CoastWastch Sponsors Science Talks in Coos Bay, Feb. 14

A program of three talks on shoreline science is scheduled for Coos Bay on Saturday, Feb. 15, at Southwestern Oregon Community College, Empire Hall, Lakeview G, 1988 Newmark Ave. The event is sponsored by the CoastWatch volunteer program, and is free and open to the public. Audience members are welcome to attend any of the talks separately, or stay for all three. At 1 p.m., Danielle Asson will present a slide talk on some of the creatures that wash up on Oregon beaches. Asson is a recent graduate of Oregon State University’s Marine Resource Management program, whose master’s thesis led to developing a new method for gathering data on “beached marine critters.” She came up with her thesis project by combining her love for marine ecology with her interest in informal education. She developed a protocol through which interested non-scientists can help to track the presence on the beach of a variety of animals—including sharks, sea turtles, squid and fish—and record the results. Her protocol, and background information about her project, can be found online at http://beachedmarinecritters.org/. She has also developed a smartphone app for the project. Her slide talk will describe some of the “critters” that citizen scientists can track, as well as the purpose and goals of the project. CoastWatch, a program of the Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition, plans to incorporate her “protocol” in its citizen science efforts. At 2 p.m., marine educator Fawn Custer, who serves as CoastWatch’s volunteer coordinator, will give a presentation on “Marine Debris and Invasives Identification.” She will discuss the marine debris monitoring project of which CoastWatch is a part, and in particular the tsunami debris now washing up on Oregon’s shoreline, which may be carrying non-native organisms which could harm local ecosystems. At 3 p.m., Custer will give a presentation on tidepool life in Oregon, and also provide background information about the CoastWatch program and its many citizen science projects. Before joining CoastWatch, Custer spent 14 years as an educator at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport. She has taught audiences ranging from elementary school to seniors about marine and shoreline science. Prior to the presentations, at 12:30 p.m., a casual celebration will be held marking CoastWatch’s 20th anniversary. Refreshments will be served. This is an opportunity for the area’s many CoastWatch volunteers to meet with Fawn Custer to ask questions and learn about CoastWatch’s plans to conduct more citizen science projects. Other members of the public are welcome to attend to learn about the program and its volunteer opportunities. For more information, contact Fawn Custer, CoastWatch volunteer coordinator, at (541) 270-0027, fawn@oregonshores.org.