Know Your Park Science Programs Continue

Date: January 17, 2014
Contact: Outer Banks Group, 252-475-9034

The National Park Service Outer Banks Group Know Your Park citizen science program series continues this winter with upcoming scheduled presentations.

Dr. Nathan Hall, a postdoctoral research associate at the University Of North Carolina Institute ofMarine Sciences, will present a program entitled Algae Invasion at two locations:the Ocracoke Community Center on Wednesday, January 22 at 7:00 p.m. and the Fessenden Center in Buxton on Thursday, January 23 at 7:00 p.m. Both programs are free and will last approximately 1 hour.

Dr. Hall's presentation will focus on the recent range expansion of two "brown tide"-forming microalgae that have decimated shell fish stocks, sea grass habitats, and the food webs of several United States estuaries. The bloom distribution of these two species appears to be closing in on North Carolina--one species from the north and the other from the south.

An understanding of the impacts of this microalgae and its potential effect on regional estuaries has important implications to the park and local communities.

An upcoming Know Your Park program also scheduled for this winter features Dr. Lindsay Dubbs, a research associate for the Renewable Ocean Energy Program at the UNC Coastal Studies Institute.Dr. Dubbs will present a program entitled Sargassum on the Edge of the Gulf Stream. This one-hour presentation will take place at the Ocracoke Community Center on Wednesday, February 26 at 7:00 p.m. and at the Fessenden Center in Buxton on Thursday, February 27 at 7:00 p.m.

The Know Your Park citizen science program series is designed to further connect the Outer Banks communities and residents with the rich natural world and cultural heritage of their neighboring national park sites; Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers National Memorial, and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site."These presentations offer park visitors as well as local residents an opportunity to learn more about and enjoy this fascinating coastal environment and their national parks" stated Superintendent Barclay Trimble.

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