1000 Trees in 1000 Days

Cameron Parish Dune Restoration Event: The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), in partnership with Citgo, is excited to be returning to the Cameron coastline!  We will be planting 2 miles of beach with 28,000 plugs of native dune grass. The goals of this project are to increase soil retention along the beach, promote dune growth, provide critical habitat for nesting birds, and enhance protection to the coastal communities of Cameron parish.  Register by clicking the links below! Register Now For any inquiries regarding Cameron dune restoration, please contact or our Habitat Restoration Program Coordinator, Brittany Boyke at brittanyb@crcl.org.  Visit www.crcl.org for more information. Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana 6160 Perkins Road,Suite 225, Baton Rouge, LA 70808

Plant grass on Holly Beach

Gulf Coast Soil Water Conservation District is looking for volunteers to help plant grass on Holly Beach. The location begins on the western edge of the Calcasieu Ship Channel extending westward approximately 2 miles west of Holly Beach. The tentative start date is the last week of July, Monday the 25- through the duration of the project. We are looking for middle school age children and older. This is a great resume builder for college students. Please forward this to anyone who may be interested; school groups, boy and girl scouts, etc. I can be reached at andrea.gorum@la.nacdnet.net or at 337-4741583 ext. 3 for any questions.

Andrea Gorum

District Vegetative Technician

Gulf Coast Soil Water Conservation District

Volunteer to Restore Our Coastal Marshes and Oyster Reefs!

Marsh Restoration in Vermilion Bay:

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL), in partnership with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) and the Coypu Foundation, invite you to participate in our Freshwater Bayou Marsh Restoration events taking place this spring near Pecan Island. We will be planting over 50,000 plugs of native marsh grass near a newly created marsh site and we need your help! This project will assist in stabilizing the marsh soils with the intention of preventing future erosion and creating wildlife habitat.

Please click on the links below to register!

Upcoming dates:

Friday, May 13th
Saturday, May 14th
Friday, June 10th
Saturday, June 11th


Oyster Shell Project In Buras:

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) invites you to join us in Buras, LA! Launched in June 2014, CRCL’s Oyster Shell Recycling Program recycles shell from participating New Orleans-based restaurants and uses that shell to restore oyster reefs and shoreline habitat across Coastal Louisiana. We are looking for volunteers to help prepare the shell for a reef restoration project in Biloxi Marsh (east of the mouth of the Mississippi River). Volunteers will place the recycled shell into bags that will later be stacked on barges and transported to the oyster reef restoration site.  By helping prep the shell, volunteers play a role in creating a new 0.5 mile oyster reef that will allow for the growth of new oysters, create new fish habitat, and act as a wave break which will knock down storm surge and allow new land to build up behind the reef.

Upcoming dates:

Thursday, May 26th



For any inquiries regarding coastal forest restoration, please contact or our Habitat Restoration Program Assistant, Christa Russell, at christar@crcl.org.

For any inquiries regarding oyster reef restoration, please contact or our Oyster Shell Recycling Program Assistant, Sarah Pate, at sarahp@crcl.org.

 Visit www.crcl.org for more information.

Dune restoration on the Cameron coast

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, a local non-profit dedicated to promoting science-based action to restore a sustainable coastal Louisiana. invites the McNeese Agriculture Department to participate in our record-setting volunteer event taking place Saturday, September the 26^th near Constance Beach (more details below). With the help of 400 volunteers, we will be planting 65,000 plugs of dune grass and repairing 2 miles of sand fence for a total project length of 6 miles. We are eager to help restore the Cameron shoreline in our 10^th year anniversary planting to commemorate Hurricane Rita. I would be very grateful if you could put me in contact with potentially interested groups/clubs at McNeese, or could help me spread the word locally to help me recruit volunteers. I’ve included a brief summary of the project and a link to our event information and registration site below if you’d be willing to circulate it. Any help is greatly appreciated and please don’t hesitate to ask for anything I can provide for you. Thanks in advance! 

Christa Russell

Habitat Restoration Program Assistant/ LDSC service member

6160 Perkins Rd. Ste 225

Baton Rouge, LA 70808

P: 225-767-4181

C: 217-801-0057

The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) and CITGO are excited to announce our dune restoration event on the Cameron coast on Saturday, September 26th. The volunteer event commemorates the 10th anniversary of Hurricane Rita as part of the CITGO Caring for our Coast Program, during National Estuaries Week. We will be planting a 6 mile stretch of Cameron shoreline with 60,000 plugs of dune grass and repairing 2 miles of sand fence. The goal of this project is to increase soil retention along the beach, promote dune growth, provide critical habitat for nesting birds, and enhance protection to Highway 82 and the coastal communities of Cameron parish.  

