Geology of Coastal Ecosystems Workshop - Productive Meeting of Representatives from USGS, NPS, and GSA

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Geology of Coastal Ecosystems Workshop—Productive Meeting of Representatives from USGS, NPS, and GSA

By Peter Barnes
October 1999

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Field trip leaders (foreground, left to right) Jack Kumer (NPS), Jim Allen (USGS), and Jon Boothroyd (Univ. of Rhode Island) hold forth on ecology and physical impacts of decaying coastal hydrocarbon (old road) on Assateague Island.

The Coastal and Marine Geology Program along with the National Park Service (NPS) Geologic Resources Division and the Geological Society of America (GSA) held a productive workshop Sept. 8-10 at Ocean City, MD, and Assateague Island National Seashore. The goal of the workshop was to develop better links and cooperation between geologists and NPS staff on coastal and marine geologic issues. From the perspective of the USGS organizers (Peter Barnes and Jennifer Rahn, Reston), the workshop was a resounding success.

We had representation from all three CMGP Centers (although response to Hurricane Dennis depleted the ranks), along with good representation from other programs (National Geologic Mapping), other USGS Divisions, other Federal agencies, and academia. Mark Schaefer (DOI Deputy Assistant Secretary for Water and Science), Tom Casadevall (USGS Deputy Director) and Jeff Williams (CMGP) gave keynote talks. John Brock (St. Pete) and Jeff Williams helped lead the field discussions, Bruce Jaffe (Menlo Park) chaired the poster session, and Bob Halley (St. Pete) gave a well-targeted and well-received after-dinner presentation on "Navassa Guano—The Straight Poop on the Interface between Geology and Biology." The Reston staff—Laura Friedrich, Mirna Minott, and Pat Starkey—did yeoman service in preparing for the meeting. Valuable contacts were made and many discussions were held on ways we can more effectively identify and collaborate on solving problems while furthering solid marine science. The outcome, in addition to these contacts and discussions and the understanding they generated, will be a report on national and regional recommendations for research and information needs. Already there are requests for contacts with USGS staff, thoughts on developing coordinating/advisory groups, and consideration of temporary duty assignments with NPS—all this in addition to ongoing CMG and USGS research in many parks.

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October 1999

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in this issue: cover story:
Busy Hurricane Season

Flower Garden Banks Nat'l Marine Sanctuary

Shark Festival

Earthquake Research on TV

Geology of Coastal Ecosystems

Coastal Zone '99

Best Paper

Massachusetts Bay GIS

Tea & Crumpets Seminars

Journalism Center Partnership

NAS/NRC Review

Woods Hole Arrivals & Departures

Woods Hole Visitors

October Publications List