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 Sharon Snyder, Minnesota Zoo Finance Account Clerk, has always been fascinated with the wonder and beauty of coral reefs and couldn’t imagine this world without such treasures. In viewing IMAX screenings of ‘Into the Deep’ and ‘The Living Sea’, she experienced an emotional response to seeing the devastation of these reefs, and felt compelled to help.
In January 2006, Sharon joined an Earthwatch Institute volunteer team, under the leadership of Dr. Kathleen Sullivan Sealey and colleagues, to conduct field research on Great Guana Cay to help save the beaches and reefs of the Bahamas. This cay, part of the northern cays of the Abacos, is about 7 miles long and has fewer than 200 residents.
The project’s long-term goal is to better understand coastal processes in the tropical Bahamian islands. After orientation and introduction to the birds, plants (native / invasive), fish, coral and creatures of this paradise, the team began collecting data to establish a baseline for monitoring the impact of stressors on the island’s coastal resources. Initial construction and development of a private resort community at the cay’s north end was the focus. This ambitious development project is unique in its design and approach, and if successful, it may serve as a model for sustainable development throughout the Bahamas.
Sharon participated in many types of data collection including using satellite imagery maps to ‘ground truth’ land cover types at GPS points to monitor coastal alterations and identify pollution sources over time. Periodically, she recorded the water’s temperature, salinity, and turbidity to study water quality change between developed and less developed sites, and areas vegetated by natural vs. introduced plant species. Visual fish surveys and seine counts (small fish captured in a long net) were conducted at various times of the day to record the type and abundance of fish to document the loss of biological diversity due to human activity. Stony corals transplanted to artificial reefs were measured and observed for their response to pollutants and stress. Algae and sea grasses were surveyed for ‘presence-absence’ at various sites. Finally, Sharon helped set up plots on land, identifying, measuring and photographing their plant species to study the effects of construction, development and storms on these plant communities.
Project results will provide a nationwide overview of coastal-zone use, and summary information from which policy discussions can begin. Sharon is proud to have been a participant in this vital work. The Ulysses S. Seal Conservation Fund awarded Sharon $1250.00 to partially cover travel and costs associated with her participation in this conservation project. |