To learn more and register, check out our event page at www.rita10.eventbrite.com!

Events at the Texas Chenier Plains Refuge Complex

From time to time, US Fish and Wildlife Service at the Texas Chenier Plains Refuge Complex hosts events, outreach, and staff led events that include secretive marshbird viewings, waterfowl banding, vegetation plantings, and restoration projects.  These events provide opportunity for the public, students, and other professionals to observe and assist first hand with refuge projects and education.  If you have interest of being added to our email list for updates on events please send your contact information to Stephanie Martinez at stephanie_martinez@fws.gov

Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms

http://www.wwoofusa.org/

Deepwater Draft Early Restoration Plan and Environmental Review

Credit: Scott Nicol The Deepwater Horizon trustees have released the Phase II Draft Early Restoration Plan & Environmental Review (DERP/ER) for public review and comment. The plan includes two proposed projects totaling about $9 million that focus on restoring nesting habitat for birds and sea turtles. Response efforts resulting from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill caused injuries to this natural habitat. "This draft plan includes two Early Restoration projects which represent a near-term opportunity to improve the nesting habitats of birds and turtles, two species that are integral to the Gulf Coast wildlife community," said Cynthia Dohner, Natural Resource Trustee for the Department of the Interior. "Our desire is to provide these benefits during the next nesting season, but we'd first like to hear from the public. We encourage the public to attend the November 13 meeting in Pensacola and to give us their comments." The DERP/ER describes the second round of projects proposed to receive funding from the $1 billion BP committed to Early Restoration on April 21, 2011. The trustees will hold a public meeting on November 13, 2012 to solicit comment on the plan. The meeting will be held at the Escambia County Central Complex Building in Room 104, 3363 West Park Place Pensacola, Fla. 32505. There will be an open house from 6:00-7:00 PM followed by the meeting and public comment period from 7:00-9:00 PM. The DERP/ER describes two proposed projects for the second round of Early Restoration. These projects address coastal conservation for the purpose of restoring bird (avian) and sea turtle nesting habitats, which were injured by oil spill response operations. These projects are timed to enhance the bird and turtle nesting ground as the spring 2013 nesting season begins. Below is a brief description of each project: A Comprehensive Program for Enhanced Management of Avian Breeding Habitat Injuries by Response in the Florida Panhandle, Alabama and Mississippi. This project proposes to protect nesting habitat for beach-nesting birds from disturbance in order to restore habitat impaired by disturbance from oil spill response activities. It is to be conducted on sandy beaches in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties, Florida; Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Baldwin and Mobile counties, Alabama, and the Gulf Islands National Seashore (GUIS) - Mississippi District. Improving Habitat Injured by Spill Response: Restoring the Night Sky. This project proposes to reduce artificial lighting impacts on nesting habitat for sea turtles, specifically loggerhead turtles, to restore habitat impaired by disturbance from oil spill response activities. It is to be conducted on sandy beach public properties in Baldwin County, Alabama; and Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Bay, Gulf, and Franklin counties, Florida. The DERP/ER and a list of public repositories are available at http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov and www.doi.gov/deepwaterhorizon. Comments will be taken until December 10, 2012.  Comments may be submitted in the following ways: Via the Web: http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov For electronic submission of comments containing attachments, email: fw4coastalDERPcomments@fws.gov U.S. Mail: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, P.O. Box 2099, Fairhope, AL 36533.

Community Conversations on Coastal Restoration

Community Conversations on Coastal Restoration

Join us for a Conversation about the Future of SW Louisiana, Coastal Restoration and Hurricane Protection

Anticipated Agenda:

Senator Landrieu’s office on RESTORE ACT

Garret Graves – State Master Plan for Coastal LA

Col. Ed Fleming – US Corps of Engineers

Environmental Economy Issues for SW LA

Question/Answer Time

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

LC Civic Center 3^rd Floor – Jean Lafitte Room

5:30 – 7:30 pm

Save The Date

Asian tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)

A collaborative effort is underway between federal, state, and private organizations to create a data and sample repository for a potential new invasive species, the Asian tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon).  We are seeking your help with this  effort to collect Asian tiger shrimp reportings and samples.  These sitings and samples will improve our ability to document the status and trends of this species on the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico.  If you are interested in assisting, please contact James Morris (James.Morris@noaa.gov) or Christine Addison Buckel (Christine.addison@noaa.gov).  

