine Debris Surveys to Encourage Environmental Stewardship Educational exhibit for the general public 154,000 visitors annually at the three sites

16 Where are we going? Continue doing the marine debris shoreline surveys: a tool for educating the general public on marine debris provides data that helps us to better understand the distribution and accumulation of marine debris on the coast removes debris from coastal environments

17 Where are we going? Investigate micro plastics in the coastal zone not a lot is known Collaborate with Dr. Jay Brandes: Skidaway Institute of Oceanography Develop and disseminate educational curriculum and programs

18 Thank you to The Southeast Atlantic Marine Debris Initiative and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration s Marine Debris Program Dodie Sanders University of Georgia Marine Extension Service sandersd@uga.edu