North Carolina Sea Grant<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cWe are excited to continue to bring together new sets of researchers and community partners,\u201d says Susan White, Sea Grant\u2019s executive director.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Project teams include at least one science expert, as well as one local-knowledge expert. This partnership encourages creative problem solving for environmental issues and other challenges that N.C. communities face. The multidisciplinary program increases the likelihood that resource managers and industry leaders will accept recommendations, White explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Raj Narayan, KIETS associate director, notes that the projects address priorities of both programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cProjects selected for CCRG support in 2018 continue to connect and bring together experts from higher education institutions, local community stakeholders, businesses, nonprofits and government organizations to work collaboratively for the benefit of North Carolina \u2014 and to reflect the innovative and impactful partnerships and collaborations enabled and leveraged through the CCRG program,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
FOCUSING ON FLOOD RISK<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nJoanne N. Halls of the University of North Carolina Wilmington; with Wesley MacLeod of Cape Fear Council of Governments; and Pat O\u2019Mahony of Pender County<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n\u201cResidents of Pender County are no strangers to the impacts of flooding, especially in and around our most susceptible areas,\u201d says Pat O\u2019Mahony, senior planner with Pender County Planning and Community Development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis study serves as an opportunity to understand how environmental changes may impact current and future residents in a rapidly growing area that is vulnerable to flooding and poor drainage, while providing a framework for future planning efforts.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Pender County is one of many coastal communities that traditionally has relied on wetlands to mitigate some flooding effects. The \u201cAssessment of Flood Risk and Simulations of Wetland Change in Pender County, N.C.\u201d project will look at how flooding affects freshwater and saltwater wetlands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Joanne Halls, of the UNCW Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, says she and graduate student Jessica Magolan are excited to work with the Cape Fear Council of Governments and Pender County. \u201cThrough this collaborative effort we will use a variety of existing geospatial data, expert knowledge and simulations to identify flood risk,\u201d says Halls, who also directs the UNCW Spatial Analysis Lab.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ASSESSING CONTAMINANTS<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nWhile some researchers are studying the effects of GenX on humans, Belcher\u2019s team will look at effects on alligators, catfish and striped bass. Photo by Ken Blevins\/StarNews<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nScott M. Belcher and Theresa Guillette of NC State University; with Madi Polera and Kemp Burdette, both of Cape Fear River Watch<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe research team working on \u201cAssessment of Novel and Legacy Poly- and Perfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFASs) in Alligator and Fish of the Cape Fear River\u201d hopes to gain insight into these chemicals and their effects on the river\u2019s wildlife and ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Levels of PFASs in American alligators, catfish and striped bass will be compared with findings from separate ongoing studies investigating the potential human health effects of a PFAS known as GenX on New Hanover County residents. In collaboration with Cape Fear River Watch, the research team will share their results with the public and with regulators to inform discussions and decisions about risks of exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In light of public concern that consuming fish from the Cape Fear River may increase the PFASs exposure and negative health effects, the team anticipates their findings may provide information to guide recommendations for fish consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have brought together a unique team of researchers and community partners to tackle the difficult issue of how emerging contaminates of concern may be influencing life surrounding the Cape Fear River,\u201d says Scott Belcher, an NC State toxicologist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cUnderstanding the levels of PFASs present in a variety of species will be the first step in addressing whether this class of pollutants is causing harm and then communicating the nature of any threat these exposures may pose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
TOURING THE NIGHTSCAPE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nColor topography shows the North Carolina Land of Water in northeastern North Carolina\u2019s coastal system \u2014 east of the red dashed line. The Outer Albemarle Peninsula study outlined in a black hexagon includes major portions of Washington, all of Tyrrell, and mainland Hyde and Dare counties. Map by Stanley Riggs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\nStanley Riggs and Karen Clough of North Carolina Land of Water; with Brian Baker and Emily Jarvis of A Time for Science<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe Outer Albemarle Peninsula has unique nightscape resources. These striking nocturnal environments could be among the darkest skies within contiguous public lands along the Atlantic coast between Boston and Miami, according to the team taking on \u201cNightscape Resources of a Sustainable Ecotourism Trail System on the Outer Albemarle Peninsula: Tyrrell, Washington and Mainland Hyde-Dare Counties, N.C.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The team will evaluate the natural resources of the nocturnal environment and night sky. They also will evaluate existing light pollution and determine ways to minimize its impact. Project results will be key data for developing potential nightscape ecotourism programs in coordination with sustainable programs in the region.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Educational workshops also will be developed for K-12 teachers and students, along with the public. This project has additional funding support from North Carolina Space Grant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This article was published in the Summer 2018 issue<\/a> of <\/em>Coastwatch.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Three new partnerships are growing, thanks to funding from the North Carolina Community Collaborative Research Grant Program, or CCRG. Topics include flood risks and emerging contaminants, as well as new tourism opportunities that capitalize on dark skies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":56,"featured_media":10314,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"views\/single-immersive.blade.php","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ncst_custom_author":"Marisa Incremona","ncst_show_custom_author":true,"ncst_dynamicHeaderBlockName":"ncst\/default-immersive-post-header","ncst_dynamicHeaderData":"{\"backgroundColor\":\"custombg_one\",\"caption\":\"Researchers will assess the environmental consequences of flooding on Pender County, which is still struggling to rebound from Hurricane Matthew. Photo courtesy Kyle Breuer\",\"displayCategoryID\":710,\"showAuthor\":true,\"showDate\":true,\"showFeaturedVideo\":false}","ncst_content_audit_freq":"","ncst_content_audit_date":"","ncst_content_audit_display":false,"ncst_backToTopFlag":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[660,591,710],"tags":[],"_ncst_magazine_issue":[1423],"class_list":["post-10312","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-660","category-climate-change","category-summer-2018"],"displayCategory":{"term_id":710,"name":"Summer 2018","slug":"summer-2018","term_group":0,"term_taxonomy_id":711,"taxonomy":"category","description":"","parent":660,"count":10,"filter":"raw"},"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Advancing Community Collaborations - Coastwatch<\/title>\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n \n \n \n\t \n\t \n\t \n