Save The Bay Joins 400,000 at NYC Climate Change March

On Sunday, I had the opportunity to join nearly 400,000 fellow climate activists in New York City for what was referred to as the “People’s Climate March” – the largest climate change march in history. Having been part of several rallies and marches around climate change and clean energy over the years, I thought I had a fairly good idea of what to expect. However, by the end of the day I left pleasantly surprised at the march’s success, cautiously optimistic about its potential impact and excited about what we could accomplish at the local level to be part of the solution.

The march was slated to begin at 11:30AM at the southwest corner of Central Park and wind its way down Sixth Avenue through midtown Manhattan. March organizers had estimated a crowd somewhere in the neighborhood of 150,000 to 200,000 with charter buses being organized from across the eastern U.S. (including an impressive nine buses from Rhode Island.) My wife and I arrived (a bit late) in time to watch the beginning of the march make the turn from 59^th Street onto Sixth Avenue, where marchers were loud, enthusiastic and densely packed onto New York’s wide streets. Unlike many past climate-focused events, the march was noticeably diverse with communities of color, indigenous peoples and other nationalities well represented near the front of the march. Also noteworthy was the large (and boisterous) presence from organized labor: Service Employees International Union (SEIU), United Auto Workers (UAW), International Brotherhood of Electrical Works (IBEW) and Teamsters, to name a few.

We decided to watch the march go by for a bit before jumping in ourselves, as it’s difficult to capture the scope, scale and feel of any march when you’re moving with it. After a couple of hours we assumed “OK…the end must be coming soon.” Not even close. I got a text message around 2:00 (more than two hours after the start) from a friend who arrived late on a bus from Ohio that she was near the start of the march where folks were STILL lining up to participate. Wow! I had already easily seen the organizers’ goal of 150,000 people march by, with at least tens of thousands still behind them, when we decided to jump in.

I was impressed by the overall feel and tenor of the march, which contained hints of passion and frustration (over the lack of political action to date on the issue) but also had an overall vibe of hope and steadfast determination to solve the climate crisis. The marchers included young and old, black and white, students and scientists, atheists and faith leaders, Democrats and Republicans, long-time

activists, labor leaders, doctors and nurses and scores of others concerned about the climate crisis. By the time we reached the end, I was inspired, energized and hopeful that momentum continues to build for both political and market-based solutions to address the problem.

After spending the bulk of the past decade working on climate change and energy policy in my home state of Ohio - where most of the focus is on reducing Ohio’s relatively-large contribution of greenhouse gas emissions – I’m now in a state on the “front line” of the climate crisis. Climate change is no longer a theoretical issue about what may or may not happen in the future. Climate change is here, and the impacts of climate change will be felt for years to come in Rhode Island. As politicians in Washington and world leaders from around the globe discuss and debate what actions to take, those of us in coastal states like Rhode Island must act.

The good news is that a lot can be done at the state and local levels to deal with impacts already being felt and prepare for the impacts yet to come, while also doing our part to reduce emissions at the root of the problem.   In Rhode Island, Governor Chafee and the General Assembly established the RI Climate Change Coordinating Council to drive and integrate state and municipal work on climate change. All of the advocates for this action - Save The Bay included - will work to ensure that climate change is factored into the decisions of state and local environmental and coastal

management authorities. We continue to work with local communities to adapt coastal habitats to rising sea levels, as well as modernize wastewater and stormwater infrastructure to deal with more extreme weather events.

Marches and rallies are an important advocacy tool, but those of us “on the front lines” of climate change in states like Rhode Island need to do all we can, when and where we can, to deal with the impacts here and now. Consistent with our mission to “protect and improve Narragansett Bay,” Save The Bay is championing the protection of the Bay’s ecological health, the public’s right to access the shoreline, and the protection of clean water infrastructure that is essential to a healthy Bay.

-Jed Thorp

 Grants Writer, Save The Bay 

Narragansett Bay Connects the Best of Rhode Island

Not quite a year ago, my wife and I decided to move from my native Ohio to Rhode Island; a state I, admittedly, knew very little about.

I knew from second grade geography that it’s the smallest state (and that Roger Williams ended up here…for some reason.) I thought a “quahog” was merely a town on Family Guy. I had heard something about “Waterfire” but - coming from a state where one of our largest rivers caught fire several times in the 60s - I could only assume that was a bad thing. I couldn't pronounce “Narragansett,” let alone spell it. But, I figured a place nicknamed “the Ocean State” must have something going for it.

