how you can be the change you envision
TRANSCRIPT
HOW YOU CAN BE THE CHANGE YOU ENVISION
SARAH OKTAY, PHD
DIRECTOR, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS BOSTON
NANTUCKET FIELD STATION
PRESIDENT, ORGANIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL FIELD STATIONS
Martha’s Vineyard Youth Leadership
SummitJuly 1 2015
OUR CHALLENGES
• We are polluting the planet and harming the oceans, our land, and the animals and habitat
• Big issues like increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere are causing planet-wide chaos
• Small issues like septic system runoff, introduction of invasive species, and plastic pollution are causing algae blooms, reducing biodiversity, and contaminating the ocean while choking larger creatures
• Big governments and “adults” are slow moving and sometimes overly concerned about the bottom line, they don’t always understand a cleaner earth and ocean saves money
UMASS BOSTON NANTUCKET FIELD STATION
Placed Based Research doing science in the field at the point where research and the public meet
FIELD STATIONS AND MARINE LABS GLOBALLY900+ international field stations
Interactive Map
ORGANIZATION OF BIOLOGICAL FIELD STATIONS
ONE SOLUTION: PUT KIDS IN CHARGE: GRACE GROSSMAN INNER CITY YOUTH COLLABORATIVE:
BEACH PROFILING, BIODIVERSITY SURVEYS & HORSESHOE CRAB COUNTS
High School Students collecting data and
solving water quality and pollution dilemmas
WATER DEFENSEINSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION
HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOM TESTING
Designing easy to deploy passive water samplers
THE NANTUCKET FIELD STATIONS WORKS WITH THE PROVINCETOWN CENTER FOR COASTAL STUDIES: HIGH RESOLUTION MAPPING OF SEA FLOOR
WATER QUALITY PROGRAMS
Surface Water
• Freshwater
• Salt (Harbors, Sound and Ocean)
• Brackish (salt marsh studies)
• Groundwater
Salinity, dissolved oxygen,
Nutrients:
too much from fertilizers
septics
boats
Coliforms, etc.
• Collaboration with Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society. Shearwater Excursions, UMB-NFS, Nantucket Marine Mammal Conservation Program
• Marine Mammal Science & Education
• Extends range of observations for right and humpback whales
• Enhances experience on whale watches
Humans and Animals collide as marine mammal populations rebound
FISHERIES
Ocean acidification is already causing changes to bivalves and coral reefs everywhereRising sea surface temperatures are accelerating algal blooms and driving some fish further offshore
HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS
FRESHWATER
SALTWATER
NANTUCKET SEMESTER SCIENCE• Topics: Conch, Bycatch, Scallops, Salt marsh
vegetation changes, Chl-a, HABs, Oyster, eels, Beach profiling
COASTAL RESILIENCY: HOW DO WE DEAL WITH RISING SEAS AND BIG STORMS?
HURRICANE SANDYFEBRUARY 2013 STORM NEMO
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/czm/program-areas/stormsmart-coasts/
HOW DO WE CHANGE POLICY AND MAKE A DIFFERENCE?
• Fertilizer regulations
• Docks and piers
• Balloons now banned on Nantucket
• Styrofoam and plastic bags
• Protecting wetlands and the harbor
• Fisheries regulations
• Education public about marine mammals
• Showing people effects of climate change