Noyo Center For Marine Science

CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF MARINE AND COASTAL NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE PROVISION AND PROMOTION OF SCIENTIFICRESEARCH AND PUBLIC EDUCATION IN THE SCIENCES RELATING TO MARINE AND COASTAL RESOURCES.

EDUCATION: THE GLOBAL PANDEMIC CONTINUED TO IMPACT OUR CLASSROOM EDUCATION PROGRAM, AND MUCH OF OUR PROGRAMMING CONTINUES TO BE DELIVERED IN A VIRTUAL FORMAT. NOT ABLE TO GET INTO THE CLASSROOM, NOYO HAS INNOVATED, USING VARIOUS PLATFORMS TO DELIVER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES TO KIDS AT HOME- INCLUDING ZOOM, YOUTUBE, FACEBOOK LIVE- OR IN OUTDOOR CLASSROOMS. WE PRESENTED A VARIETY OF LIVE AND RECORDED EDUCATIONAL MODULES FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES. OUR SCIENCE MUSEUMS AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER IN DOWNTOWN FORT BRAGG AND CROW'S NEST INTERPRETIVE CENTER ON THE FORT BRAGG HEADLANDS RE-OPENED TO THE PUBLIC WITH COVID PROTECTIONS IN PLACE AND WE OFFERED IN-PERSON EDUCATIONAL TOURS ONCE AGAIN. WE CONTINUED TO OFFER ADULT EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH A ROBUST SCIENCE LECTURE SERIES DELIVERED VIA ZOOM, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE THE SCAVENGER HUNT THAT PEOPLE COULD DO INDEPENDENTLY. WE ALSO OFFERED FOUR SUMMER CAMPS FOR KIDS.

MARINE MAMMAL RESPONSE: IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES WE CONTINUE TO RESPOND TO ALL DECEASED MARINE MAMMALS IN SOUTHERN MENDOCINO COUNTY AS PART OF THE WEST COAST MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING NETWORK. ALONG WITH COLLECTING RELEVANT DATA ON ALL ANIMALS WE ENCOUNTER, WE PARTICIPATED IN DATA COLLECTION ON TWO UNUSUAL MORTALITY EVENTS FOR GRAY WHALES AND GUADALUPE FUR SEALS. OUR WORK INCLUDES TRAINING A TEAM OF BEACH SURVEY VOLUNTEERS ON BEARCH SURVEY PROTOCALS AND MARINE MAMMAL IDENTIFICATION, NETWORKING THROUGHOUT THE COMMUNITY TO INCREASE REPORTING, AND EDUCATING THE PUBLIC THROUGH INFORMATIVE EXHIBITS AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER AND CROW'S NEST. THIS PROGRAM ALSO HOSTED HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE INTERNS, WORKING ON DATA COLLECTION AND ARTICULATION PROJECTS. WE CONTINUE TO COLLECT RARE OR VALUABLE SPECIMEN FOR OUR GROWING NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTION.

KELP RECOVERY: NOYO CENTER CONTINUES TO WORK WITH THE COLLABORATIVE PARTNERSHIP TO ADDRESS THE CRITICAL LOSS OF THE BULL KELP NEARSHORE ECOSYSTEM. AGAIN, EFFORTS WERE SEVERELY CONSTRAINED DUE TO THE PANDEMIC, BUT NOYO FOCUSED WORK ON TWO AREAS: CREATING A NEW FISHERY FOR PURPLE URCHIN, INCLUDING DEVELOPING AN AQUACULTURE PARTNERSHIP WITH URCHINOMICS, AND EDUCATION AND OUTREACH. THIS YEAR WE COLLABORATED ON CLASSROOM CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT FOR GRADES 4-5 AND CREATED A NEW KELP FOREST EXHIBIT AT THE DISCOVERY CENTER, INCLUDING A LIFE SIZE KELP FOREST, URCHIN BARREN, AND SEA OTTER DISPLAYS. WE CONTINUE TO DEVELOP CONTENT FOR OUR OCEAN IMMERSION DOME, PROVIDING A 360 DEGREE UNDERWATER EXPERIENCE TO OUR VISITORS.