Newswave Fall 2020
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NEWSWAVE NEWS FROM THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR: OCEAN, GREAT LAKES, AND COASTS Special Feature—Shorebird Conservation, see p. 16 Fall 2020 USGS Scientists Long Wharf Nature Respond to 2020 Preserve Hurricanes Habitat Conservation in the By USGS Big City When subtropical storm Theta formed By Chris Eng (USFWS) on November 10th, the 2020 hurri- Nature has a positive effect on cane season became the most active people’s health and happiness. With on record. 80 percent of Americans living in Tropical storms, hurricanes, and other Deputy Secretary Kate MacGregor (at left) cities, it is important for people to large coastal storms can affect coastal and Norway's Ambassador to the United maintain a connection with nature. and inland communities and ecosys- States Kåre R. Aas at the signing ceremony. The natural world also provides other tems with high winds, storm surge, Photo credit: Faith Vander Voort, DOI benefits for local communities. erosion, and flooding. The U.S. Geo- Read more: https://medium.com/usfws/ logical Survey (USGS) works with DOI and Norway investing-in-nature-e33b4f09472e partners and emergency managers to Strengthen Partnership Local communities are recognizing provide science and build capabilities By DOI the important value of nature and are that reduce risk and improve situ- On August 18, the U.S. Department working to conserve natural places. ational awareness when a major storm New Haven, CT, has a long tradi- makes landfall. of the Interior (DOI) formalized its partnership with the Ministry of tion of conserving nature. The city When a major storm threatens the Petroleum and Energy of the Kingdom is built around a green space known United States or its territories, the of Norway to strengthen cooperation as the New Haven Green (Green). USGS provides comprehensive sci- in offshore mineral, oil and gas, and The elm trees surrounding the Green entific capabilities and information wind-energy activities. Deputy Secre- were planted in 1686 as part of the See Hurricanes page 9 tary of the Interior Katharine Mac- first public tree-planting program and Gregor and Norwegian Ambassador gave the city its nickname, Elm City. See Norway page 23 See Long Wharf page 14 Shorebird populations are in decline. A collection of stories shows how DOI fufills its conservation mission. See Special Feature 20 page 16 10 0 Declines over the last four decades document −10 a 37-percent loss of shorebird species. Image −20 credit: North American Percent change −30 Bird Conservation Initiative, U.S. Committee −40 2019, The State of Stewardship of birds, including this sandpiper −50 the Birds, 2019, and (Scolopacidae sp.) chick, is an important part of the DOI 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 U.S. Cornell Lab of mission. Photo credit: Lisa Kennedy, USFWS Year Ornithology NEWSWAVE • Fall 2020 Connect to Images and Multimedia via Social Media In This Edition LIKE and FOLLOW us on Facebook: 2020 Hurricanes ........................................ 1 https://www.facebook.com/USInterioroceanscoastsgreatlakes/ DOI and Norway ........................................ 1 Long Wharf Nature Preserve ................... 1 Geologic Evolution of Delmarva Peninsula Provides Key to Junior Duck Stamp Program .................... 3 Understanding Future Coastal Vulnerability New Sites on Rota ..................................... 4 Accomplishments for A recent article in Marine Geology used extensive data collected by the USGS Coastal Conservation ........................ 5 on the continental shelf of the IUUF—Addressing a Problem .................. 7 Delmarva Peninsula to define the 2017 Hurricane Recovery Funds ............ 11 region’s geologic framework. This understanding lays the groundwork Offshore Sediment ................................. 11 to better understand the geologic Living Shorelines .................................... 12 evolution from 2.6 million years Wetland Conservation ............................ 13 ago up to present day. This helps Sea-Level Rise ......................................... 15 scientists understand present-day Special Feature: coastal vulnerability and is useful Shorebird Conservation .................. 16 for delineating potential sediment Managing Migratory Shorebirds ........... 16 resources (for example, sand) Conserving Migrant Shorebirds ............ 17 and hazards to development (for Advancing Avian Conservation ............. 18 example, paleochannels). Business Plan .......................................... 19 Read the article: 20th Anniversary of NMBCA .................. 20 http://ow.ly/HqyI50BbScW Anniversary of Counting Birds .............. 21 Learn more: http://ow.ly/ Loons Losing Lakes ................................. 