Shortly after moving here, I set out to experience the best Rhode Island has to offer. I cruised around the state to check out the quintessential views of sailboats, fishing vessels, bridges and lighthouses. I spent long, relaxing afternoons on the beach in Narragansett.

I sampled local seafood at Iggy’s in Warwick; toured the mansions in Newport; rode along the East Bay bike path; and looked for seals from Rome Point.

            The best that Rhode Island has to offer – the beaches, the lighthouses, the seafood, the mansions, even Waterfire – all have one thing in common: the Bay. I've learned that Narragansett Bay is more than just a body of water; more than just a place for recreation; and more than just a source of great seafood. It defines the culture and character of Rhode Island (so much so that I often wonder if we should swap monikers with our ‘Bay State’ neighbors to the north.)

               As my wife and I put down roots in our new home state, we look forward to doing our part to “Save The Bay.” Other places we've lived have their own special places, but none that are as connected to and embraced by the people who live near it as Narragansett Bay. The Bay has been our single biggest source of enjoyment since moving here, and we look forward to getting to know it better in the years to come.

-Jed Thorp
Grant Writer, Save The Bay

Up Close and Personal: Little Skates are Big Draws to the Exploration Center

BELOW THE SURFACE

Cousins to stingrays and sharks, little skates have become common residents in Narragansett Bay over the years. At the Exploration Center in Newport, they are also one of the most intriguing and exciting attractions to the public.

Jennifer Packard
Communications Intern

In the back of the aquarium, flipping and floating through a see-through touch tank, as many as eight to ten of these flat elasmobranchs (creatures whose skeletons are made of cartilage instead of bone) skim the sandy bottom. It is tempting for people to mistake skates as stingrays at first, which is not far off since stingrays are indeed their cousins. But, unlike the larger rays that can grow to weigh as much as a small elephant, little skates only grow up to three feet in diameter and do not possess the poisonous barb at the end of their tail like the ray does. Instead, with their flat and triangular body shape, skates have spines down their backs for protection; spines that the public can feel while petting them. The skates' shape helps them to navigate the soft, sandy bottom of the Bay where they most prefer to hang out. Skates eat crabs, shrimp, and other small fish and can live up to fifty years.

Looking at skates, it is easy for one to think that the opening and closing slits just below their eyes are gills much like a shark has, but in actuality they are special vents called 'spiracles' that enable the skates to breathe underwater since they lack the gill ventilating system of their cousins. The females lay two eggs at a time in cases known to many beachgoers as 'mermaids' purses.' People will recognize these empty cases after the eggs are hatched, as blackened outer shells found amongst the seaweed washed up on beaches. Patrons to the EC can hold the smooth and oddly shaped 'purses' containing unfertilized eggs in the skate touch tank. Accompanying little skates in this tank are large and small horseshoe crabs that love to scurry around and bury themselves in the sand, as well as hermit crabs and moon snails.

 

A smiling skate

Nature lovers at the Exploration Center are thrilled when these skates attach themselves to the glass windows, revealing their almost transparent underside. When skates do this, they display a lot of their inner organs and flash what could be almost passed off as a mischievous smile. A young boy next to me broke into an astounded smile as a skate he was watching positioned herself against the window and came eye to eye with him. "I think she's smiling at you," I told him, which only made him smile even more. 

- Jennifer

Jennifer Packard is studying Creative Writing at Rhode Island College

The Exploration Center & Aquarium is open daily 10a.m. to 4p.m. through Labor Day.

Salt Marsh Restoration

Annabelle Everett
Communications Intern

FROM THE FIELD

A salt marsh is a type of wetland that is situated between the ocean and the land. It usually contains many different types of plants and is known for sustaining plants that can endure regular flooding of and draining by salt water brought in from the tides. With its ability to produce more basic food energy per acre than any other system, a salt marsh is one of the most productive of ecosystems.

Jacob's Point Salt Marsh
in Warren, RI

Save The Bay continues to work towards the restoration of many of RI's salt marshes, including that at Jacob's Point in Warren. This marsh measures at 47 acres along the Warren River and borders the East Bay bike path. Restoration over the years has included attempts to combat invasive species, like Phragmites australis, a type of marsh grass, and strict monitoring of the marsh's water quality. 

