More than 125 planners and scientists gathered for a May 20th forum focusing on the latest scientific studies of shoreline armoring in Puget Sound. A video of forum presentations is now available online (below).
“Armoring” refers to hardened structures designed to protect shorelines against natural processes like erosion and storm surge, and it is common throughout the region. Almost 30% of the Puget Sound shoreline—about 700 miles total—is now classified as armored, and the figure grows by a mile or more per year.
Scientists have been wondering for some time how this trend is affecting the ecology of Puget Sound, and the Puget Sound Partnership has made reduction of shoreline armoring one of the centerpieces of its recovery efforts. Studies are increasingly pointing to armoring’s negative effects, but the science has not always been definitive. That was the motivation behind the recent Salish Sea Shoreline Forum at South Seattle Community College where scientists and planners gathered to discuss their research.
Salish Sea Nearshore Conference #3 from Salish Sea Shoreline Forum Video on Vimeo.
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Category: June 2014
Shoreline armoring forum now available on video
More than 125 planners and scientists gathered for a May 20th forum focusing on the latest scientific studies of shoreline armoring in Puget Sound. A video of forum presentations is now available online (below).
“Armoring” refers to hardened structures designed to protect shorelines against natural processes like erosion and storm surge, and it is common throughout the region. Almost 30% of the Puget Sound shoreline—about 700 miles total—is now classified as armored, and the figure grows by a mile or more per year.
Scientists have been wondering for some time how this trend is affecting the ecology of Puget Sound, and the Puget Sound Partnership has made reduction of shoreline armoring one of the centerpieces of its recovery efforts. Studies are increasingly pointing to armoring’s negative effects, but the science has not always been definitive. That was the motivation behind the recent Salish Sea Shoreline Forum at South Seattle Community College where scientists and planners gathered to discuss their research.
Salish Sea Nearshore Conference #3 from Salish Sea Shoreline Forum Video on Vimeo.
Read more
SSEC14 by the numbers
The Salish Sea’s premier science conference concluded last month in Seattle, and judging strictly by the numbers, it was one of the most successful in conference history.
The 2014 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference, or #SSEC14 as it came to be known in various social media, featured several significant firsts. It was the largest in its history, with more than 1200 attendees. Overall, there were 450 science talks, 150 posters, eight discussion panels and numerous featured speakers, proving that the region’s scientists aren’t shy or standing idle.
It was also the first time the conference had its own mobile app, giving attendees the option of going paperless. The Puget Sound Institute provided the app with funding from the Puget Sound Partnership, and a survey by the SSEC (n=400) showed that nearly half of the respondents used it, strongly suggesting that future conferences will also go this route.
In fact, conference-goers turned out to be a fairly digitally savvy group. A separate poll by the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound (n=62) showed that more than 83% of all respondents rated the Web as their most important or second most important source for retrieving scientific information, rating it as either a 4 or 5 on a 5-point scale. Those numbers are likely skewed considering it was a web-based survey, but there was one surprising note. Despite their high reliance on the Web, survey participants didn’t think much of social media. Almost 80% of the respondents said they “don’t use” Twitter.
Other survey results from the SSEC:
- Respondents were generally favorable in their opinion of the conference format, the mix of science and policy at the event, the relevance of content to ecosystem recovery and management (4 out of 5 average rating).
- The aspect of the conference most commonly noted as “best” was the diversity of topics and presenters, followed by networking opportunities, learning opportunities, and the quality of presentations.
- The aspect of the conference most commonly noted as “least favorite” was the structure of the lunchtime activities, followed by length of oral presentations (too short), and the amount of time for networking and discussion (not enough).
- Survey demographics: 20% non-profit, 8% tribe/first nation, 14% local government, 14% state/provincial government, 14% federal government, 11% private sector, 24% academic. And according to registration figures, 12.5% of attendees were from Canada, 85.5% from USA, 0.3% from other countries and 1.6% came from parts unknown.
(Results of the SSEC survey are based upon a ~33% response rate out of a total of ~1200 conference participants.)
See you at SSEC16 in Vancouver.
New benthos list on EoPS
Ever wonder what is wriggling around in the sediment at the bottom of Puget Sound? Dip into a list of over 1800 benthic invertebrates prepared as part of the Washington State Department of Ecology’s Marine Sediment Monitoring Program. Now available with links to species accounts and habitat classifications on the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound.
What we know about harbor seals
Harbor seals are the most commonly seen marine mammals in the Salish Sea and can be found throughout the region at all times of the year. They have been intensively studied here, and a new in-depth profile from Jacqlynn Zier and Joe Gaydos provides an overview of their local ecology and behavior.
