M I C H A E L P E R E Z C A L I F O R N I A S T A T E U N I V E R S I T Y , L O N G B E A C H

E N V I R O N M E N T A L E D U C A T I O N I N T E R N

S U M M E R 2 0 1 2

Kiosk Effectiveness Regarding Public Awareness of Flora and Fauna on BHI

 "In the end we will conserve only what we love; we will love only what we understand and we will understand only what we are taught.“

-Baba Dioum

Goals of Research Project

�  Determine how often kiosks are being utilized by the public

�  Gain insight to public opinion regarding kiosks maintained by the BHI Conservancy

�  Discover ways to improve future kiosk designs

Kiosk Information

�  The kiosks owned by the BHI Conservancy are used to help educate the public ¡  upcoming events, wildlife, and habitats

�  Four locations on Bald Head Island ¡  Kent Mitchell Trail, Beach Access 42, Stede Bonnet Wynd,

BHI Conservancy

Kiosk Photos

Stede Bonnet Wynd

Beach Access 42

Kent Mitchell Trail

BHI Conservancy Campus

Survey Methods

�  Surveys conducted between July 22nd, 2012 and August 3rd, 2012.

�  Surveys at each kiosk location twice ¡  Two hour period at each location

Survey

Hypothesis

�  The Beach and Dune habitat is underrepresented in kiosks and the public would like to see that included.

�  Sea Turtle will be the animal most desired by the public to be added to future designs.

Survey Numbers

�  Total of 133 surveys given between the four different kiosk locations.

14%

27%

30%

29%

Breakdown of Survey Numbers by Kiosk Location

Kent Mitchell Trail

Beach Access 42

Stede Bonnet Wynd

BHI Conservancy

Recognition of Kiosks

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Kent Mitchell Trail

Beach Access 42 Stede Bonnet Wynd

BHI Conservancy

Kiosk Sighting Breakdown by Kiosk Site

Kent Mitchell Trail

Beach Access 42

Stede Bonnet Wynd

BHI Conservancy

0%

54% 15%

31%

Kiosks Unnoticed, by Location

Kent Mitchell Trail

Beach Access 42

Stede Bonnet Wynd

BHI Conservancy

Lacking vs. Sufficient Information

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

Helpful Information on Kiosk by Location

Upcoming Events

News Stories

Habitat

Animals

Protection 0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

Information Lacking on Kiosks by Location

Upcoming Events

News Stories

Habitat

Animals

Habitat/Wildlife Protection

Habitats to be Featured for Future Designs

52

54

56

58

60

62

64

66

68

70

72

Beach/Dunes Maritime Forest Salt Marsh

Habitat Totals

Total: 133

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

Habitat

Beach/Dunes

Maritime Forest

Salt Marsh

Animals to be Featured in Future Designs

0

5

10

15

20

25

Animals

Birds

Deer

Sea Turtles

Fox

Alligators

Other

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

Birds Deer Sea Turtles

Fox Alligator

Animal Totals

Total: 133

Other Animals to be Included

�  “More information on Osprey.” �  “I’d like to see Marsh Animals on Kiosks.” �  “What animals eat and when they are most active.” �  “More bird and plant information would be helpful.”

Other Opinions on Kiosks

�  “I’d like to see a map of the trail with a list of animals you could see while on the trail.” �  “Additional information on birds.” �  “It would be nice if the kiosk included a tide chart to reference.” �  “A “Kid’s Quiz Sheet/Treasure Hunt” that would encourage them to find answers on the

kiosks.” �  “More information on turtle nesting and hatching would be great.” �  “Some kiosks are set too far back and hard to access. Maybe paint them brighter colors

so they are more noticeable.”

Improvement

�  Larger sample size �  Even distribution of survey numbers by kiosk

location �  Decrease response bias �  More consistent survey methods

¡  Time, day of week, etc.

Discussion

�  Highest priority ¡  Beach Access 42 Kiosk

�  Information ¡  Beach and Dunes ¡  Sea Turtles ¡  Habitat/Wildlife Protection

�  Other Suggestions ¡  Location of kiosks, coloration, frequency of updates.

Sand  Dunes  

         The  dunes  on  Bald  Head  Island  are  integral  to  the  integrity  of  the  coastal  ecosystem  and  the  island  as  a  whole.    Sand  is  picked  up  from  the  wind  it  is  moved  to  other  points  on  the  beach.    Over  ?me,  an  accumula?on  of  this  sand  creates  a  mound  which  eventually  forms  a  dune.    The  dune  helps  protect  the  interior  of  the  land  from  storm  surges  and  the  harsh  wind  that  the  sea  carries  in.      

         The  dunes  themselves  are  held  in  place  largely  due  to  the  vegeta?on,  such  as  Sea  Oats  (Uniola  paniculata)  and  Pennywort  (Centella  asia/ca),  which  grows  on  them.    This  vegeta?on  is  able  to  grow  in  soil  with  sporadic  water  availability,  low  nutri?onal  value,  high  salinity  levels,  and  is  exposed  to  high  temperatures  in  direct  sunlight.  Without  this  vegeta?on  to  anchor  the  dunes,  erosion  occurs  in  a  maFer  of  years,  leaving  the  island  vulnerable  to  storms  and  hurricanes.      