For more information on Asian Tiger Shrimp please visit the USGS Asian tiger shrimp factsheet http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/factsheet.aspx?SpeciesID=1209 and the NOAA website  
http://www.ccfhr.noaa.gov/stressors/tiger-shrimp.aspx .

2012 Spring Bottom Trawl Survey

If you'd like to volunteer on the 2012 Spring Bottom Trawl Survey, your help would be greatly appreciated!  You do not need to be a scientist to volunteer, but must have an interest in what we do and a willingness to work hard alongside our scientists. The information below explains how to sign up for a cruise and includes the Spring 2012 cruise schedule. Volunteers are a very important part of our program. I hope you'll be able to participate!

We need the help of every scientist and volunteer that sails.  Please be aware that we work twelve-hour shifts, which means that you may be standing on your feet for twelve hours.  Therefore, please only sign up for a cruise if you are serious about making the commitment.  If there is an emergency, or you anticipate that you will not be able to participate on a cruise that you are scheduled for, please contact me immediately. 

The required forms can be downloaded from the Ecosystems Surveys Branch website in the forms link of the Cruise Volunteer Information section:  http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/femad/ecosurvey/mainpage/   

Helpful information for new participants on what to expect at sea and what to bring on the survey can be found here:http://www.nefsc.noaa.gov/femad/ecosurvey/mainpage/welcome_aboard.html
                               
A few easy steps toward volunteering on a survey!
 

1. Volunteers must be at least 18 years of age.  International participants must allow 5 weeks for foreign national security clearance.

2. Please fax or mail a volunteer questionnaire form with the dates you are available to participate.  If space is available, you will receive confirmation to participate on a cruise.  The Volunteer Questionnaire and must be sent to:

            Katherine Sowers                                    
            National Marine Fisheries Service                Phone:  508-495-2342
            166 Water Street                                        Fax:     508-495-2115
            Woods Hole, MA  02543 
    
3.  Once you receive confirmation that you are scheduled for a cruise, submit a medical form that lists all medical conditions to the Health Services Office.

As noted on the health form, you must have a negative PPD (TB) test (taken within the last 12 months). Additionally, you must have a current Tetanus shot (received within the last 10 years).  If either is out of date, you will need to obtain them at your expense.  If you have a new TB test or Tetanus shot scheduled, please note the date on your medical form, rather than leaving it blank.  Medical clearance must be completed and confirmed two weeks prior to the scheduled departure date.  Please contact the Health Services Office for the status of your medical clearance. 

            NOAA Health Services Office
            Phone: 757-441-6320
            FAX: 757-441-3760
            E-mail:  moa.health.services@noaa.gov

4. To meet security requirements, all confirmed participants must agree to be fingerprinted before arrival.  This can be accomplished at your local police station and may require a minimal fee at your expense.  Materials and instructions will be sent to you.

2012 Spring Cruise Schedule

Please note that the identified regions are where we anticipate to sample:  environmental or mechanical problems may force us to change the area of operation.

Survey/Dates                                Days at Sea               Survey Area
        
Spring Bottom Trawl Survey (FSV Henry B. Bigelow)

Leg 1:  February 27 – March 15             18                    Cape May – Cape Hatteras

Leg 2:  March 19 – 29                           11                    Mid-Atlantic - S New England
Leg 3:  April 2 – 20*                              19                    S New England - Georges Bank
Leg 4:  April 24 – May 5*                       12                    Gulf of Maine


Summer Cruise Staffing begins, March 2012
Sea Scallop Survey (RV Hugh R. Sharp)
Three cruise legs (1st week of June to early July)

* Passport may be required

Thank you!

We look forward to hearing from you.

--
Katherine Sowers
Cruise Staffing Coordinator
Northeast Fisheries Science Center
166 Water Street
Woods Hole, MA 02543
508-495-2342
fax: 508-495-2115

Louisiana 2012 Coastal Master Plan

Louisiana 2012 Coastal Master Plan (Draft)

Final Ecosystem Restoration Strategy report released

The Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Task Force has released the Final Ecosystem Restoration Strategy. Go here: http://www.epa.gov/gcertf/ to view/download a copy of the final document.

Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program

SERDP Special Solicitation
Proposals Due January 5, 2012
On September 20, 2011, the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP) released a new solicitation for the Defense Coastal/Estuarine Research Program (DCERP).              
SERDP requests proposals to perform fundamental ecological research on estuarine, coastal, and associated terrestrial ecosystems that are necessary to sustain military readiness.  The desired outcome of the requested research is to: (1) understand the effects of military activities and infrastructure on these ecosystems and (2) support their sustainable and adaptive management.  

The DCERP is an existing SERDP program that involves the execution of ecological research within the context of military land and other resource use.  DCERP has been executed since late 2006 at Marine Corp Base (MCB) Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.  This call for research proposals is intended to fund a new DCERP effort for a period of five years and also provide new thematic directions to guide the research effort.

Researchers from Federal organizations, universities, and the private sector can apply for SERDP funding.  For complete details about this opportunity, visit www.serdp-estcp.org/Funding-Opportunities/SERDP-Solicitations/Resource-Conservation-Special-Solicitation.

UPCOMING:  SERDP and ESTCP Funding Opportunities for FY 2013
SERDP and the Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) will soon announce their annual solicitations for FY 2013 funding.  Visit our web site (www.serdp-estcp.org) in late October for the SERDP solicitation and in early January for the ESTCP announcement.

Changing Tides: A series of ocean discussions

Gulf of Mexico News

The March 2011 edition of the Gulf of Mexico News is now available online at: http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov/news/gomexnews.html. Please send me any stories or announcements you would like to share in the next edition.
Laurie Rounds
NOAA National Ocean Service
Ocean & Coastal Resource Management
Phone: 240-753-4471
http://coastalmanagement.noaa.gov

Restoration Scoping for BP Oil Spill Begins

[SGRFP-L] Restoration Scoping for BP Oil Spill Begins
David L Nieland Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 8:56 AM
Reply-To: David L Nieland To: SGRFP-L@listserv.lsu.edu
NOAA and other federal and state agencies announced that they are initiating a restoration scoping process for the Deepwater BP oil spill. This is a key step in the ongoing Natural Resource Damage Assessment for the spill.
The restoration scoping process will allow NOAA and other federal and state agencies to take a comprehensive look at the types of restoration that may be required to offset potential impacts from the spill on habitat, fish, wildlife, and human use of those resources.
To organize the restoration scoping process and satisfy various legal mandates, the agencies will use a Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement, or PEIS. The PEIS will serve as the core restoration planning document to offset impacts from the BP spill. It will also analyze potential environmental effects associated with implementation of the proposed restoration alternatives.
Restoration Planting
Through the process, you will have the chance to give us your ideas on what types of projects are important to restore the affected resources after the spill. You can make your voice heard by attending public meetings, or by submitting a comment or project idea. Comments can be submitted in person at a meeting, online, or by mail. All of your comments will be reviewed by NOAA and the other agencies as we develop a restoration plan for the Gulf.
Meeting dates and cities have been announced, with information about venues and times to come soon. Stay up-to-date with the latest on the NRDA process by joining our online mailing list and subscribing to our RSS feed.
Got this e-mail as a forward? Subscribe to our e-mail list and directly receive updates about the Natural Resource Damage Assessment process.
See http://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/

Fwd: Study Wildland Conservation in Montana - please forward to students

The University of Montana's Wilderness Institute invites your students to participate in the fall 2011 Wilderness and Civilization Program, based in Missoula. For more than 30 years, the Wilderness Institute has been offering this innovative immersion program focused on conservation and environment in the Northern Rockies. Out-of-state students can participate as exchange students for the fall semester only or for an entire academic year. _____________________________________

The Wilderness and Civilization Program

Explore Wildland Conservation in Montana

Offering a Minor in Wilderness Studies in just over one semester

Field Ecology and Conservation

In Wilderness and Civilization, a small community of 25 students gets the best of both worlds: campus and field learning. Students spend 30 days in the field throughout the program, learning firsthand how the ecology, politics, history, and culture of a place shape conservation efforts. Field trips include a ten-day backpack into the Bob Marshall Wilderness Area and shorter trips to Yellowstone National Park, the Flathead Reservation, and the Blackfoot, Bitterroot and Mission Valleys. Field trips complement campus-based classes by exploring the specific ways that managers, community activists, tribal members, and landowners meet today's conservation challenges.

Small Learning Community

Program courses at the University of Montana campus are limited to Wilderness and Civilization students to encourage critical thinking and creative problem-solving. Students study wilderness and conservation issues from a variety of perspectives including literature, policy, art, ecology, economics, and Native American studies. Classes are taught by faculty from across campus, teachers who bring unique experience and expertise to the program and share a remarkable dedication to student learning. Program faculty include award-winning teachers, internationally-renowned scientists, and inspiring artists and writers. Students earn a Wilderness Studies Minor upon successful completion of the program.

