The Maritime Aquarium At Norwalk Inc

THIS PROJECT SEEKS TO BUILD A NEW COALITION FOR CONNECTICUT GHOST FISHING PREVENTION EFFORTS, SUPPORT THE INDUSTRY DIRECTLY, AND IMPROVE THE HEALTH OF OTHER FISHERIES, WHICH WILL BE DONE THROUGH (1) ESTABLISHING CONNECTICUT'S FIRST TRAP RETRIEVAL PROGRAM, (2) RECRUITING AND MENTORING FIELD STAFF FROM UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS IN THE SCIENCES AND INDUSTRY, (3) BUILDING REGIONAL EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES AND CONDUCTING OUTREACH, AND (4) CONDUCTING SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH TO QUANTIFY THE IMPACT OF LOST AND ABANDONED LOBSTER TRAPS ON THE ECOLOGICAL AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES OF THE SOUND.

THIS EDA INVESTMENT FUNDS THE MARITIME ACADEMY AT NORWALK’S SALT MARSHES OF LONG ISLAND SOUND PROJECT, TO PROMOTE LONG-TERM RECOVERY BY CREATING A BREATHTAKING NEW, STATE-OF-THE-ART EXHIBIT THAT WOULD BE CENTERED ON LONG ISLAND SOUND, AND AS A SIGNATURE EXHIBIT WITH MANY NEW FEATURES SUCH AS THE MULTI-MEDIA DIGITAL DISPLAY AND THE TOUCH TANKS. THE PROJECT WILL HELP PROMOTE THE MARITIME AQUARIUM, WHICH IS AN ECONOMIC HUB FOR TOURISM AND SMALL BUSINESSES, AND AN ECONOMIC DRIVER FOR NORWALK AND THE REGION. ONCE COMPLETED, THE PROJECT WILL HELP THE REGION RESPOND TO DAMAGE TO THE TRAVEL, TOURISM, AND OUTDOOR RECREATION SECTORS FROM THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC AND BOOST THE ECONOMIC RESILIENCE OF AREAS DEPENDENT ON THOSE INDUSTRIES.

SOUND RESILIENCE-GET ON BOARD!

SALT MARSHES ARE A VERY IMPORTANT HABITAT TYPE ALONG THE ATLANTIC COAST OF THE UNITED STATES WHICH PROVIDE PROTECTION FROM STORMS, RESIST SHORELINE EROSION, SERVE AS A CRITICAL HABITAT FOR MANY SPECIES, AND ACT AS A NATURAL FILTER THAT SUPPORTS CLEANER WATERS. AS SUCH, SALT MARSHES ARE A CRITICAL COMPONENT OF RESILIENT COMMUNITIES IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE CHANGE. HOWEVER, THERE IS A LOT THAT WE DONT YET UNDERSTAND ABOUT SALT MARSHES AND HOW TO BEST PROTECT THEM DUE TO A LACK OF DATA. THROUGH THIS PROPOSAL, WE ARE SEEKING TO FORM A NEW COLLABORATION OF SCIENTISTS AND MANAGERS THAT WILL PROVIDE THE DATA NEEDED FOR EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF THESE CRITICAL HABITATS AS THEY FACE THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE. THE PROJECT WILL ESTABLISH A COLLABORATIVE GROUP WITH EXPERTISE IN SALT MARSH HEALTH, ASSESS EXISTING SALT MARSH RESOURCES, NEEDS, AND GAPS, DETERMINE THE NECESSARY DATA TO COLLECT IN THE FIELD AND THE BEST WAYS TO COLLECT THOSE DATA, BUILD A RESOURCE LIST OF AVAILABLE INFORMATION ABOUT SALT MARSHES, AND MAKE A LIST OF RECOMMENDED LOCATIONS WHERE SALT MARSHES SHOULD BE STUDIED. FOLLOWING THAT, THE PROJECT WILL COORDINATE AND IMPLEMENT NEW DATA COLLECTION ACTIVITIES TO FILL THE IDENTIFIED GAPS AND DETERMINE WHEN SALT MARSH SITES ARE SHOWING SIGNS OF POOR HEALTH AND ARE IN NEED OF ACTION. THIS PROJECT WILL DELIVER A NEW MONITORING PROGRAM THAT CAN BE CONTINUED AND EXPANDED IN FUTURE YEARS (WITH ASSOCIATED PLANS, REPORTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND OUTREACH MATERIALS). THIS PROJECT WILL LEAD TO AN ADVANCEMENT OF REGIONAL KNOWLEDGE OF OUR SALT MARSH RESOURCES, IMPROVED MANAGEMENT OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES, AND INCREASED RESILIENCE OF OUR SALT MARSHES THROUGH IMPROVED MANAGEMENT AND PROVIDING THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FOR RESTORATION AND MANAGEMENT ACTIONS. THE DATA COLLECTED WILL SUPPORT DECISION-MAKING BY LOCAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL MANAGERS AND PRACTITIONERS, BUT THE PRIMARY BENEFICIARIES WILL BE LOCAL PEOPLE LIVING AND WORKING IN COASTAL COMMUNITIES THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM IMPROVED MANAGEMENT OF THESE HABITATS AND THE ECOSYSTEM SERVICES PROVIDED (E.G., STORM PROTECTION, EROSION CONTROL). PROTECTING SALT MARSHES ALSO BENEFITS A VAST NETWORK OF SPECIES AND PROCESSES INCLUDING CARBON SEQUESTRATION AND NUTRIENT RETENTION. LOCALLY, THIS WILL LEAD TO BETTER IMPLEMENTATION OF INDIVIDUAL HABITAT RESTORATION AND STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS. REGIONALLY, THIS PROJECT WILL RESULT IN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED DATA COLLECTED IN A COORDINATED, COMPREHENSIVE FASHION, SO THAT CRITICAL COASTAL HABITATS WILL BE RESTORED MORE EFFICIENTLY AND EFFECTIVELY, THEREFORE BENEFITTING COASTAL RESILIENCE AND THE LONG ISLAND SOUND ECOSYSTEM IN GENERAL. ALL PROPOSED WORK WITHIN THIS PROJECT WILL BE CO-LED BY UCONN AND THE MARITIME AQUARIUM AT NORWALK IN CLOSE COLLABORATION WITH THE USFWS.

