Projects

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 a short course in river processes to local environmental activists and municipal officials that will cover the basic hydrologic, geomorphic, chemical and biological processes that govern stream ecosystems and how they are perturbed by human activities.

To support a before and after pilot study of a residential neighborhood within the Quinnipiac River Watershed after it has participated in an education program that encourages the use of organic lawn care agents versus chemical lawn care agents.

To support the annual monitoring, education, advocacy, public access and restoration activities as well as expanding grassroots organizing to continue with clean up activities in the Quinnipiac Rive Watershed Action Plan.

To fund the protection of the Heminway Creek, a tributary of the Quinnipiac River through the purchase of wetlands.

To support an education and awareness program for youth and the broader community.

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 offer a short course in river processes to local environmental activist and municipal officials.  The course will cover the basic hydrologic, geomorphic, chemical and biological processes that govern stream ecosystems and how they are perturbed by human activities. Participants will receive the scientific tools that they need in order to understand and critically evaluate environmental data on the Quinnipiac River.

To work directly with municipalities in the Quinnipiac river watershed not only to educate municipal officials, but also to follow up and help them improve municipal regulations that affect water quality in the Quinnipiac and watershed.  Primary target for this project are municipal CEO's, Planning and Zoning Commissions, Inland Wetland Commissions, and Town Councils.