Projects

Funds are requested to support the continuation of measuring elevation change and water levels in the Quinnipiac River marshes in efforts to understand the rate and causes  of marsh drowning (conversion to mudflat) that has been observed there.

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 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 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 test various water quality parameters and assess the condition of the Hemingway Creek, a tributary of the Quinnipiac River which borders one of our preserves.

To continue monitoring vegetation change and mudflat development in the Quinnipiac River tidal marshes.  In addition, to conduct field and lab work to begin to test hypothesized causes for the observed wetland loss and to assess how marsh loss has affected the load of pollutants (N,trace metals) to the river.

For development of GIS data layers and analyses in support of conservation and sustainable development activities in the lower Quinnipiac River Watershed.

To support Field Research Program to document wetland loss along the Quinnipiac River Estuary and document baseline conditions and historic trends.