Communications
URI Library display features NOAA, Coastal Resources Center, and Rhode Island Sea Grant materials through August 1
Every day, cruise ships sail from Miami; coal ships deliver to power plants along the shores of the Great Lakes; crabbing boats harvest Alaskan king crab in the Bering Sea; and weekenders prepare their boats for leisurely afternoons on the Chesapeake Bay. Each one of these mariners uses the resources of NOAA’s Navigation Services to safely navigate U.S. coastal waters.
In recognition of this landmark 200th anniversary of the establishment of the Survey of the Coast, NOAA and the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES) have created the exhibit, “From Sea to Shining Sea: 200 Years of Charting America’s Coasts,” which opens June 21 at the University of Rhode Island Library Gallery, Kingston, RI. The URI Library Gallery is one of 200 venues nationwide to be a part of this special celebration. To view a complete list of host organizations, visit www.sites.si.edu/host/fromseatoshiningsea.htm.
In 1807, President Thomas Jefferson recognized the need to chart the coastal waters of this country as vital to the independence and prosperity of the economy and to the security of this fledgling Nation. With his foresight, Jefferson compelled Congress to pass an act establishing “the Survey of the Coast,” a predecessor agency of today’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Survey of the Coast charted the nation’s ports and waterways, researched physical characteristics of the ocean bottom, and explored many of the world’s oceans. The organization was known for a tradition of perseverance, scientific integrity, engraving and charting skills, and courage.
This exhibit, which will be shown in maritime museums, ports, aquaria, nature centers, schools, libraries and lighthouses, celebrates the history, accomplishments and scientific contributions of the nation’s first science agency. The 20 colorful posters are illustrated with photos, charts and artwork from the Survey’s archives.
“This year we are proud to be holding a year-long celebration of 200 years of science, service, and stewardship to the nation originating with the Survey of the Coast,” said Captain Steven R. Barnum, director of NOAA Office of Coast Survey, which is one of the four offices that continues to carry out the original agency's mission. “We are honored that our partnership with the Smithsonian Institution has produced this vibrant depiction of our history to help us commemorate this distinguished occasion.”
Today, waterborne commerce remains the backbone of the U.S. economy, contributing more than 13 million jobs and $1 trillion annually. In the past two centuries, the Survey has mapped more than 95,000 miles of coastline, produced more than 20,000 nautical maps and charts, installed more than 6,000 tide stations, helped predict the movement of oil spills, established the Pacific Tsunami Warning System and maintained the national network of more than 1,000 GPS reference sites. Though the methods have changed throughout time, Jefferson’s legacy lives on in NOAA’s navigation services as they continue to benefit safety, national security and economic competitiveness.
An agency of the U.S. Commerce Department, NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and information service delivery for transportation, and by providing environmental stewardship of our nation's coastal and marine resources. Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, more than 60 countries and the European Commission to develop a global monitoring network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects. “From Sea from Sea to Shining Sea” is part of a series of anniversary events sponsored by NOAA. For more information, visit www.noaa.gov and www.celebrating200years.noaa.gov.
SITES has been sharing the wealth of Smithsonian collections and research programs with millions of people outside Washington, D.C., for more than 50 years. SITES connects Americans to their shared cultural heritage through a wide range of exhibitions about art, science and history, which are shown wherever people live, work and play. Exhibition descriptions and tour schedules are available at www.sites.si.edu.
In conjunction with the Smithsonian exhibit, the Coastal Resources Center (CRC) at the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island Sea Grant will be exhibiting information and materials representing over 30 years of work from U.S. and international projects. These will include examples of the work CRC has performed from the coasts of Rhode Island in conjunction with Rhode Island Sea Grant, as well as in Tanzania, Thailand Nicaragua and others. Some of the work CRC has not been limited to coastal management but also related issues—governance, HIV/AIDS, alternate livelihoods—and examples of these will also be exhibited.
The Coastal Resources Center is dedicated to advancing coastal management worldwide. In addition to assisting in the development and implementation of coastal management programs in Rhode Island and the United States, the Center is active in countries throughout the world promoting the sustainable use of coastal resources for the benefit of all. Implementing coastal management projects in the field, building capacity through education and training, and sharing lessons learned and information throughout the coastal community are the foundation of the CRCs work.
Past and current international projects that the CRC has led include work in Tanzania, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Mexico. At home in the United States, CRC and Rhode Island Sea Grant are building upon past work in helping to create Rhode Islands Coastal Resources Management Programone of the first in America in the 1970swith newer initiatives such as the Greenwich Bay Special Area Management Plan and the Providence Metro Bay Special Area Management Plan. CRC is looked to for its progressive work on coastal management issues here and abroad, and enjoys an international reputation for leadership in its field. More information about CRC is available at www.crc.uri.edu.
Rhode Island Sea Grant is located at URI and is part of NOAA's National Sea Grant College Program, which promotes the conservation and sustainable development of marine resources for the public benefit. Rhode Island Sea Grant designs and supports research, education, extension, legal, and communications programs in two core themes: Sustainable Coastal Communities & Ecosystems and Sustainable Fisheries. More information about Rhode Island Sea Grant is available at seagrant.gso.uri.edu.
Our changing shoreline: Will it be there for the next generation?
Recent predictions about global climate change and sea level rise are alarming. But what do they mean for coastal Rhode Island? Scientists predict that we can expect a 1-meter rise in sea level in our grandchildren’s lifetime. If the prediction holds true, the impacts could be dramatic, including loss of beaches and buildings from increased coastal erosion and the heightened threat of storm damage to properties once thought safe from harm’s way.
“Living on the coast, you know that things will change, but how much change can we expect? And what does a 1-meter rise in sea level really mean to someone living on the Rhode Island coast?” asks Janet Freedman, Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council coastal geologist. Freedman will talk about these changes in her lecture, “Will Your Home Be There for Your Grandchildren?” on Thursday, July 12, at 7 p.m. at the Kettle Pond Visitor Center, 50 Bend Road (on the north side of Route 1), Charlestown.
Freedman will offer a candid look at how climate change and resulting sea level rise is having a lasting impact on several Rhode Island south shore coastal communities—from loss of beaches and property to wetlands loss and ecosystem change.
Freedman’s lecture is the second presentation in the annual Summer Community Lecture Series sponsored by Rhode Island Sea Grant and URI Cooperative Extension/Nutrition and Food Sciences Department. This year’s theme addresses “Living With a Changing Marine Environment.”
The lecture is free, but seating is limited, so reservations are required. For reservations, directions, more information, or to find out what's coming up, call the Sea Grant Communications Office at (401) 874-6842, or visit our website at: seagrant.gso.uri.edu/news.