Habitat interns measure the
marsh's salinity

The monitoring of the salt marshes' water quality is a crucial step in restoration. Save The Bay habitat interns Emma Rook, Grace Decost, and Amanda Adams monitor marshes as part of their work for STB this summer. They measure five marshes in Rhode Island, closely monitoring each of them every other week. The interns also participate in dig days in which they clear spaces within a marsh in order to drain any excess water. In addition, they use a refractometer to measure the salinity of each marsh. The interns described to me that different types of plants grow and flourish in different levels of salinity. Therefore, if a plant that can be sustained in higher levels begins to grow, it is an indication that the level of salinity is particularly high and that many other types of plants will not be able to survive.

Salt marshes are an important part of any coastal area as they provide protection for them from threats such as erosion and storm surge. They also filter runoff water and support a large number of fish species. The work that STB does along with the help of interns to restore these marshes is invaluable and a key step in protecting the Bay and its surrounding environment.

- Annabelle

Annabelle Everett is studying Writing & Rhetoric at Hobart & William Smith Colleges

A New Addition to The Exploration Center

BELOW THE SURFACE

Jennifer Packard
Communications Intern

One of the Exploration Center's most exciting attractions continues to be their high and spacious shark tank, which houses various crabs, fish, and what used to be a dogfish duo named Sonja and Sophia. After nearly two years of growing, gaining weight, and fascinating the public, Sophia, the larger of the shark duo, was ready to be released back into Narragansett Bay. A few weeks ago, the EC thanked Sophia for all that she has taught people over the past two years, as staff members helped her back into the Bay.

This, of course, left Sonja by herself in the tank, looking for another pal to swim around with. Since dogfish are sharks that are known for their great abundance, the Department of Environmental Management responded kindly and quickly with a new friend for Sonja. The new deep grey shark, which currently remains unnamed, is slightly bigger than her new companion, measuring at a length of almost three feet. 

The surface of the dogfish tank

Last week, while interning at the EC, I had the chance to meet the new shark myself. I reached my hand into the tank as she swam by and felt her smooth, yet tough, skin. Apart from some scarring near the head area, possibly due to being caught in a fisherman's net or being scraped by a boat, this new addition was in great health. All things seemed to be going well between the two sharks as Sonja swam with her new friend around the perimeter of the tank, sometimes stopping to do her famous spy hopping dance and fulfilling her curiosity of what is going on outside of the tank. Shortly after the EC opened that day, the back room tank quickly became surrounded by curious parents and kids, some of whom were coming back to check on the new shark. "We already met her last week," a young boy said as he reached his hand in to pet her. "We wanted to come back and see her again and how she was doing."

Dogfish are one of the smallest species of shark, which are known for their large numbers and confident when pursuing their prey. As omnivores, dogfish are happy to eat just about anything, with some staple food of herring, crabs, small squid, and octopus. Their estimated lifespan is at an average of twenty years, but ranges altogether from twenty to one hundred. These small sharks tend to be bottom-dwellers, hunting for food along the ocean or bay floor, and are found all over the world.

Seahorses found in another tank

That day, Sonja's new pal was the source of a lot of excitement and questioning by the curious onlookers who were excited to welcome her. People stopped by in steady numbers to see and learn about the new shark. She and Sonja will be at the EC, dazzling and educating people for hat looks to be another exciting year.

- Jennifer 

Jennifer Packard is studying Creative Writing at Rhode Island College

The Exploration Center & Aquarium is open daily 10a.m. - 4p.m. through Labor Day.

Bringing Back Memories of the Bay

BELOW THE SURFACE

Jennifer Packard
Communications Intern

When speaking to people about Narragansett Bay, it doesn't take long before a deep appreciation and sense of history come out. Fond memories and ties to Narragansett Bay are strong, and add multi-layered aspects to Rhode Islanders’ lives.

At Save The Bay’s Exploration Center & Aquarium in Newport, visitors are reminded, or learn for the first time, of hundreds of plants, animals and other sea life that call the Bay home. These connections spark memories and conversation. 

“We love coming here; the kids love it,” said Maria Santos of Newport as she sat at the crafts table making a lobster hat with her son, Anthony.  “I remember when [the Center was] damaged by Hurricane Sandy.  I'm so glad they were able to rebuild it.”

A dogfish shark swims in one of the tanks 

“We have to keep it clean,” added Maria’s son, Anthony, while talking about the Bay.

The Easton’s Beach location draws people in with its kid-friendly touch tanks, its knowledgeable educators, and the hundreds of Bay creatures available to see and touch. Kevin Germaine, on a visit with his wife and kids, watched as the smooth dogfish sharks swam around the large pool in the exhibit in the back. 

“I didn't even know they lived in the Bay. That’s what is so great about this place,” said Kevin. “We're learning things we didn't know before. The staff is great, too!”

A skate stops to say hello

Kathy G. also expressed her excitement for the Bay. “It’s a great memory because my husband used to fish on Narragansett Bay when he was young. Now we can take Brandon and it’s like a tradition.” 

Brandon, her son, smiled as he stuck his hand in the tank to touch a skate as it floated by. “These are cool!” he said, excitedly.

Much of the sea life may be familiar to some residents, who have walked the beaches and spent time wading in the Bay’s waters, but invariably many of the creatures at the Exploration Center end up surprising people. 

“I had no idea there were seahorses in the Bay,” Pat Martone said as she watched five of them glide gracefully through the seahorse and pipefish tank. “They are my favorite. They're so delicate!” 

The skates living in the Bay surprised Rob Pacheco. He pointed to a rectangular shape casing through the water. “I’ve seen those things on the beach my whole life and didn't know they were eggs from the skates.” 

A seahorse found at the Exploration Center
Photo by Jack Kelly

When asked whether he had seen a difference in Narragansett Bay’s condition from long ago, Rob didn't hesitate to answer. “Oh yeah, it’s so much better than it used to be. It’s cleaner. I know Save The Bay does tremendous work for it.”

It is clear when speaking with Exploration Center visitors that the Center is more than an aquarium where one comes face-to-face with sea life in the Bay; it is a place where lifelong relationships and memories are revealed.

- Jennifer

Jennifer Packard is studying creative writing at Rhode Island College

The Exploration Center & Aquarium is open daily 10a.m. - 4p.m. through Labor Day.

The Bay as a Middle School Classroom

Annabelle Everett
Communications Intern

EDUCATION THURSDAY

Sixth graders from Bird Middle School in Walpole, MA are nearing the end of a lengthy unit on environmental science and the problems that their environments face. Students spent six weeks studying ecosystems and investigating the Neponset River watershed in Walpole. They discovered various environmental issues that result from residents’ suburban lifestyles and were then tasked to come up with several solutions. Such a project attempts to mirror the work that Save The Bay does every day and it culminated in a week of field trips, including a June 10 visit to the Save The Bay Center in Providence.

Life in the touch tank

I had the chance to shadow one of the groups from Bird Middle School for a few hours. They began their day learning about plankton in one of STB’s classrooms. After a brief rundown of the species, each student was given a microscope and a water sample containing some plankton. They filled out a worksheet with their findings before moving on to one of the touch tanks. The chance to interact with the different creatures in the tank was met with excitement from the students, who asked numerous questions while nudging each other to get the best view.  

Exploring the rocky shore

The next activity was to explore the shore behind the Bay Center. Students were given buckets to collect any rocks, shells, or various creatures that they might find. Within minutes, one student called out, “I found a live crab!” When asked if they were having fun, a few of the boys responded with an enthusiastic “Yeah!” Each group excitedly picked up rocks, scooping up the crabs that they found hidden underneath.   

The students spent half an hour combing the shore before settling down to get a better idea of what sort of creatures they had just found by looking through a guide to the life in the Bay. Each was then asked to share one of their findings with the class. One prominent discovery was the Asian Shore Crab, which the students were taught is an invasive species that arrives on ships from Japan and has taken over the Bay waters. Students also discovered other types of crabs on the shore, as well as quahogs, mussels, and periwinkles.

Bird middle School sixth graders at the Bay Center

This educational program allows Narragansett Bay to serve as the classroom, gives students a hands-on experience, and exposes them to various problems faced by the environment. Observing the students, it is clear how excited they are about this chance to investigate the Bay. One boy, when describing that his favorite part of the day was getting to explore the shore, remarked that this was “better than sitting in class.” This type of interactive learning that Save The Bay provides is essential in getting kids excited about the environment and educating them on environmental issues.

- Annabelle

Annabelle is studying Writing & Rhetoric at Hobart & William Smith Colleges 

Adapting to Ongoing Erosion at Cranston’s Stillhouse Cove

FROM THE FIELD

by Wenley Ferguson
The evidence of the erosive force of Superstorm Sandy was not just confined to the south coast of Rhode Island. Stillhouse Cove, a small waterfront park in the Edgewood neighborhood of Cranston, suffered significant erosion during the storm. Bordered by a salt marsh, the park is exposed to the east, where storm-generated waves crash against a steep bank. During Sandy, the bank eroded and threatened the loss of the park. 

Coir mat "burritos" create a gentle, protective 
slope that will help prevent erosion.

After years of collaboration on restoring the Stillhouse Cove salt marsh, the Edgewood Waterfront Preservation Association (EWPA) and Save The Bay teamed up on an innovative erosion control project to address the bank erosion. 

Instead of trying to replace the lost soil along the steep shoreline, the bank was carved back to create a gentle slope that will dissipate future wave energy. Coir envelopes, coconut fiber mats filled with sand that resemble large burritos, will protect the slope from future storms. Contemporary Landscaping, a local contractor, teamed up with NETCO, a Massachusetts construction project manager that specializes in the installation of the coir mats. 

An excavator was used to carve a slope out of the bank, then three coir mats were installed in a series of steps on top of each other. The mats were covered with the excavated soil from the bank, and then covered with additional coconut fiber. 

The project was a true collaboration of a number of partners. The City of Cranston provided sand for the coir mats, and Coastal Resources Management Council, the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) each provided funding and invaluable technical guidance for the project. 

Once the bank was regraded, a variety of native grasses was planted to act as a buffer between the park and the salt marsh, and to stabilize the bank. Neighborhood volunteers from EWPA, students from Johnson & WalesUniversity, Save The Bay staff and interns, and the contractor installed 6,500 plants along the cove in just one week. Due to the steepness of the slope, the fall drought and remnants of debris from historic fill along the marsh, the planting conditions were less than ideal, yet the involvement of the community was inspiring. One volunteer read about the project in The Providence Journal and stopped by to see how he could help. Moments later, he had a trowel in hand and was scrambling up and down the bank planting grasses. 

This shoreline adaptation project was part of Save The Bay’s Bay-wide effort to identify opportunities to protect shorelines naturally and create a more resilient coastline. As sea level rises, it will be important to create places where wave energy can be dissipated, and where shorelines can adapt to changing conditions.

This was published in the Spring 2014 issue of Tides, Save The Bay's biannual magazine.

Touching the life of Narragansett Bay

Jennifer Packard
Communications Intern

BELOW THE SURFACE

The plant life and creatures of Narragansett Bay continue to delight and educate visitors of Save The Bay’s Exploration Center & Aquarium, which overlooks Easton’s Beach in Newport. The Center is a dazzling showcase of hundreds of creatures that call Narragansett Bay home. It is circular with tanks containing different types of sea life that kids, as well as adults, can get close to and touch.

Smooth dog fish sharks

One of the main attractions is the dogfish tank, a large pool housing two or three of these shark relatives, as well as crabs and fish. Adults enjoy peering over the tank at eye level with these sleek creatures, while kids excitedly stand on stairs and outstretch their arms to feel the creatures’ skin as they swim by. It is a joy to watch visitors’ faces as the sharks sense their presence, dancing back and forth in front of them. 

Kate Hamilton started as an intern at the Center last week and already loves her job. “My favorite part is working with the little kids," she explains. 

It is quite obvious that each staff member at the Exploration Center enjoys what they do to help educate people and form connections between the public and the sea life of Narragansett Bay. 

Meg, an Exploration Center employee, also explains what she loves about working here. “I feel like I got really lucky to have gotten a job here. [Right now] I’m feeding the sea horses because they don’t have any stomachs.”  

Visitors to the Center can touch live skates

She explained that the graceful sea horses were related to the long, thin Pipe Fish swimming alongside them, and that in both species the males carry the babies and do much of the work to care for them. 

Throughout the day, I found that each staff member was highly informed about the species that they care for, and are always happy and available to answer any questions.

Another part of the Exploration Center that people love is its collaboration with schools. Teachers can schedule visits and have expressed their love of taking their students to the Exploration Center over the years. 

Theresa Spelgler, owner of the Silveira Kindergarten & Nursery School in Middletown, shared what she loved about the Center. “It’s hands-on and the kids can visually look, touch, and learn. The staff does a great job. We love coming here and we’ve been coming here for years."   

A juvenile skate living with seahorses

Local residents also take advantage of what the Center has to offer.

Deb, a patron who has been bringing her 15-year-old daughter, Emily, to the Exploration Center for quite some time, loves the highly interactive quality of the place. “It’s all hands-on. I’ve learned so much I didn’t know before.” 

Emily agrees. “The thing I like about the Exploration Center is you can get up close and, if you have a question, there are people here to talk to. It’s not just reading along by yourself.”

- Jennifer

Jennifer Packard is studying creative writing at Rhode Island College

The Exploration Center & Aquarium is open daily 10a.m. - 4p.m. through Labor Day.