Bethany Lake Shoreline Restoration

This week has been very itchy to say the least. A hefty amount of Poison Ivy and chiggers will do that. All for the greater good, though.

I've been working with Eric Buehl, habitat coordinator for the CIB, in Lake Bethany on a shoreline restoration project. Eric told me the 500 foot stretch of shoreline in the quiet Bethany community was selected because it is a natural rookery for about ten herons! The fetch (or distance over which wind blows on water) is great enough to create waves that damage this natural habitat.

Shoreline in danger at Lake Bethany. Notice the trees leaning toward the water. About a foot and a half off the shore the Coir Logs can be seen.

To prevent erosion, Eric ordered a truckload of coconut fiber logs called Coir Logs to place between the shoreline and incoming waves. Not only do the logs act as a barrier, but they also catch eroding sediment behind them, creating a stronger shoreline. Soon we will be planting native marsh grasses within the logs to stabilize the area even further. The logs naturally decay between 3-5 years and by then we hope to have a strong, solid shoreline at Lake Bethany. Thank you to all the volunteers that helped with the preparation and installation! Here are some photos of the work being done:

 Bob and Eric doing some prep work.

 Installing the 12' x 12" diameter logs.

 

 They already like what we've done to the place!

Decked Out, Sunset Park Environment Day

It sure has been a long time since an entry on here. Late July is one busy time for the CIB I've found. E.J and Jenn have kept me busy on multiple projects.

Perhaps the focal point of my internship, I have been preparing for, assisting with, and thanking everyone for our Decked Out event. It truly was a blast, and the silent auction was exciting and suspenseful. I'm truly grateful that I have been a part of this cool fundraiser to improve the quality of our estuary. To all who came out, thanks again! And for those who didn't, make sure to join the party for next year! Here are some pictures of the festivities:

 Me and Caitlin handling the nametags and handing out fishbeads at the entrance.

 The steel drum band.

Enjoying the sunset with some drinks.

A beautiful dessert arrangement. (Donated by Cultured Pearl)

 Everyone loves chocolate covered strawberries. (Donated by Edible Arrangements)

 Two native beach plums up for auction. (Donated by East Coast Garden Center)

A low number print donated by Ellen Rice and a kayak donated by NRG up for auction.

Other than that event, the month of July has been full of construction. Miscellaneous projects at the James farm such as a new kiosk (check it out!), and fencing. Also we've built 30 new oyster pots to facilitate our expanding Oyster Gardening Program. Spat and adolescent oysters have been delivered to 5 new gardeners already. Check out this monster we found a week ago:

Speaking of adolescents, yesterday was the Sunset Park Environment Day. Children from all over, including the Dewey Beach Junior Lifeguards were there having fun while learning the importance of the environment. Children built Wetland Charms with us, played with a touch tank with Envirotech, operated aquatic ROVs (remote operated vehicles) with Sea Grant, and a whole lot more that I didn't get to experience : / Overall a rewarding day. Here are some pictures:

 Kids operating the ROV

Building wetland charms. Each piece has an important meaning.

Well I think that catches us up for now. Back to work!