2023-11-13 GSG Meeting Minutes

5:30 pm Pasquotank Library 

Minutes submitted by Anna Montero

 

Chair Report - Nita

Welcome and Introductions 

Last meeting of the year!

Fall Events

  • After Action review: Fall litter sweep Halstead Ext, COA early college water testing,COA Fall Fest - spiders on the trail. All successful events, well attended. 

  • Next year, it would be better if the COA Trunk or Treat was located closer to the trail activities. 

  • Kits are available for classes to try water testing (with our help), and student litter sweep sets are available to schools and youth groups to schedule a campus cleanup with our assistance, or to check out for up to one month.

  • