By Shannon Dunnigan
This past weekend research and stewardship NERRds at the GTMNERR had a great field day leading Flagler College students out to the GTMNERR’s Wright’s Landing artificial reef site where students assisted in collecting measurements on the percent cover of live oysters and dimensions for each of the 28 individual artificial reefs.
The field day began with a nice 45-minute hike on the GTMNERR trails out to the Wright’s Landing site where equipment was staged and two of the research boats were waiting with additional staff.
The weather was slightly overcast but nice and cool for fieldwork. After a brief overview from Pam, our biologist, the students broke out into groups and began collecting their data. Additionally, Pam took students via boat to clean up an experimental site at a nearby oyster rake.
Yes, another important aspect of a research project is the cleanup after you have completed your data collections! Be good stewards of your sites!
We thoroughly enjoyed getting to work with these students. On the hike back to the Visitor’s Center, the students even got to see several Pygmy rattlesnakes (Sistrurus miliarius) sunning themselves on the trail.
The field day was a success in getting students out collecting data! We are already looking forward to the next time…
Psst…be sure to check out and follow our Instagram page (@iamanerrd) to experience more of our day-to-day NERRd-iness!
NERRds on the Water 