THE MARITIME AQUARIUM WILL IMPLEMENT A PROJECT TO ENERGIZE TEENS AND EQUIP THEM TO BECOME COMMUNITY LEADERS DRIVING DISCUSSION AND ACTION TO REDUCE MARINE DEBRIS. "MARINE DEBRIS PREVENTION CORPS: EMPOWERING TEEN CHANGE AGENTS" WILL DRIVE A LOCAL CULTURE CHANGE AROUND THE USE AND DISPOSAL OF LOCAL MARINE DEBRIS ITEMS. THEY PLAN TO PROVIDE A GROUP OF 100 TEENS REPRESENTING THE DIVERSITY OF NORWALK AND SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES WITH TRAINING AND TOOLS TO BECOME EDUCATORS AND ADVOCATES. TRAINERS FROM THE HARWOOD INSTITUTE WILL LEAD A TWO-AND-A-HALF DAY PUBLIC INNOVATORS LAB, WHICH WILL INCLUDE GROUP PROJECTS WITH APPLICATIONS TO REAL-WORLD SCENARIOS. THE EXPERIENCE WILL EQUIP PARTICIPATING TEENS TO SPEARHEAD COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES THAT WILL HAVE A MEANINGFUL IMPACT ON NORWALK'S SHORE AND WATERWAYS.

THE MARITIME AQUARIUM WILL ADDRESS THE CHALLENGE OF MAKING VIRTUAL PROGRAMS ACCESSIBLE TO LEARNERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS THROUGH ITS IMPROVE FOR ALL (IMPROVING VIRTUAL EXPERIENCES FOR ALL AUDIENCES) PROJECT. OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD, THE AQUARIUM WILL COLLABORATE WITH SEVERAL COMMUNITY PARTNERS AND ACCESSIBILITY EXPERTS TO CREATE 12 NEW VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH INTELLECTUAL, DEVELOPMENTAL, AND PHYSICAL DISABILITIES. THROUGH THIS EFFORT, THEY WILL DEVELOP BEST PRACTICES FOR IMPLEMENTING VIRTUAL PROGRAMS FOR THESE AUDIENCES AND CONDUCT A PILOT WORKSHOP TO TRAIN MUSEUM EDUCATORS IN THESE PRACTICES. RESULTS WILL BE EVALUATED THROUGH CLASSROOM OBSERVATIONS, STUDENT AND TEACHER SURVEYS, FOCUS GROUPS, AND INDIVIDUAL INTERVIEWS.

PER YOUR APPLICATION REQEUST DATED DECEMBER 20, 2007, THIS GRANT IS BEING AWARDED TO SUPPORT THIS PROJECT THAT WILL TEACH ALL 6TH GRADERS FROM THE