Knauss in Aberdeen – Biodiversity, Fjords, and Climate Change

On the third day of this marine biodiversity extravaganza, one gentleman from the University of Hawaii presented his exciting findings from the hidden fjords of the West Antarctic Peninsula. If you’re wondering what Hawaiian researchers are doing near the South Pole, you wouldn’t be alone, as I was pondering that same question myself when he began explaining that his goals included comparing his research to what they have discovered in the Arctic.  Talk about spanning the globe!  As it turns out, his hard work has led him to conclude that climate change will dramatically alter the kinds and types of creatures that live in fjords, leading to growing similarities between the two poles!

When they first began their research on the peninsula (where climate is changing faster than anywhere on the planet ) near the U.S. Palmer Station Research Base, they had assumptions about what they would find.  However, as so often occurs with scientific exploration, they were greatly surprised by the large abundance and diversity of animals they found in their samples.  One hypothesis for this finding is that Antarctic fjords are in a much earlier melting stage compared to their northern counterparts.  Faster melting in the Arctic leads to larger amounts of heavy, glacial freshwater that causes faster sediment burial and less mixing within the water column.  Without mixing of the nutrients that sink to the bottom, these communities have low biodiversity.

The researchers decided that this alone could not explain the diversity they saw.  They began devising new theories to explain their findings when they made another discovery: sunken krill.  It would seem that an unexpected amount of krill die and “fall out” of the water column down to the benthos, where they decompose and create a feast for the abundant and diverse critters of the deep.  While they noticed these krill deposits in many locations, they have not been able to explain the phenomenon, as the Southern Ocean is not believed to be limited by oxygen or nutrients. 

Taken together, slow melting and krill fall-out create rich and diverse communities.  However, this means that these fjords have not one but two Achilles heels in the face of changing climate: quickening glacial melting and declining krill.  Another factor besides climate putting krill at risk is the growing pressure from fishermen braving the Southern Ocean and high fuel costs in search of this large (and dare I say charismatic?) crustacean species.  In this way, biodiversity hotspots in the Antarctic may shrink over time, eventually resembling Arctic communities.  The impacts of this shift would amplify through the food web in an area already experiencing warming temperatures, melting sea ice, and predator-prey distribution mismatches.  Only time will tell how the peninsula will change, but certainly interesting and important polar research coming from Hawaii!

Knauss in Aberdeen – Biodiversity in the Best and Worst of Times

The World Conference on Marine Biodiversity is well underway in Scotland and Knauss fellows have been feasting on the wealth of knowledge and information shared by researchers and resource managers from all over the globe.  As the hub for fishing and shipping activities and the oil and gas capital of the United Kingdom, Aberdeen (affectionately termed the Granite City) is an appropriate venue to hold discussions about the importance of conserving marine biodiversity.  Aside from the classic principles of biodiversity being essential to ecosystem resilience and our very existence, experts are presenting on the impacts of climate change, coral genetics, economics, the role of Marine Protected Areas, and recent changes in policy and law.  One of the cornerstones of this conference is no doubt the recent successes and next steps of the ten year effort known as the Census for Marine Life (in case you missed the memo, they discovered a modest 20,000 new species!).  This and other themes has reminded me of the real immergence of interdisciplinary and international conservation work, which is often the most difficult yet most important to undertake for the marine environment. 

Aberdeen City Center

As can be expected, no meeting of biodiversity scientists and aficionados would be complete without those passionate for plankton and benthic invertebrates.  While sitting in one of these presentations on ocean productivity and biodiversity hotspots, I was reminded of the power of bottom-up trophic effects.  As it turns out, a research group in the UK has used biodiversity indices and ocean fronts to model coastal areas that are important for animals such as seabirds, sharks, and marine mammals (similar to our TOPP program).  Where there is more benthic invertebrate diversity and productivity, there are more forage fish, and therefore greater megafauna diversity and abundance. This model was confirmed by satellite tagging studies, where you can see how the foraging and migration paths of these large animals follow the formation of currents along continental shelves on a relatively short time scale.  This information can then be used to more quickly inform spatial planning or renewable energy development projects such as offshore wind farms.  This concept is complicated by the seasonal and variable nature of these ocean fronts, which the author cited as proof for the need for more flexible protected areas.  Talk about interdisciplinary!

Benthic foraminifera

One of highlights so far was a very inspiring plenary presentation by Jeff Ardon, director of the Marine Conservation Biology Institute.  By speaking very charismatically on the challenges in marine conservation in what Ardon refers to as the best and worst of times, he reminded us that local innovation and creativity must be applied at the global scale to minimize cheating.  Strong incentives to ignore the rules are crushing positive contributions of science-based management around the world.  Whether neglecting to report bycatch, releasing more than your fair share of greenhouse gases, or ignoring international protocols, cheating is rampant and dangerous.  Ardon reminded us that despite the great technological feats of our time, we still suffer billions of dollars in damages from Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated fishing.  While local conservation triumphs are worthy of praise, it is daunting to step back and recognize the existing gaps in international management capacity. 

 

These thoughts have been an interesting start to a conference where scientists must lift their heads from the details of benthic microfauna genetics to ensure that we act more wisely by admitting what we don’t know yet not ignoring what we already do know. 

Tune back in for more updates as this conference proceeds!

Crab Night at Sligo Creek Elementary

Anna and Denise debunk the 'old guy in a lab coat' stereotype

How many eyes does a horseshoe crab have? How can you tell when a blue crab is about to molt? These questions (and more!) were answered by Anna and Denise last night at Sligo Creek Elementary School's Guest Scientist Series.

Hoards of eager young minds descended on the cafeteria to hear about what it means to be a scientist, discuss the similarities and differences between blue crabs and horseshoe crabs, and help run a science experiment. Kids and parents alike were surprised by some of the things they learned.

Take, for example, the fact that horseshoe crabs save lives. Including yours most likely. Denise explained that early vaccines were tested for bacterial impurities by injecting them into bunnies. If the bunny got sick, the vaccine was unsafe for people. But the famous blue blood of the horseshoe crab offered a different solution - a substance called LAL that clots when in contact with bacteria.
Using LAL from horseshoe crab blood, Denise demonstrated how modern vaccines are tested. For the control she added regular bottled water to LAL, and for the test she added bottled water that had been swished around in a volunteer's mouth and spit out. 

Denise leading the LAL experiment

In 15 minutes, the control was still a liquid and the test had congealed into a gel, just like it would for a vaccine that contains bacteria. Cool!

Anna taught the group how to determine when a blue crab's egg mass (or sponge) is about to hatch based on its color and how animals with hard outsides, like crabs, grow by molting.
Fun and informal presentations like this one make science accessible to everyone - great job ladies!

12 Questions: Anna Coffey

Executive Fellow with the Department of Energy
Water Power Program

1.    Where were you before beginning Knauss, and what where you doing there?
I had just graduated from the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (College of William and Mary) with my M.S. in Marine Science.  My thesis focused on the effect of salinity on a parasitic dinoflagellate of the blue crab, Callinectes sapidus, in Chesapeake Bay.  My research involved a lot of field work (e.g. including sampling crabs for infection along the eastern shore of Virginia) and a lot of lab work (e.g. building recirculating aquarium systems and conducting infection trials at different salinities).  I enjoyed doing both, but after 4 failed experiments, I realized the many challenges involved in trying to perform a controlled lab study with animals that have a high in-captivity mortality rate. 

2.    What drew you to the position you chose? 
I really wanted to take advantage of the fellowship year to stretch the limits of my comfort zone and work on something completely outside of my area of expertise.  The Department of Energy’s Wind and Water Power Program also gave me the opportunity to learn more about renewable energy, an issue that I’ve always been interested in but didn’t know anything about.  

A tidal energy test site in Scotland.

3.    How will you use your background in your new office? 
Honestly, there is more overlap than I ever thought there would be when I was first placed at DOE.  The Water Power Program is focused not only on technology development for marine and hydrokinetics, but also market acceleration topics, which include managing a large portfolio of environmental research pertaining to the potential environmental impacts of the commercial development of the marine and hydrokinetic industry.  A lot of these research projects deal with dose-response type studies which is something I was familiar with due to my past experience with disease-related work.  I’ve also been able to use my broader knowledge of marine ecosystems to better understand the complexities of some of these potential environmental impacts.    
 
4.    What has been the biggest change for you since starting the fellowship? 
Working regular hours and communicating with LOTS of different and new people every day.  In grad school I was used to a very flexible schedule, where I was sometimes in the lab at 1am or on Christmas Day, but I also was able to take off every now and then during “regular” working hours.  Now, it’s mostly 9-5, which was a little difficult to get used to at first, but it’s also really nice to have a regular routine and time off for holidays and weekends. 

In school, I was used to dealing primarily with my coworkers in the lab and my fellow grad students.  VIMS is a satellite campus of William and Mary, and it’s a pretty tiny community.  Aside from working with my lab mates, fellow students, and the occasional visiting scientist, I didn’t really deal with many other people on a regular basis.  I had always heard that DC is a ridiculously connected town, but I’m really finding that to be true.  I’m amazed at the sheer number of people I’ve met through the fellowship so far and the variety of backgrounds that my coworkers come from.  Working with people from different countries, positions, and educational backgrounds has really broadened my perspective on the complexities involved in balancing beneficial commercial development (e.g. renewable energy) with conservation.

5.    What have you found to be your most essential piece of “work attire?” 
I make sure to always have a sweater or jacket with me to dress in layers.  We just changed offices and now are located in the basement where it is frigid, even when it’s 104 outside, but you never know when your next meeting is going to be held in a sweltering conference room.

6.    Where is your favorite spot on Earth? 
I would say my favorite spot on Earth is on my husband’s family’s land on Thunder Hill in Blowing Rock, NC.  Every time I think of the one spot I’d like to be, it’s there.

7.    What’s at the top of your recommended reading list for someone wanting to explore a career in your field? 

Anna taking samples from a blue crab.

I would recommend Tropical Diseases and New Guinea Tapeworms and Jewish Grandmothers both by Robert Desowitz.  He’s a truly brilliant writer and does a great job of discussing epidemiology as if he were writing a novel.   
Parasite Rex by Carl Zimmer is also a great book about the wonderful world of parasites and how crafty they can be.  For anyone interested in blue crabs, Beautiful Swimmers by William Warner is a very well-written, interesting book that describes the past, present, and future of blue crabs in Chesapeake Bay and describes the culture of the watermen in that area.

8.    Personal favorite book? 
Oh man, this is like choosing a favorite child (of which I have none, but what I imagine it would be like anyways).  I’m going to have to go with Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.  It was one of the first books that really stuck with me and I felt like I actually understood the statements he was making without someone having to point them out and explain them to me. 

9.    What are your hobbies? 
I love to cook and will try any new recipe at least once, especially if it seems challenging.  I also love music and play the guitar and sing, though I’ll admit I’m a bit out of practice after my stint in grad school.  I’ve recently taken up running with a group at DOE every morning and I’m hoping that will be a hobby that sticks with me…it’s an excellent stress reliever! 

10.    What would you be doing if you hadn’t gone into your field? 
I like to think that I would have followed my 16-year-old dream to become a famous rock star, some kind of mix of Ann and Nancy Wilson from Heart…there’s no need to doubt that this would have actually happened if I had not been seduced by marine science.  It would have. 

Blue crab cells infected with a parasite

11.    Who is your favorite historical scientist and why? 
I’m going to have to bring it back to the author of some of my favorite parasitology books, Robert Desowitz.  I find that this quote by him from Tropical Diseases continues to inspire me, especially when I’m wondering about the purpose of my research.  This totally gives me chills every time I read it:
"That's the way it is; There is a large element of inefficiency an unpredictability in the biomedical sciences. Without those 'good-for-nothing'-ologies many, if not most, of the great-leap-forward discoveries benefiting our health and wellbeing would not have had their seed origins. The foundations and government agencies that support biomedical science must somehow be made to realize that contrary to the laws of logic and economics, all natural science pursuits must be sustained. It is just as important, in the long run, to train and support the person whose life is devoted to the study of the bumblebee as it is to train and support the person whose life is devoted to the study of the AIDS virus. Those whose curiosity leads to the taxonomy of mosses, the physiology of the firefly, the tapeworms of sharks are our great resource. Their curiosity is humanity's good fortune. From somewhere in the whole pool of knowledge the new advances will emerge. If all the sciences are not encouraged, the disciplines that affect our health and well-being will ultimately wither at a dead end."

12.    Any idea what you’re doing next year? 
Honestly, I have no idea.  Occasionally I play with the idea of returning to Academia for my PhD, but other times that’s the last thing I want to do.  I really enjoy where I am now, but it’s impossible to know at this point what employment opportunities will be available once the fellowship year is over.  Perhaps I shall turn back to my dreams of rock stardom…

Fish Galore!

Last week, Knauss fellows joined almost 4,000 other fish enthusiasts for the 141st American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting in the bustling Washington State Convention Center in downtown Seattle.  With thirty (30!) concurrent sessions, we learned about a wide range of topics including fisheries genetics, climate impacts, food production, management challenges, and life history patterns.  Being a marine mammal enthusiast myself, I sought out talks focusing on West coast habitat mapping, bycatch engineering, and modeling predator foraging requirements.  After four days of posters, presentations, and socials, we all came home having learned tons about the wonderful and complex world of fish and fisheries. 

Two of the presentations that I found most inspiring were talks on instituting turtle bycatch offsets and a general overview of food production sustainability.  The first was explaining the concept of applying an offsets program (typically used in emissions or pollution contexts) to ameliorate turtle bycatch in Hawaii and Mexico.  We learned that the commercial Hawaiian fishery is only allowed to harm a small number of turtles per season and has exhausted all bycatch avoidance and mitigation options trying to meet that goal.  The only other measure left is instituting mandatory fishing closures, costing more than $40,000 for every turtle that would be saved.  On the other side of the Pacific, research has shown that simple gear modifications in the small-scale Mexico fishery can lower bycatch considerably.  However, the fishermen cannot afford new gear.  So, the idea is that the Hawaiian fishery would essentially pay for the Mexican fishermen to save more turtles, totally less than $1,000 per turtle saved.  While not perfect and subject to many of the classic problems of other offset models, I appreciate this idea because it relies on finding an economically efficient solution.  While we may not always be comfortable with economic trade-offs, policy-makers, industries, and communities speak the language of dollar signs and it behooves the environmental community to align economic and conservation incentives where possible.

The second talk that stood out for me was given by the notorious Ray Hillborn.  Engaging the crowd with jokes and a friendly demeanor, Hillborn spoke about the importance of eating low on the food chain.  He has nearly finished the enormous undertaking of compiling the environmental impacts (water quality and consumption, land use, pollution, and biodiversity loss) for common meat and dairy products.  While this isn't necessarily new, Hillborn emphasizes that eating certain kinds of fish (herring, anchovy, sardine, squid) can be even more sustainable than being a vegetarian.  This scoring is based on the idea that catching fish does not require huge amounts of water or land and does not inherently produce pollution.  (Though I will admittedly be very curious to read his publication to determine how he measures the biological and economic impacts of bycatch).  Hillborn's dream is to walk into a chain or fast food restaurant and be confronted by a chart that delineates the impacts of each menu item.  An environmental "nutrition facts," if you will. 


Attending the AFS meeting in Seattle was certainly a great learning experience and a highlight of the fellowship.  The fisheries field (like many others) is astonishingly broad, with experts and grad students clamoring to make contributions to an ever-expanding library of facts, theories, models, caveats, and predictions.  If you didn't get the chance to attend, ask your fellow fellows what they thought!  If you did attend, what talk inspired YOU the most? 



 

Knauss Brown Bag September 15: Fur Seals and Shrimp Farms

Ask Olivia why this guy likes eddies!

Two more exciting talks are in store for us this Thursday, taking us from the chilly Bering Sea to Hawaii's Big Island ...

