[ View Requested Item ]
| Last updated on April 28, 2008 |
The Great Bay Coast Watch is citizen volunteers, working within the UNH Cooperative Extension/Sea Grant Program, protecting the long-term health and natural resources of New Hampshire's coastal waters and estuarine systems through monitoring and education projects.
Description:
Working within the Cooperative Extension/ Sea Grant Program of the University of New Hampshire (UNH), Great Bay Coast Watch (GBCW) is New Hampshire's most wide-ranging program for direct citizen involvement in monitoring salt water systems. Since 1990, GBCW volunteers have been educating citizens about the Great Bay Estuary, Atlantic Coast and Gulf of Maine watershed through water quality monitoring and public outreach activities.
Based at UNH's Kingman Farm in Durham, GBCW coordinates over 100 volunteers drawn from 19 southern New Hampshire and Maine communities. Faculty and student participation from nine high schools has been established on a continuing basis. Volunteers have monitored water quality at up to 21 sites on a monthly basis from April through November. Each site is tested at both high and low tide for six water quality parameters: fecal coliform bacteria, dissolved oxygen, temperature, salinity, water transparency, and pH. These parameters are compiled into a running database from which trend analysis is performed.
Additional GBCW volunteers monitor phytoplankton populations and sample for many of the same water quality factors. (Phytoplankton are the single-cell algae that form the base of the marine food chain and produce the majority of the oxygen we breathe.) Phytoplankton data are coordinated with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services as part of their Shellfish Testing program.
Public outreach activities comprise making presentations to local government organizations and schools, conducting demonstrations on public cruises and local festivals, and holding an annual meeting plus monthly meetings from March through November
History:
GBCW was established in 1989 as part of the UNH Cooperative Extension/Sea Grant Program under a federal grant for the purpose of monitoring water quality in the Seacoast region and educating the public about its activities and results. Starting in 1998, GBCW broadened its operation to include phytoplankton monitoring and various state-sponsored
environmental projects.
Contact people:
 |
Ann Reid, GBCW Coordinator, (phone), (email)
Candace Dolan, Volunteer Coordinator, Phytoplankton, (phone), (email)
Karen Diamond, Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email) |
Office fax number: (603) 743-3997
Address:
Web Site: http://www.gbcw.unh.edu or http://ceinfo.unh.edu
Directions:
|
From the Portsmouth/Southern Maine area, take the Spaulding Turnpike (Route 16) towards Dover. Take exit 6W towards Concord. Go about five miles, through two stop lights just after exiting the highway, on Route 4 West until you reach a third stop light. Take a right at the stop light and drive until you come to a tee. Take a right and go about 1/4 mile. Kingman Farm is on your left. There is a blue sign for UNK/Kingman Farm just before the driveway. Go to the back of the big white farmhouse to reach the classroom.
Nearest Bus Stop: n/a |
Miscellaneous Information
| Name of Executive Director (or equivalent) if not listed above: |
|
Ann Reid
|
| Type of organization |
|
Nonprofit 501(c)3
|
| Is your organization a Health and Human Service agency? |
|
No
|
Be the first person to offer feedback on this agency!
Post a user reflection to share your experiences with other users!