         Though  the  vegeta?on  plays  such  a  large  role  in  maintaining  a  dune  ecosystem,  they  are  fragile.    The  vegeta?on  that  so  sturdily  protects  the  dunes  from  the  harsh  wind  is  suscep?ble  to  abuse  from  humans.    Riding  vehicles  through  the  dunes  or  the  simple  act  of  walking  among  the  dunes  will  trample  the  plants  due  to  their  thick,  briFle  stalks.    

         Helping  preserve  our  dune  ecosystem  that  helps  protect  so  much  of  our  island  is  incredibly  simple.    Avoid  walking  among  the  dunes  and  do  not  disrupt  their  root  system.    Dispose  of  trash  and  hazardous  material,  even  if  it  isn’t  your  own.  Storms  can  wash  up  liFer  on  the  dunes,  which  can  kill  the  beach  grass  and  disrupt  the  ecosystem.    

American  Oystercatcher  (Haematopus  palliates)  

         These  birds  can  be  found  on  Bald  Head  Island  for  their  breeding  season,  which  is  between  May  and  August  of  every  year.  It  can  be  iden?fied  by  its  black  and  white  body  as  well  as  its  thick,  orange  beak.  When  nes?ng,  Oystercatchers  will  choose  a  high,  sandy  loca?on  such  as  a  dune  and  then  make  a  depression  in  the  sand.    Once  the  depression  has  been  made,  they  will  line  the  nest  with  shells  or  pebbles.      

         Like  many  other  shore  birds,  their  eggs  are  speckled  like  sand  to  help  hide  against  predators.    If  predators  do  come,  parents  will  oOen  fly  away  from  the  nest  to  lure  predators  towards  them  and  away  from  the  eggs.    If  you  find  a  shorebird  egg,  the  best  op?on  is  to  leave  it  alone  as  the  parent  is  probably  close  to  the  nest  and  wai?ng  for  you  to  leave  so  they  can  resume  incuba?on.  

Loggerhead  Sea  Turtle  (Care5a  Care5a)    

         Loggerhead  Sea  Turtles  are  one  of  several  sea  turtle  species  that  can  be  found  foraging  off  the  shores  of  the  Atlan?c  Ocean  throughout  the  year.    They  grow  to  three  feet  long  with  an  average  weight  of  250  to  350  pounds.    As  the  name  suggests,  Loggerheads  have  a  large  head  compared  to  sea  turtles  of  similar  sizes.    These  marine  rep?les  need  large  heads,  which  are  full  of  jaw  muscles,  to  help  them  capture  prey  such  as  crustaceans  and  mollusks.      

         These  turtles  are  the  main  species  nes?ng  on  Bald  Head  Island,  making  up  over  90  percent  of  our  total  nests.    The  nes?ng  period  begins  in  mid-­‐May  and  con?nues  into  September,  with  each  nest  containing  between  100  and  120  eggs.    AOer  a  50  to  70  day  incuba?on  period,  the  hatchlings  emerge  in  what  is  known  as  a  boil,  where  all  of  the  hatchlings  in  the  nest  will  emerge  at  the  same  ?me,  crea?ng  the  impression  of  boiling  water.    The  hatching  period  is  from  late  July  to  October.    

         Like  all  other  sea  turtle  species,  Loggerheads  are  listed  as  Endangered  under  the  Endangered  Species  Act  (ESA).    Since  1983,  the  Bald  Head  Island  Conservancy  has  sponsored  the  Sea  Turtle  Protec?on  Program  to  preserve  these  animals  for  future  genera?ons.    The  program  aids  in  documen?ng  sea  turtles  nes?ng  on  the  island  to  beFer  our  understanding  of  the  sea  turtle  popula?on  along  the  Atlan?c  coast,  in  addi?on  to  protec?ng  nests  from  predators.  If  you  would  like  to  aid  in  our  protec?on  efforts,  please  inquire  about  our  Adopt-­‐A-­‐Programs  or  consider  becoming  a  member  of  the  Conservancy.    If  you  are  at  the  beach  at  night,  please  use  red  lights  between  May  and  October  to  help  prevent  female  turtles  becoming  disoriented.  

Courtesy  of  Ted  Ledge5  

Acknowledgements

In addition to all of the BHI Conservancy staff, I’d like to especially thank Tracey Ritchie for helping me along with my project and answering any of the many questions I’ve asked this summer. Tracey, you are the best of the best. Of course, I’d also love to thank all of this summers interns that I’ve had the opportunity work with . Each of you is so amazing in your own way and I feel as if I’ve gained a second family this summer. The love and support that I’ve received from each of you has been incredible. I’ll miss you more than you can imagine. So, for you, I’ll end with this quote.

“If ever there is tomorrow when we're not together... there is something you must always remember. you are braver than you believe,

stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.

But the most important thing is, even if we're apart... I'll always be with you.”

― A.A. Milne

Questions