Hui will tell us the real cost of shrimp

The first is from Olivia Lee (Integrated Programs Section, NSF) on her work tracking fur seal pups from Bering Island, Russia. Next up is Hui Rodomsky (Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, NOAA NOS) on using plants to reduce nitrate loads in discharge from shrimp farms.

Join us live in the NOAA Central Library at noon or see the NOAA Seminar Page for remote access information.

The Mud Funk All Stars

Ben (fellow in the NOAA Marine Debris Program) shares his recent adventures in the city and on the water:
 
Hurricane Irene’s outer bands blew through the DC area a few weeks ago as the jumbo storm buzzed the East Coast.  Irene dropped about 4 inches of rain on the city, and produced wind gusts over 50 mph. The novelty of a tropical cyclone at our doorstep had DC residents, recently spooked by an earthquake, preparing for a post-apocalyptic situation.  As it turned out, this exciting weather event passed fairly quickly and wreaked minimal havoc, but it created a perfect opportunity for two intrepid urban adventurers to explore one of DC’s historic, and, yes, beautiful waterways, Rock Creek.

As I was taking stock of the downed branches, tossed-about catalpa tree leaves and disheveled sunflowers in my Brookland Neighborhood yard, I got a call from my friend and NOAA colleague, Ben Laws.  I don’t recall Ben’s exact words, so allow me to poetically recreate them: “It’s time… Big Muddy is bustin’ loose”.  Ben had been contemplating a float trip down Rock Creek for so long that the idea had begun to possess his thoughts, and now that mild mannered Rock Creek had transformed into its engorged alter ego, “Big Muddy”, Ben was feverish about getting on the water.  Never one to stand in the way of a man and his dreams, I signed up for the mission, but not without some trepidation about what lay ahead.

Photo from a Washingon Post stormwater story.

Rock Creek, like many abused urban waterways, has a dirty reputation.  Officially, Rock Creek is impaired, as designated by the EPA.  This status means that its waters are neither fishable nor swimmable, but most DC residents probably consider it unfit to cool their toes in.  The reputation is not undeserved.  Twenty eight combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfalls expectorate a bacteria-laden mixture of untreated waste water and urban runoff into the creek about 30 times a year when precipitation rates exceed the capacity of the combined sewer system.  In an average year, these events result in 52 million gallons of overflow to Rock Creek.

Another, more visible pollutant is floating trash, on its way to becoming marine debris as it is transported from Rock Creek, down the tidal Potomac, to the Chesapeake Bay and beyond. The concept of oceanic “garbage patches” has entered in to the popular public consciousness in recent years.  Concentrations of derelict fishing gear, plastic trash, and other buoyant debris occur within major oceanic gyres, a fact that has generated justified concern, but media sensationalism has succeeded in spreading misconceptions that there are vast floating islands of garbage out there.  We passed numerous trash laden debris dams along Rock Creek, and, though they are not the size of anything more impressively large than one of the National Zoo’s prized pandas, these are the real garbage islands on their way to adding to the already truly large marine debris problem.

Rock Creek may be impaired, but “Big Muddy” doesn’t let that keep her down. Maybe we didn’t look the part, but Ben and I felt like rock stars as we smartly navigated class II and III rapids in a fishing canoe that handled like a barge.  We can confirm that Rock Creek is floatable from the Maryland line to the Potomac.  My position at the front of the boat earned me the honorary title of Effluent Interception Specialist, meaning that I absorbed the brunt of the splashes as we tore through massive chocolate standing waves. 

Photo by one of the Bens.

Fortunately, the aged CSO outfalls, looking like something out of a bygone era, one that involved vampires, did not appear to be actively disgorging as we passed.  Adrift in swirling waters, we delighted in the dramatic architecture and subtle craftsmanship of the early-20th Century bridges that span Rock Creek’s lower reaches.  The oldest and arguably most magnificent of these bridges, Taft Memorial, which conveys Connecticut Avenue, was begun in 1897 and is roughly contemporary with DC’s combined sewer system.  These things were new, back in the day, when Teddy Roosevelt is reported to have cooled more than just his toes while skinny dipping in Rock Creek.  Fortunately, the bridge bears its load more effectively than the sewer system does.

