Training to survey!

There is this idea that fire on marshes is good, to a point. Until now fire has been used as a management tool, but if you think about it, fire is also the natural reset for many ecosystems. It prevents some ecosystems from falling to the forests and maintains a praire system. However, little is still known about how fire really effects estuaries and the trophic cycles that are present there. There is a team at Blackwater that is spearheading survey to find out if fire has an actual effect, not new growth or nutrient loading, but to see fire effects vertical accretion, and other stuff stuff.

"Barren" Island no more! Last years SCA's service project

There is only a few remaining islands in the Chesapeake Bay, In addition to providing storm buffers they also provide habitat for local shellfish, waterfowl and nesting colonial waterbirds. Barren Island is one of these. There is a long term planting project there. The cordgrass helps keep the sediments from eroding away.


The program that I'm in actually came to Blackwater last year for their orientation week , as a part of it they have to complete one service project together. They replanted a portion of Barren Island, Today I checked up on how things looked from a planting that took place last May and last year.

Last years SCA's, image~ Lamar Gore

last years sca planting , image~ Lamar Gore

Last years SCA's at Barren Island, image~ Lamar Gore

 

So Here I am going to check if the replanted grasses became established . "This multi-agency partnership addresses the issues of dredge material placement, island erosion, resource protection, and innovative shoreline protection in one tidal marsh/island restoration project. The island was severely eroded from a combination of high wave energy, rising sea levels, land submersion, ship wakes, and the natural ebb and fl ow of barrier islands. In fact, it was eroding at the rate of 15 feet per year. Without the island, it’s likely that waves would eventually destroy the underwater vegetation and erode the shoreline of Southern Dorchester County, especially during storms"- read more here.

"There be land!"

look at all that spartina

Hail Cove Planting

Today I planted spartina alterniflora on the beach of hail cove in Eastern Neck. The Cove is slowing being washed away. The restoration of the Cove aquatic vegetation would help restore the marsh habitat , strengthen the beach from washing away with the currents, and maintain a barrier from the currents that would increase the turbidity on the other side of it. There is a nice video of it can you spot me? try around 2:10.

Invasives!!

In most all cases invasives out compete desirable plants that may play vital roles in maintaining the health and balance of the ecosystem. The refuge has a large number of both floral and faunal invasive  species. Methods of control vary between the  specific species. 


Thistle is a noxious weed , the refuge controls these plants with spot treatment  of herbicides. Staff monitor for thistle and spot spray in affected areas , today I helped spot spray for thistle at Moneystump.  

in ghostbuster get-up spraying for thistle

hard to see, but its thistle

looking back at letica spraying

First, an introduction.

Hi! my name is Cristina and I'm excited to be a Fish and Wildlife senior at Northeastern State University in beautiful Tahlequah Oklahoma! I am working towards graduate school in resource management where I hope to work in Indian Country to help give back to my people and help preserve our natural resources.

This summer I am a intern at the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge Maryland. I work for the U.S. Fish Wildlife Service though a partnership with the Student Conservation Association .

I plan to document all the my awesome exiperiences and cool things I see in this blog, So read on!!........

cutting up a moose mn 09

there be bears in these parts!!!! mn 09

A little backstory, Blackwater NWR

I'm stationed at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge this summer, It is a wonderful place to be! Blackwater was established in 1931 for a migratory bird refuge. What makes the refuge unique is that it weaves marshes, croplands, and moist soil impoundments into a system that provides an extremely productive habitat for migrating and wintering birds! It also is home to the Delmarva Fox Squirrel.