Practical Experience through Internships

Students learn practical skills and build their resumes through internships specifically focused on an area of their interest. Wilderness and Civilization students are placed with one of hundreds of educational, agency, and non-profit organizations in the Missoula area.

Apply Now

Because the Wilderness and Civilization Program is limited to 25 students, interested students need to apply soon. Applications can be obtained online at www.cfc.umt.edu/wc. The program is open to sophomores, juniors, and seniors of any major with a GPA of 3.0 or greater. We encourage participation of out-of-state students through National Student Exchange and other similar programs. ^ The general application deadline is April 1^st.

For more information visit www.cfc.umt.edu/wc or email wi@cfc.umt.edu. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions or need additional information.

* Wilderness and Civilization Program Courses and schedule:

Fall Semester 2011 (17 credits)

• Wilderness and Civilization, RSCN 373, 3 credits
• Literature and the Environment/Honors, LIT 373L (meets upper division writing requirement), 3 credits
• Ecological Perspectives of Native Americans, NAS 303EX, 3 credits
• Conservation Ecology/Honors; RSCN 271N, 3 credits
• Wildland Conservation Policy and Governance, RSCN 370S, 3 credits
• Wilderness and Civilization Field Studies I, RSCN 273, 2 credits

Wintersession 2012 ^ (one week intensive in late January) (3 credits)

• Environmental Drawing Seminar, ART 324A, 3 credits

Spring Semester 2012 ^ (4 credits)

• Wilderness and Civilization Field Studies II, RSCN 273, 1 credit
• Internship/Service Learning, RSCN 398, 2 credits
• Wilderness Issues Lecture Series, RECM/EVST 371, 1 credit

^ While exchange students are encouraged to remain in residency at UM during the spring semester, program requirements can be completed from their home college or university. Please contact us to learn more about options for exchange students.

***********************

Sarah Potenza
Instructor and Program Manager
Wilderness Institute
College of Forestry and Conservation
University of Montana
Missoula, MT 59812
ph: 406.243.6956
fax: 406.243.4845
http://www.cfc.umt.edu/wi

Wilderness and Civilization Program @ U. of Montana

Study wilderness and land ethics through ecology, literature, policy, art, and Native American Studies.Engage with conservation advocates, land managers, tribal leaders, and innovative landowners in the field. Work in the community through internships and service projects that turn knowledge into action. Learn valuable skills in ecological monitoring, plant identification, policy analysis, and backcountry travel. Develop a sense of place and community through study of local issues with a small group of students. Experience some of the wildest country in the lower 48 states.

Volunteers Needed- Beach Restoration on the Cameron Shoreline

See http://crcl.org/

From: Coalition To Restore Coastal Louisiana coalition@crcl.org

Date: Fri, Sep 3, 2010 at 10:51 AM

Subject: Volunteers Needed- Beach Restoration on the Cameron Shoreline

Register Now The Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana and the Gulf Coast Soil and Water Conservation District invite you to participate in a 3-day beach restoration event on the Cameron shoreline at Constance Beach. The beach borders and protects acres of marsh habitat and is being threatened by erosion caused by the Gulf of Mexico. In an effort to restore this area, we will plant 15,000 plugs of bitter panicum and seashore paspalum which will assist in the stability and growth of dunes on the beach.. In addition, the project will also create wildlife habitat, increase species diversity and provide a seed source for natural regeneration. This project is being completed through partnerships with Cheniere Energy, NOAA’s Community-Based Restoration Program, Restore America's Estuaries, Gulf Coast Soil and Water Conservation District, Louisiana Vegetative Planting Program, and the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana. Where: Constance Beach on the Cameron shoreline (maps will be sent to volunteers prior to the event) When: September 16, 17 and 18, 2010 9:00 am to approximately 3:30 pm We are also looking for volunteer 4-wheelers and trailers. If you are able to volunteer this equipment, please email coalition@crcl.org. All planting equipment (gloves, shovels, dibbles, etc.) will be provided. Sunscreen and insect repellant are recommended and will be provided. Lunch and drinks will also be provided to all volunteers. Note: This project requires outdoor physical activity and volunteers should expect to get dirty. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. All volunteers must be registered online or call the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana at (888)-LACOAST. Additional information, including directions to the project site, will be provided to registered volunteers via email prior to the event.