USING CITIZEN SCIENCE TO MONITOR MARSH SHORELINES
USING CITIZEN SCIENCE TO MONITOR MARSH SHORELINES Erin Reilly UMCES – Chesapeake Biological Laboratory Barnegat Bay Partnership
RAPID ASSESSMENT OF SHORELINES
USING DSAS TO FIND HISTORICAL RATES
Haaf, L. et al 2014
Near Tuckerton Beach
Reedy Creek
THE APP
Easy to use
Free Smartphone App or paper version
On their own time
Quality Control
Pre Survey Training + Take-home packet
Binned Survey Questions
Photo Attachment
PADDLE FOR THE EDGE DESIGN…
Question
Type
Answers
Date Tidal Stage Behind your point is the edge
Date Categorical Categorical
How high is the bank At your point, is the edge
Categorical Categorical
Describe the predominant edge plants
Categorical
Autofill Slack High; Ebb; Slack Low; Flood Undeveloped; Mostly Residential, Mostly Commercial 0-5 ft; 5-10 ft; >10 ft > 75% Vegetated; 50 – 75% vegetated; Mostly bare soil/sand; mostly hardened Reeds; Short Grass; Tall Grass; Trees/bushes
Is the soil you see How many mussels do you see How are the mussels distributed How many Fiddler Crab burrows do you see Describe the slope of the bank Do you see exposed roots Is the bank cantilevered Is the bank tiered or step-like Are there chunks or pieces of marsh in the water Have you passed any ditches since your last point How many people do you see What are they doing What type of structures do you see in the water
Categorical Categorical Categorical Categorical
Sandy Soil; Mucky Soil 0; 1 – 10; 10 – 100; 100- 1000 Singles, Clumped, Continuous 0; 1-2; up to 10; Looks like Swiss Cheese
Categorical Y/N Y/N Y/N Y/N
Perpendicular; Gradual Slope; Undercut Yes; No Yes; No Yes; No Yes; No
Y/N
Yes; No
Integer Text Categorical
None; Unidentifiable/Remnant; Riprap; Bulkhead; Gravel/Cobblestone; Groin/Jetty; Pilings; Pier/Dock; Marina; Boat Ramp
2016
>1,000 points
More than 60 trained volunteers
Roughly 50 miles of shoreline;
Approximately 220 volunteer hours
2 YEAR SUMMARY STATS
SUBSET ANALYSIS Calculated an Erosion Level •
Accreting(Progradation)
•
Transitional Shoreline
•
Low Erosion
•
High Erosion
Validated with a subset of data •
Examined 20% of points
•
Agreement between photo and calculated level 75% of the time
Chi Square tests for independence on 2015 data
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS
BENEFITS OF CITIZEN SCIENCE
To the Scientist
More Data
Helps with Communication
To the Citizen
Learn more about wetlands and human impacts
Find new places to explore
Sense of ownership
Demystifies science
To the Watershed
Uses an activity that people already do
Easy to use platform
Gives something back to the citizen
Thoughtful data collection
Training/Tips
Fun!
KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAMS…
Further explore the data
Similar metrics are being tested with MidTRAM 4.0
In discussion with NJDEP to bring it to other areas
NEXT STEPS
THANKS TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, MARTHA MAXWELLDOYLE, AND THE EPA!
RAPID ASSESSMENT OF SHORELINES
USING DSAS TO FIND HISTORICAL RATES
Haaf, L. et al 2014
Near Tuckerton Beach
Reedy Creek
THE APP
Easy to use
Free Smartphone App or paper version
On their own time
Quality Control
Pre Survey Training + Take-home packet
Binned Survey Questions
Photo Attachment
PADDLE FOR THE EDGE DESIGN…
Question
Type
Answers
Date Tidal Stage Behind your point is the edge
Date Categorical Categorical
How high is the bank At your point, is the edge
Categorical Categorical
Describe the predominant edge plants
Categorical
Autofill Slack High; Ebb; Slack Low; Flood Undeveloped; Mostly Residential, Mostly Commercial 0-5 ft; 5-10 ft; >10 ft > 75% Vegetated; 50 – 75% vegetated; Mostly bare soil/sand; mostly hardened Reeds; Short Grass; Tall Grass; Trees/bushes
Is the soil you see How many mussels do you see How are the mussels distributed How many Fiddler Crab burrows do you see Describe the slope of the bank Do you see exposed roots Is the bank cantilevered Is the bank tiered or step-like Are there chunks or pieces of marsh in the water Have you passed any ditches since your last point How many people do you see What are they doing What type of structures do you see in the water
Categorical Categorical Categorical Categorical
Sandy Soil; Mucky Soil 0; 1 – 10; 10 – 100; 100- 1000 Singles, Clumped, Continuous 0; 1-2; up to 10; Looks like Swiss Cheese
Categorical Y/N Y/N Y/N Y/N
Perpendicular; Gradual Slope; Undercut Yes; No Yes; No Yes; No Yes; No
Y/N
Yes; No
Integer Text Categorical
None; Unidentifiable/Remnant; Riprap; Bulkhead; Gravel/Cobblestone; Groin/Jetty; Pilings; Pier/Dock; Marina; Boat Ramp
2016
>1,000 points
More than 60 trained volunteers
Roughly 50 miles of shoreline;
Approximately 220 volunteer hours
2 YEAR SUMMARY STATS
SUBSET ANALYSIS Calculated an Erosion Level •
Accreting(Progradation)
•
Transitional Shoreline
•
Low Erosion
•
High Erosion
Validated with a subset of data •
Examined 20% of points
•
Agreement between photo and calculated level 75% of the time
Chi Square tests for independence on 2015 data
PRELIMINARY ANALYSIS
BENEFITS OF CITIZEN SCIENCE
To the Scientist
More Data
Helps with Communication
To the Citizen
Learn more about wetlands and human impacts
Find new places to explore
Sense of ownership
Demystifies science
To the Watershed
Uses an activity that people already do
Easy to use platform
Gives something back to the citizen
Thoughtful data collection
Training/Tips
Fun!
KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL CITIZEN SCIENCE PROGRAMS…
Further explore the data
Similar metrics are being tested with MidTRAM 4.0
In discussion with NJDEP to bring it to other areas
NEXT STEPS
THANKS TO ALL OF OUR VOLUNTEERS, MARTHA MAXWELLDOYLE, AND THE EPA!
