11-1SG New Hampshire Volunteer Phytoplankton Monitoring Program
Grant Round:
2011 February
Grant Program:
Small Grants
Grant Type:
Other Grants
Grant amount requested:
1,504.00
Attachments
Please provide a brief description of the project for which you seek funding.
Since 1999 the New Hampshire Volunteer Phytoplankton Program has been engaged in protecting public health by monitoring coastal waters for the presence of potentially toxic phytoplankton species which when present in large numbers can accumulate in shellfish causing human illness and even death. Commonly known as red tides, these harmful algal blooms result from the rapid growth of some species of microscopic phytoplankton that produce toxic by-products. The toxins can, when transferred up the food chain create public health threats, fisheries closures and financial impacts to communities.
Program volunteers are recruited from the community and trained in the classroom and in the field before they are assigned to a team to sample weekly from March–October. Volunteers record ambient weather and water conditions and collect samples of phytoplankton. Using microscopes to examine their samples they identify and record the type and numbers of phytoplankton present looking specifically for species that are toxic or capable of becoming toxic under certain conditions. When these species are discovered the information is immediately given to local, state and federal shellfish managers who are responsible for administrating shellfish resources and protecting public health. This information an adjunct to that obtained through the federally required testing, acts as an early warning that shellfish may soon become unsafe to eat allowing managers to more effectively target their testing and public outreach efforts.
At this time volunteers work in teams monitoring 3 coastal sites weekly and the Isles of Shoals during the summer. There are also whale watch, commercial party boats and fishermen collecting offshore samples for an additional monitoring project under this program. Since 1999 volunteer monitors have used handheld field microscopes for their identification work which meant maintaining a minimum of 4 microscopes for each team. It also meant that volunteer observations were done individually with each volunteer making their own final decisions regarding the identification of a cell and total cell counts in a sample. This system created some issues since by nature some volunteers are more skillful at discerning subtle differences in species. The microscopes also had limited use collecting quantitative data since the samples were placed in capillary tubes instead of on the counting slides now used by volunteer programs in neighboring states.
Recent improvements in microscope technologies include the Swift M10LM-S digital microscope which has a LCD screen. The screen provides easy live image viewing of the samples between volunteer partners supporting collaborative identification of cells and also contains a built in camera that allows the capture of digital still images or real-time video files directly to a SD card without the need for a computer. The requested Swift microscope has a USB connection that can be used for a direct link to a computer, or S-Video or RCA connection. This can be used to integrate existing classroom technology such as projectors and TV monitors and allows photographs or videos of questionable cells to be shared with experts for further identification. It also supports the development of classroom and public presentations. Two Swift microscopes were recently purchased and installed at two of the coastal sites with funds provided through a NH Coastal Program grant leaving one site without the updated system. To ensure data compatibility between the NH sites and that collected in other states we are requesting funding to purchase an additional Swift M10LM-S digital microscope and a carrying case for storage.
Red tides are steadily increasing worldwide. In the U.S. the health and economic impacts are estimated at 120 million dollars a year. In response this program began in June1999, as a Great Bay Coast Watch/ UNH Cooperative Extension program. In 2009 it moved to Great Bay Community College (GBCC) which offered a central coastal location that has assisted in expanding collaborative projects with southern Maine volunteers and provided access to laboratories, professional support from professors and the opportunity to expand community and student involvement.
Primary Issue Area:
Land & Water
Please break-down/categorize the program expenses:
Proposed Item | Estimated $ Amount | Would grant funds be used for this item? |
---|---|---|
Swift M10LM-Microscope | $1,275.00 | Yes |
Case | $124.00 | Yes |
Coordinator salary | $10,915.00 | |
Student stipends | $2,320.00 | |
Supplies, chemicals etc | $4,280.00 | |
Travel | $990.00 | |
Program Indirect @ 8.4% | $1,554.00 | |
7.4% Indirect for microscope | $104.00 | Yes |
Whom does your group need to make this project happen?
Please explain how your group will engage members from your community in this project.
Community volunteers are the heart and soul of this project. Last year alone they donated $37,203 in matching time and mileage through monitoring activities, sample processing and sample collection and transportation. New volunteers are always welcome at any time during the season though generally recruited through early spring press releases or through recruitment by existing volunteers. Turnover from year to year is extremely low with four individuals involved since 1999.
Because identifying phytoplankton can be challenging new volunteers are always teamed with more experienced people and trained both in the classroom and the field and through local and regional training events. Because of these training opportunities the longer volunteers stay with the program longer and become more valuable and more committed over time.
The age demographics range from 80-17 and from retired former medical professionals and teachers to high school and college students. Since they work in very public places such as boat ramps and public docks on whale watch boats and commercial party boats they are well trained and encouraged to talk to and engage visitors in learning about red tides and phytoplankton including sharing the microscopes and helping visitors make their own identifications. Volunteers will also on request, visit area classrooms and work with students learning about the marine environment. Every year many participate in the Seacoast Science Center Bio-Blitz and the University of New Hampshire “Know the Coast Day” as well as other public events.
If your group receives a NEGEF Grow grant, how do you plan to pay for remaining expenses?
$ Amount | Source |
---|---|
$1,504.00 | NEGEF Grant |
$20,059.00 | NH Coastal Program |
Please list these materials or services
$ Amount | Item |
---|---|
$37,203.00 | Volunteer time |
Please describe what changes will occur in your community and its environment when your group's project is successful.
Volunteers become conduits of information to their neighbors and community during red tide events. They disseminate accurate and current information which is critical during times when shellfish are toxic, by doing so they protect their communities and assist the NH Department of Environmental Services in their efforts to protect public health. Data collected by volunteers is entered into the NOAA database and made available to researchers studying red tide events in the Gulf of Maine. Students have an opportunity to participate in an ongoing study and immediately use the skills they are learning in the classroom to support data gathering.
Success can be measured by the number of adult and student volunteers involved in this effort, the number of samples sucessfully collected and processed, the increased nmber of public prsentations, the amount of data suitable for entering into the national database and the NHDES requests for additional data collection .
Please list how many people in your community your group expects to actively engage in this project.
400
What relevant skills does the group need (but does not currently have access to) to help move the initiative forward?
None at this time
What relevant skills do current members of the group have to help move the initiative forward?
The program coordinator has over 20 years experience in managing volunteer programs and developed the Phytoplankton Program in 1999 under the supervision of USFDA. It was the second such program in the country; there are now 28 states with similar volunteer efforts. She has has since then created partnerships with the University of New Hampshire, NOAA, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, Maine and Massachusetts Departments of Marine Fisheries and has assisted NOAA in the development of materials used by the other states. The staff of GBCC who assist with the sample processing and some of the educational components include established professors with many years experience in molecular research and teaching.