This is a must-read for professional and amateur naturalists alike, and it is available for download on the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound.
New York Times features PSI’s forensic stormwater research
A June 12th article in The New York Times features a collaboration between the Puget Sound Institute and the City of Tacoma to curb stormwater pollution.
PSI’s Director Joel Baker describes how “the forensic work of the scientists and the city have changed the ability to enforce antipollution laws.”
Scientists at PSI and the Center for Urban Waters have been working closely with the City of Tacoma to identify and trace sources of contaminants from stormwater and underground pipes flowing into Puget Sound.
“We talk about being able to go to anyone — an individual, a house, a business — who is discharging something,” Dr. Baker told the Times, “and unambiguously trace back to them. That gets you into a whole different conversation with people about responsibilities and remedies.”
The article reports that 85% of all water pollution now comes from stormwater and runoff from agriculture.
Read the full article.
BirdNote features auklet recordings
Several Rhinoceros Auklet recordings from the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound are featured on the national radio show BirdNote this month. PSI’s Jeff Rice recorded the sounds during a trip to Protection Island with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The island is home to one of the largest nesting colonies of rhinoceros auklets in the world, and scientists are studying the birds to identify overall patterns in ecosystem health. Listen online.
PSI researchers collaborate with sewage-sniffing dog
A story in the May 29th Skagit Valley Herald features a study by PSI researchers to see if dogs can sniff out chemical contaminants in sewage.
Dogs can tell the difference between human waste and that of other animals, and PSI researchers want to know if they can also identify the presence of human-created chemicals such as ibuprofen and caffeine. The chemicals are part of a large group of compounds known as emerging contaminants that are sometimes used to trace sources of pollution.
Researchers relied on the nose of Crush the poop-smelling dog, and will conduct further tests in the lab at the Center for Urban Waters. “The samples will be sent to a Tacoma-based researcher who developed the method [referring to Andy James and his team],” reads the article. “The results will be compared with Crush’s findings…”
Skagit County hopes the dogs will be able to sniff out sewage leaks that are contaminating the local watershed. High readings of fecal coliform have led to numerous shellfish harvest closures in Samish Bay, according to the article, and the problem is widespread throughout Puget Sound. Regulators say bacteria associated with human waste like E. coli and fecal coliform have contributed to the closures of almost 20% of Puget Sound’s commercial shellfish beds and approximately 25% of its swimming beaches.
Read the article.
Skagit County hopes the dogs will be able to sniff out sewage leaks that are contaminating the local watershed. High readings of fecal coliform have led to numerous shellfish harvest closures in Samish Bay, according to the article, and the problem is widespread throughout Puget Sound. Regulators say bacteria associated with human waste like E. coli and fecal coliform have contributed to the closures of almost 20% of Puget Sound’s commercial shellfish beds and approximately 25% of its swimming beaches.
Read the article.
PSI researchers collaborate with sewage-sniffing dog
A story in the May 29th Skagit Valley Herald features a study by PSI researchers to see if dogs can sniff out chemical contaminants in sewage.
Dogs can tell the difference between human waste and that of other animals, and PSI researchers want to know if they can also identify the presence of human-created chemicals such as ibuprofen and caffeine. The chemicals are part of a large group of compounds known as emerging contaminants that are sometimes used to trace sources of pollution.
Researchers relied on the nose of Crush the poop-smelling dog, and will conduct further tests in the lab at the Center for Urban Waters. “The samples will be sent to a Tacoma-based researcher who developed the method [referring to Andy James and his team],” reads the article. “The results will be compared with Crush’s findings…”
Skagit County hopes the dogs will be able to sniff out sewage leaks that are contaminating the local watershed. High readings of fecal coliform have led to numerous shellfish harvest closures in Samish Bay, according to the article, and the problem is widespread throughout Puget Sound. Regulators say bacteria associated with human waste like E. coli and fecal coliform have contributed to the closures of almost 20% of Puget Sound’s commercial shellfish beds and approximately 25% of its swimming beaches.
Read the article.
Skagit County hopes the dogs will be able to sniff out sewage leaks that are contaminating the local watershed. High readings of fecal coliform have led to numerous shellfish harvest closures in Samish Bay, according to the article, and the problem is widespread throughout Puget Sound. Regulators say bacteria associated with human waste like E. coli and fecal coliform have contributed to the closures of almost 20% of Puget Sound’s commercial shellfish beds and approximately 25% of its swimming beaches.
Read the article.