Citizen Science in our Coastal Estuaries

*Note new time* There is a significant volunteer effort underway in the mid-coast to monitor the quality of water in our coastal rivers and estuaries. Sarah Gladu, Chair of the Maine Coastal Observing Alliance will discuss the importance of this multi-year citizen science project on Thursday, January 16 at 6:30 pm at the Camden Public Library. MCOA is an alliance of non-profits collecting water quality data from the mid-coast region, with a focus on coastal acidification and understanding the relationship between nutrients in estuaries and pH.

When excessive nutrients enter estuaries, coastal acidification can increase, which has negative implications for wildlife, shellfish resources and more. Gladu will give a presentation about coastal acidification, MCOA, the necessity of a long-term water quality data set, and some observations that have been made through this citizen science initiative with respect to estuarine water quality from Harraseeket to Rockport Harbor.

Sarah Gladu, Director of Education and Environmental Monitoring for Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust (formerly the Damariscotta River Association), has run their School for Field Naturalists program since 2005, worked in environmental education since 1992, and currently coordinates Coastal Rivers’ varied citizen science projects.