On Wednesday, December 19th, the Harbor SEALs celebrated the end of the year with a feast. The energy was high as SEALs poured in with food and gifts to share in what some were saying would be our last SEALs event due to the Mayan end-of-world event;) The upper class people took possession of the stereo and had a 15 minute mini dance in the corner of the room. How they figured out to plug in their Ipods was beyond me. When it was time for the meal, students made a line that wrapped around the room. Anita made barbecue chicken that was finger lickin’ good. By far, it was the most popular plate. Ray commented, “I need to learn this recipe!.” After the meal we exchanged Secret Santa gifts. Emphasis was placed, however, on the fact that we were all together sharing as one united community of Harbor SEALs and friends. A big thank you goes out to Stephanie and Tony for the spirit and idea of putting this event together; Anita for taking charge of serving and hugs; and all those who showed great holiday spirit – Rachel’s gift idea (coal in sack) takes the best prize for creativity! For more, click here.
On Wednesday, December 5th, 13 marine specialists gathered on Governors Island for the annual Marine Biology Research Program’s Professional Advisory Committee meeting. MBRP 12th grade students convened at Soissons Dock to welcome the members off the ferry with water quality gear in hand. Once the members disembarked, we headed over to Pier 101 to work on water quality and participate in a short presentation by SeaArc Scientists Shimrit Perkol-Finkel and Ido Sella on Econcrete. We then headed over to the MBRP lab and had a working lunch session where we discussed how to improve the Program. Our two main goals were, 01) the further development of internship opportunities for students and, 02) the further development of research collaborations between our PAC members and the MBRP. For a list of our accomplishments click here.
Orlando, Alisha, and Averille working on their Aquatic Ecosystem Models.
So far this year the 10th grade Marine Biology Research students have done a great job of working together to produce exceptional results. Putting together Aquatic Ecosystem Models, they’ve begun to learn the basics of water chemistry, physics, and ecology. From jump starting the nitrification cycle in their Models by adding ammonium chloride and nitrifying bacteria to adding terrestrial plants for nitrate removal, these future environmental scientists are learning what it takes to keep an ecosystem healthy from the bottom up. Once these students have mastered keeping their Ecosystems healthy they’ll start formulating projects around the Hudson River Estuary to apply their skills to the real world. Continue here.
In the aftermath of superstorm Sandy, the month started off in Stuyvesant as our students filled the auditorium for lectures on the science and impacts of hurricanes.Despite the challenges of displacement and gridlock caused by the floods, MBRP students rose to the occasion, walked miles for available transportation, and attended the Green Careers fair hosted by the Nature Conservancy.MBRP students jump back into gear and kick start the nitrification cycles in their Aquatic Ecosystem Models. In this image, they’re weighing out a fractional amount of Ammonium Chloride to feed the nitrifying bacteria.Aquatic Ecosystem Model in its beginning stage of assembly with substrate added and nitrification cycle started.Senior MBRP students contemplating solutions to improve the Hudson River Estuary.Harbor SEALs Thanksgiving dinner with visiting alumni.3 Harbor SEALs birthday girls – Tahirah, Rachel, and Stephanie.…and to finish the month off, Senior MBRP students volunteer at The River Project to help them dry off after Sandy interrupted their operation on Pier 40.
Harbor SEAL seniors celebrate on a peak overlooking Black Rock Forest
This weekend, the Harbor SEALs trekked up to Black Rock Forest in Cornwall, New York to complete a one day ecology workshop sponsored by a Toyota Grant. We monitored the physical-chemical parameters of Cascade Brook and determined the health of this pristine ecosystem. With chemical and biological sampling gear in hand, we took a roller coaster-type ride up to the Brook on pick up trucks and got to work early Saturday morning. The SEALs team were able to determine that, although the Brook’s waters are pristine, it’s not immune to the effects of acid rain. We found pH values of around 5 to 6 units. Surveying the vertebrates and macroinvertebrates, the SEALs determined that the Brook has Type II organisms that are semi-tolerant to pollutants and thus are experiencing some stress. It wasn’t all work though as the team celebrated Ameena’s 17th birthday, hiked up to one of the Forest’s peeks, played board games, and delightfully cooperated in preparing meals. Thanks Rebecca and all for a great time! (For more pictures, click here: IMAGO)
Ameena, a 12th grade Harbor SEAL, addressed the guests at the Environmental Protection Agency’s 40th Anniversary of the Clean Water Act. Together with a member of the NY Harbor School’s Scuba Program, they delivered an impressive message about the future of clean water. “We have a right to protect the water’s resources and have access to our natural heritage,” said Ameena. There’s a long way to go but a new generation of environmentalists waiting to play their part.
Ameena and Anita of the EPA at 290 Broadway – EPA’s headquarters in Manhattan.
Harbor SEALs and Urban Ecologists Kerstin, Bart, and Tim planted Eel grass yesterday off of Brooklyn in hopes of helping to bring back this keystone species that once used to protect our shores.
On October 13 the Harbor SEALs, in collaboration with NYC urban ecologists and students from other NYHS CTE programs, planted about 20 “tortillas” of eel grass off of a decaying Brooklyn pier. These “tortillas” are made of cut-out burlap about 10 to 12 inches in diameter with 10 Eel grass individuals woven between the material in a concentric pattern. The team set up 6 stations with between 3 and 4 “tortillas per station, detailed GPS points were taken of each station, sedimentation rate was measured, and water quality monitoring was performed. It was another great day of environmental and team work under the NYC sun. (For more information click here.)
Last night three of our Harbor SEALs and one other NYHS student graduated from The Nature Conservancy’s LEAF Program. The ceremony was held at the Marriott Hotel on West Street in downtown Manhattan. The highlight of the night was listening to the kids’ stories of how working to conserve the great outdoors changed their lives. We heard tales of students doing their laundry in haunted basements, walking miles in the dark of night to take out the garbage, taking down fences to create biological corridors, and going to drive-in movies for the first time. The audience, comprised in part by New York Trustees, reminisced of their younger years and could only be pleased of hearing about the important work and wonderful experiences lived. Well done SEALs! You are the hope of our planet…
Harbor SEALs Graduating from LEAFS (TNC 2012). For more pics see the Imago tab.
We launched our first workshop of the school year today. We had a great turn out as students from grades 10 through 12 came together to learn more about our great Harbor and the Hudson River Watershed. Using the Black Rock Forest Virtual Lab units that the director helped to create, the students embarked in a virtual tour of the Hudson River starting with a map to help define the term watershed. We then worked our way through the Troy Dam, stopped to inspect the recuperating populations of Atlantic Sturgeon, and headed down to Norrie Point to discuss the invasive water chestnut.
At one point we got into a heated debate on the ethics of Catch and Release: Should humans have the right to partake in leisurely activities at the cost of other animals’ lives or well-being. The debate got very heated but in the end, we understood that individuals can have different levels of ideals when it comes to what’s socially acceptable. But most importantly, we all agree that nature needs to come first if we humans want to “keep on keeping on.”
PD. As is our tradition, we took a serious shot of the kids (above figure) but also a wacky one. To see the latter, navigate over to the IMAGO tab above. Enjoy;)
On September 22nd the Harbor SEALs embarked on their first expedition of the 2012 school year to monitor the relative mass of plankton and plastic in the Hudson River Estuary. Aboard the NOMAD, the SEALs monitored physical-chemical parameters of the water and practiced sampling protocols in order to deploy a 20 foot plankton net with manta (Marvin) into the waters south of the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.
