Projects

Funds are requested to support an environmental study assessing relationships among habitat structure, marsh topography, ecological dynamics and potential conservation initiatives in the Lower Quinnipiac River marshes.

To support the continuing and extension of the successful 2005 Safe Grounds Campaign reducing non-point source pollution from lawn pesticides and synthetic fertilizers.

To support the organization and implementation of QRWA Stream Buffer Initiative to encourage land use practices that minimize adverse impacts on the watershed and increase public access to the river and its tributaries.

To support investigation of the various stresses that may be contributing to the extensive loss of vegetation in the Quinnipiac tidal marshes and begin to gather data on the relative importance of sub-surface compaction, decompositon in causing elevation loss in this ecosystem.

To support the measurement of methyl mercury contamination in the Quinnipiac River and the Oysters in New Haven Harbor. The study will evaluate the extent of methylmercury pollution and  help to identify sources and hotspots.

To support the work of the Freedom Lawn Campaign to educate users of 'traditional'  chemical lawn care about the harmful environmental and health effects of pesticides and fertilizers, and encourage a switch to organic lawn care methods that are safe for the natural environment and people.

To measure contamination along the Quinnipiac River and in oysters of the New Haven Harbor and evaluate the extent of mercury pollution and  identify sources and hotspots.

To support the production of a student lead project of internet based-handheld computer field guides resources for the Quinnipiac River that calculates water quality data, geology, oysters, plants, macro-invertabrates, birds and oystering history.

To continue monitoring vegetation change and mudflat development in the Quinnipiac River brackish marshes, and begin to test hypothesized causes for the observed wetland loss.  To complete a nitrogen and trace metal analyses and begin to assess how marsh loss has affected the load of pollutants to the river.

To educate New Haven's youth about the natural and social systems that affect the Quinnipiac River.  To design and execute a community service action project that addresses an issue for youth to identify and teach what they have learned and accomplished to others; thereby building a constituency of urban advocates for the Quinnipiac River.  This project is called Kids Explore!, Kids Do!, Kids Teach!