NERRS Education Programs Cop National and Regional Awards

Education programs at several of NOAA’s National Estuarine Research Reserves have earned recognition in the form of national professional awards in recent weeks.

Delaware NERR: The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, partner agency with NERRS in Delaware, took first place in the curriculum category of the National Association for Interpretation’s awards for “Green Eggs and Sand: The Horseshoe Crab/Shorebird Education Project.” The award was presented to the Green Eggs and Sand project team, including Katy O’Connell, education coordinator at Delaware NERR. The program, initiated in 2000, is a scientifically and educationally sound, innovative and flexible resource for educators teaching about horseshoe crabs, migratory shorebirds, human interactions with both and natural resource management.

Second place in the curriculum category was awarded to Kaibab National Forest (Arizona). A tie for third place was shared between Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming) and Bandelier National Monument (New Mexico). NAI is the professional association dedicated to the advancement of the profession of natural and historic interpretation, with all the various aspects of environmental communication, including environmental education.

Weeks Bay NERR in Alabama took third place in the Youth/Education category of EPA’s Gulf Guardian Awards for its “Grasses in Classes Program,” which will facilitate the establishment and maintenance of nurseries by Baldwin County school students to grow native plants for submerged, wetland and dune restoration projects. By raising the plants to maturity and keeping half of the plants for future propagation, the nurseries will provide a continual inexpensive source of plants to be used in many federal, state and local habitat restoration projects in the Baldwin County area.

The BCGIC program , organized by Margaret Sedlecky, education coordinator at Weeks Bay, will also provide a volunteer base for implementation of restoration projects and will promote student involvement in community-based restoration activities. With guidance from teachers and experts, the students will maintain and monitor the nursery at their school. Students will also assist local scientists with monitoring the restoration sites during the school year.

Grand Bay NERR in Mississippi also took a third place in the Gulf Guardian awards in the Partnership category for its “Grand Bay Bioblitz Program,” a 24-hour marathon inventory of flora and fauna in the 18,400-acre reserve conducted every spring. The program is organized by a variety of partner agencies and organizations and relies on volunteers from the local public.Bioblitz brings together scientists, educators and the community to survey and increase awareness of the reserve’s natural resources. The program is directed by Jennifer Buchanan, education coordinator at Grand Bay.

The Gulf of Mexico Program developed the Gulf Guardian awards as a method of recognizing and honoring the businesses, community groups, individuals, and agencies that are taking positive steps to keep the Gulf healthy, beautiful and productive. Awards are given each year in six categories – individual, business, youth and education, nonprofit organizations, government and partnership efforts. The Gulf of Mexico Program began in 1988 to protect, restore, and maintain the health and productivity of the Gulf of Mexico ecosystem in economically sustainable ways.

Posted: Friday, December 02, 2005