22 QOXZ50BbSbc Food Web Changes ................................. 23 Rapid Post-Hurricane Data .................... 24 Gridded seismic stratigraphic horizon Potential Hazards in Glacier Bay ........... 25 shows the depth to the top of Tertiary- age sediments overlain on the present Coastal Change Happens ....................... 26 shoreline with modern rivers labeled. Scientists Map Tectonic Structure ......... 27 Mapping Geohazards ............................. 28 Coastal Change Mapping ....................... 29 NEWSWAVE is a quarterly newsletter from the Department of the Interior featuring ocean, Great Lakes, and coastal activities across the Bureaus. Sea Change, Shipping, Visit us online: https://www.doi.gov/ocean/newswave and Species ...................................... 31 Editor: Ann Tihansky (USGS) The Surfing Bison ..................................... 32 Technical Editor: Rebekah Davis (USGS); Layout: Bethany Fuss (USGS) Contributors: USGS Jin-Si Over, USGS BOEM Matt Baker, USGS Meg Palmsten, USGS DOI Patrick Barnard, USGS Robert Schmitt, USGS Tanya Joshua, DOI Kevin Befus, USGS Curt Storlazzi, USGS Tami Heilemann, DOI Erin Bessette-Kirton, USGS Ann Tihansky, USGS Faith Vander Voort, DOI Uri ten Brink, USGS Lisa Wald, USGS NPS Antonio Celis-Murillo, USGS Erica Warner, USGS Stacia Backensto, NPS Rob Clendening, USGS Janet Watt, USGS Contribute to NEWSWAVE! Donna Hauser, NPS Jeffrey Coe, USGS NOAA Heather Dewar, USGS Mark Bias, USACE If you have any questions, Deanna Ochs, NPS David Swanson, NPS Kara Doran, USGS The Forecaster comments or want to receive Sarah Swanson, NPS Li H. Erikson, USGS Firefly Imageworks NEWSWAVE by email, contact: USFWS Sara Ernst, USGS Global Fishing Watch Ann Tihansky: [email protected] Brad Andres, USFWS Meaghan Faletti, USGS New Haven Land Trust Chris Eng, USFWS Juliette Finzi-Hart, USGS North American Bird For more information, contact: Steve Hillebrand, USFWS Jessica Fitzpatrick, USGS Conservation Initiative Liza Johnson, Ocean, Great Lakes, Lisa Hupp, USFWS Ann E. Gibbs, USGS U.S. Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Coasts Coordinator, Office of Lisa Kennedy, USFWS John Haines, USGS Bill Hubick, photographer the Assistant Secretary for Insular Amanda Lawrence, USFWS; Jenna Hill, USGS Sydney Johnson, and International Affairs 2020 Knauss Fellow Kyle Kelso, USGS photographer 1849 C Street, NW, Mail Stop 3117 Bridget Macdonald, USFWS Dave Krabbenhoft, USGS Kristin Laidre, photographer Washington, D.C. 20240 Taylor Pool, USFWS Alex Laffoon, USGS Kirk Rogers, photographer Erica Roberts, USFWS Drew LaPointe, USGS Sara L. Tolwin, photographer Telephone: 202–208–1378 Nathan Miller, USGS Gabe Wolken, photographer [email protected] Daniel Opstal, USGS 2 NEWSWAVE • Fall 2020 Junior Duck Stamp Program—Art and Science Come Together for Conservation The Federal Junior Duck Stamp The program began in 1989 as an Conservation and Design Program extension of the Migratory Bird is a dynamic art- and science-based Conservation and Hunting Stamp, curriculum that teaches wetland and commonly known as the Federal Duck waterfowl conservation to students Stamp. The national Junior Duck in kindergarten through high school. Stamp art contest started in 1993 with The program crosses cultural, ethnic, eight participating States. By 2000, social, and geographic boundar- the program included all 50 States, Madison Grimm, a 13-year-old from South ies, encouraging students to explore the District of Columbia, and the Dakota, took top honors in the USFWS their natural world and to investigate U.S. territories. The program encour- National Junior Duck Stamp art contest with biology and wildlife management ages partnerships among Federal and her acrylic rendition of an wood duck (Aix principles. By challenging students State government agencies, nongov- sponsa). Her artwork is on the 2020–21 Junior to express and share what they have ernment organizations, businesses, Duck Stamp and supports conservation learned with others, this educational and volunteers to help recognize education for students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Photo credit: USFWS program fosters greater awareness of and honor thousands of teachers and our Nation’s natural resources. students throughout the United States are encouraged to communicate visu- for their participation in conservation- Winning artwork selected from a ally what they have learned through related activities. national art contest is used as the an entry into the Junior Duck Stamp Learn more: https://www.fws.gov/ design for the Junior Duck Stamp, art contest. This nontraditional pairing which the U.S. Fish and Wildlife birds/education/junior-duck-stamp- conservation-program/junior-duck- of subjects brings new interest to the Service (USFWS) produces annually stamp-contest-information.php sciences and the