Herons, ducks, white-tailed deer, and a muskrat joined us as we bobbed along on our journey, a reminder that urban wildlife is still wild and degraded habitat still provides.  Call it habitat with untapped potential.  Thankfully, progress is being made towards realizing that potential. The DC Water and Sewer Authority is in the process of modernizing 6 of the CSOs that affect Rock Creek, part of the Clean Rivers Project which aims to reduce CSOs throughout the District by 96%.  The National Park Service installed a fish ladder at Pierce Mill Dam and has removed 8 other barriers to passage, restoring aquatic habitat that has been fragmented for more than a century.  Local organizations like Rock Creek Conservancy and Alice Ferguson Foundation are working in partnership with DC government and federal agencies, including NOAA, to clean up Rock Creek, the Anacostia, and the Potomac.

I encourage my fellow Fellows and other readers to get on, in, or about a DC water body, because if you don’t, it means the pollution has won. It’s a beautiful city, with watery recreation and urban eco-renewal opportunities waiting to be discovered.  So come out Saturday, September 17^th, sign up for the International Coastal Cleanup, and join the Marine Debris Program crew for a morning of de-trashing the Anacostia.  You’ll be helping make it just a bit cleaner for the next daring adventures of… Hmmm, what should we call ourselves?... The Mud Funk All Stars!  Yeah, that’s right, so get up for the down stroke, and we’ll see your funky butt on the water!

Field Notes: Knauss in the Netherlands

In our latest installment of the Field Notes series, Lauren shares her travels Europe for the People and the Sea IV Conference in July...

This blog post has been coming for a long time, but I’ve finally processed all my thoughts, notes, and pictures from my travels to the Netherlands. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to go because I saw lots of cool places and learned a lot! Here’s a peek into my ten days in Europe. :)

First, I took a train to Paris and stayed there for 2 days! My time in Paris is somewhat of a blur due to jet-lag and trying to see EVERYTHING in two days. I did lots of walking around the city and loved seeing the different neighborhoods on the Left Bank and the Right Bank of the Seine River.


This picture is of Ile de la Cite – a little island in the middle of the Seine where lots of people like to go and hang out. One thing I noticed about the Seine running through Paris is that the only boats on the river were tourist boats or personal boats – no commercial boats! Quite different in Amsterdam, where the rivers and canals are working waterways in their full capacity with cargo barges and huge commercial boats in addition to tourist boats. Anyways – like a tourist, most of my pictures from Paris are of the Eiffel Tower. I had a chance to see it during the day and at night!

Then, I went back to Amsterdam to experience all the canals and bicycles! You can get around Amsterdam on foot, by tram, by car, or by boat. But the most common mode of transportation is bicycle! Amsterdam’s population is just under 1 million, and 2/3 all have bicycles! I saw people biking with children behind them, biking while holding groceries in one hand, girls riding side-saddle over the back tire behind guys – I even saw a man biking while holding a large piece of art in one hand! Nobody wears helmets and nobody cares about running pedestrians over. Actually, I think the network of transportation is very efficient. The trams and the buses have lanes in the very center of the road. The lanes outside of that are for cars. The lanes outside of those are for bicycles! And they have their own stoplights, crosswalks, and parking garages.

I really enjoyed walking around and seeing all the different canals. Some of them were very wide while others were narrow. Every canal was full of boats tied up to the side. The architecture along the canals was fascinating as well – you can tell which parts of Amsterdam are newer or older based on the houses. I took over 1000 pictures while I was in Europe, so these are definitely just a small sample! 

The reason I went to Amsterdam was to attend the People and the Sea VI Conference. This conference happens every two years and is sponsored by the MARE Centre for Maritime Research, which is an interdisciplinary social science research institute. The theme of the 2011 conference was Bridging Science and Policy for Sustainable Coasts and Seas. Attendees came from all over the world to share experiences in fisheries management, regional ocean governance, marine spatial planning, coastal tourism, the science-policy interface, and much more. The conference had less than 300 attendees, so it was very intimate and allowed for great group discussion in the different sessions. It took place at the Universiteit van Amsterdam. In the second picture, my arms are fully extended over my head and the camera is aiming out of a high window. Amsterdam is already below sea level, but we were even futher below in the Business School building!

