Inland Bays Science Surveys Seeking Volunteers for Spring 2022
The Delaware Center for the Inland Bays is gearing up for the 2022 citizen science and docent program season by hosting multiple volunteer trainings throughout March.
“Volunteers are the Center’s most valuable resource, and we rely on them to help us collect data on important Inland Bays species which can guide effective restoration efforts,” said the Center’s Project Manager, Nivette Pérez-Pérez. “The surveys also offer individuals a fantastic opportunity to play an active role in local science and conservation efforts.”
The March training sessions will focus on two of the center’s five citizen science surveys, the Shorezone Fish & Blue Crab Survey and the Horseshoe Crab Survey.
The center’s Shorezone Fish & Blue Crab Survey has collected data on fish populations at 16 shoreline sites in the Inland Bays watershed since 2011. With more than 100 species of fish known to inhabit the bays, data collected through this long-term survey can help scientists track changes in populations of the fish over time.
For more than a decade, the center has also been collecting vital information about horseshoe crabs that spawn in the bays through its Horseshoe Crab Survey. In addition to counting the number of horseshoe crabs observed, volunteers collect additional data on this iconic species and even help to tag some crabs which will provide insight on their movements throughout the bays and nearby estuaries.
This year, all training sessions will be held virtually through Zoom. Registration information and the required volunteer waivers are available online at https://www.inlandbays.org/get-involved/volunteer/. ▼
League of Women Voters to Host Forum on Homelessness
The League of Women Voters, Sussex County will host an on-line Zoom program, Homelessness—the Heart of the Matter, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m., on Thursday, March 10. A panel of experts will discuss the needs of homeless families in Sussex County from various perspectives.
During this exceptionally cold winter—complete with a record-setting blizzard—the number of homeless families in Sussex County continued to increase. This forum is an opportunity for the public to learn more about the scope of the problem and to hear about some proposed solutions. Attendees will be invited to participate in a question-and-answer period following the panelists’ presentations.
Speakers will include:
• Rita Landgraf, Professor of Practice and Distinguished Health and Social Services Administrator in Residence at the University of Delaware (UD).
• Judson Malone, Executive Director and co-founder of the non-profit Springboard Collaborative, whose mission is to build supportive transient living shelters and affordable housing communities.
• Patricia (Tish) Galu, Vice President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of the Wilmington Diocese, who has been a long-term key member of the Sussex Housing Group.
• Susan Kent, Executive Director of the non-profit, Better Homes of Seaford, Inc., and a board member of the Delaware Continuum of Care.▼
To register for the online forum, go to www.sussexlwv.org