Breaking Waves

The following publications are available from
http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/sgpubs/newpubs.html

Barriers and Opportunities for Low Impact Development: Case Studies from Three Oregon Communities

GardenSmart Oregon: a guide to non-invasive plants

On the Lookout for Aquatic Invaders: Identification Guide for the Pacific Northwest

Oregon Coastal Access Guide: A Mile-by-Mile Guide to Scenic and Recreational Attractions (2nd edition)

Proceedings of the West Coast Symposium on the Effects of Tide Gates on Estuarine Habitats and Fishes

Oregon Sea Grant is advertising a new professional faculty position to coordinate K-12 marine education programs at the Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport, on the central Oregon Coast. The person hired will manage a team of marine educators, coordinate k-12 classroom instruction at the HMSC visitor center, and work with faculty to design, promote, implement, and evaluate the center’s marine education programs. The application deadline is July 11, 2008.

Read the position announcement and apply on line through Oregon State University’s Job Search site

Read more about HMSC education programs

Oregon Sea Grant and the Oregon Department of Water Resources are teaming up to offer a new graduate fellowship in well-water outreach. The application deadline is June 10.

The fellowship is available for a Masters level graduate student at an Oregon College or University who will develop and evaluate outreach and education approaches that improve the skills of well owners to monitor water levels and understand their water-use patterns.

The chosen applicant will receive a stipend of up to $2,500 a month for three months of full-time work at the ODRW office in Salem during the summer of 2008, plus a nine-month part-time stipend for the academic year beginning in fall 2008.  Frequent trips to Salem will be required during the school year, and the project involves  significant field work in the central Willamette Valley.

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Oregon Sea Grant has announced a new scholarship that will support one student working toward a graduate degree in any field of marine studies compatible with the program’s mandate and areas of interest.

Interested students from any Oregon University System institution have until June 20 to apply for the Robert E. Malouf scholarship, named for the program’s recently retired director.

Read more …

Scotch broom, Japanese eelgrass, Quagga mussels, and Oregonians: How are they related? The first three are non-native, invasive species of plants and animals -  and  Oregonians often unknowingly spread these and a growing number of other invaders. But they can also stop invasive species before they spread.

A year-long educational effort to prevent the spread of invasive species in Oregon ramps up this month, with the premiere of a new documentary film produced by Oregon Public Broadcasting. The hour-long documentary, “The Silent Invasion,” has its OPB broadcast premiere on Earth Day, April 22 at 8 p.m.

But Oregon Sea Grant’s contributions of time and expertise to the production is bringing special advance screenings to Corvallis, on April 9, and Nweport, on April 17.

Read more …

Visit our new Marine Invaders page for more tools to aid in the fight to identify and control the spread of invasive animals and plants.

A fast-track “listening and learning” process that drew nearly 800 people to meetings on Oregon’s coast has produced more than 1,700 separate comments on the question of establishing marine reserves in the state’s territorial waters.

Oregon Sea Grant, which was asked to conduct the outreach effort, will deliver the comments this week to the state’s Ocean Policy Advisory Council. The council is expected to use the report to help formulate recommendations for addressing Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s goal of creating a limited number of marine reserves – areas of the near-shore sea where fishing and other extractive activities are prohibited - off the Oregon coast. …

• Read more
• Download the full 267-page report

Many Oregon communities are facing rapid population growth and increases in housing and industrial construction, without a matching increase in the resources necessary to manage such growth and make wise land use decisions. One result may be added stress from increased stormwater runoff on already overtaxed water management systems.

To help communities address such issues, Oregon Sea Grant at Oregon State University (OSU) has published Barriers and Opportunities for Low Impact Development: Case Studies from Three Oregon Communities.

More information: http://seagrant.oregonstate.edu/communications/releases.html#lowimpact

A series of “listening and learning” forums in eight communities up and down the Oregon Coast this month will gather a wide range of interests and viewpoints to explore the issue of marine reserves.

The forums, starting in North Bend on Feb. 18, are being organized by Oregon Sea Grant, the Oregon State University-based marine research and outreach program, at the request of the state’s Ocean Policy Advisory Council (OPAC).

 Read more …

Marine fossils and sea turtles take center stage in February and March as OSU’s Hatfield Marine Science Visitor Center presents two special learning and exploration events for the whole family.

On Saturday, Feb. 9 at 11:30 a.m., join us for FossilFest, one of our most popular winter events and a chance to learn about the fascinating fossils you can find on the Oregon coast. Bring your own specimens for expert identification or to swap with other fossil enthusiasts, or pick up a free fossil from our sample table and start a new hobby. Guest speakers include Dr. William Orr of the University of Oregon and Guy “the Oregon Fossil Guy” DiTorrice of Newport. Children’s activities, presented by the North America Research Group (NARG) include digging for shark teeth, making a shark tooth necklace, painting a fossil replica, and an ammonite toss.

On Saturday, March 1, come learn about the fascinating world of sea turtles as the Visitor Center hosts Sea Turtle Saturday, starting at 11:30 a.m. Speakers include Dr. Larry McKenna, author of “Almost Gone,” the story of the endangered leatherback sea turtle, and Dr. Selena Heppell, an OSU marine biologist who will talk about successful turtle conservation efforts around the world. Kids can take part in a Leatherback Painting Contest where everone goes home a winner!

The Visitor Center is located on Yaquina Bay in Newport, just south of the Yaquina Bay Bridge. Admission is by donation.

Graduate students in marine science and resources have only a few weeks to apply for two major fellowships being offered by Oregon Sea Grant and/or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The opportunities include:

• The National Marine Fisheries Service/Sea Grant NOAA’s Coastal Management Fellowship, which provide on-the-job education and training opportunities in coastal resource management and policy for postgraduate students and to provide project assistance to state coastal zone management programs. Application deadline: Jan. 28, 2008
• The John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship , which matches highly qualified graduate students with hosts in the legislative branch, the executive branch, or appropriate associations and institutions located in the Washington, D.C. area. Recipients spend one year working on substantive national policy issues related to marine issues; a stipend is provided. Application deadline: Feb. 29, 2008

For more information about these and other Sea Grant fellowhip opportunities for qualified graduate and undergraduate students, visit our Web site.

Melissa Feldberg
Fellowship Application
322 Kerr Admin.
Corvallis, OR 97331

Please don’t hesitate to contact me for information about either of these opportunities.