I learned a lot about the European Union (EU) and how it’s approaching marine spatial planning (MSP). A lot of the European member-states are already doing MSP, and the EU would like to form a larger framework based on what is already happening (i.e. planning for renewable energy initiatives). This was interesting to learn about considering that our process in the US is quite the opposite – we have a national executive order that aims to have regions and states design and implement MSPs.

I also learned about the European Commission and Regional Advisory Councils (RACs) and how those relate to the Common Fisheries Policy in the EU. The system of governance in Europe is confusing to an outsider (at least for me), but the conclusion from some relevant talks is that there needs to be a legal framework for stakeholder involvement when it comes to fisheries management. The RACs are meant to be a stakeholder forum between the EU and member-states and are supposed to give advice for fisheries policy, but stakeholders have been going to the European Commission saying they disagree with the RACs. Overall, there seems to be a lot of unrest between different groups of people, and a lot of talks at the conference suggested co-management and community involvement as a way to alleviate some of the issues.

In general, the conference was centered on a theme of interdisciplinary approaches and integrated management. For policy to succeed, people need a voice, so how do we include locals/stakeholders so their input is used? There is a need for more social science to know and understand community members. Sounds strangely familiar… it’s sort of comforting to know that science and policy in Europe faces the same challenges as science and policy in the US.

In addition to the conference, I went to a couple different places outside of Amsterdam to see some other areas. I went to Almere to see villages built on the reclaimed land in the middle of the Ij Bay. This area was built about 15 years ago, and it felt a little bit like “The Truman Show” walking around because all the streets and houses are very straight (i.e. too perfect)! And everything was very green and clean-looking. But right in the middle of the town of Almere is a giant shopping center. Stores, stores, and more stores! All built on a concrete area that slopes downhill towards a lake. I was surprised by how much impervious surface there was between the shopping center and the water – especially for a new development! I guess developers weren’t thinking about permeable materials 15 years ago.

Strangely enough, I recently heard on NPR that the Dutch would like to build a mountain in the Netherlands. People are annoyed that they have to go to other countries to go downhill skiing or mountain-biking. One man said “when we build a mountain, we can finally relax.” Apparently, there’s a quote out there: “God created the Earth, and the Dutch created the Netherlands.” It’s interesting how the Dutch approach nature. I wish I had gotten more chances to talk to actual Dutch folks who live there and ask their opinions, but it seems that the reigning thought is “this is nature (i.e. our land is sinking), and we can’t do anything to stop it from changing (i.e. can’t keep the water out), so we’ll just build bigger and better to control it (i.e. higher dykes, deeper canals, bigger dams)”. I definitely would like to go back to the Netherlands and do some more in-depth study of how the Dutch live with the water.

I also went to Zandvoordt Beach on the North Sea side of the Netherlands. It’s a typical beach resort type of town with condos and houses right next to the beach. Right behind the beach is a huge park of vegetated sand dunes. And anyone is allowed to walk on them! In the swales between the dunes, there are actually community gardens.

I visited Edam and Volendam, two villages to the northeast of Amsterdam. Edam is the only town where they still have a traditional, open-air cheese market every Wednesday (I was there on Saturday, so I didn’t get to see that!). But Edam was a cute little village with very nice houses and canals.

Volendam is a historic fishing village right on the Markermeer body of water. People have built houses right on the dykes in this village, and you can actually see some houses that have sunk below the level of the road on top of the dyke. You actually have to step down to get into the house!

The Netherlands was an awesome experience, and I would love to go back and explore more someday. Hopefully I will have that chance and will get so see some other cities like Delft, Utrecth, the Hague, and Rotterdam. I highly recommend a visit to the Netherlands, but be sure to explore areas outside of Amsterdam. There’s so much more to see!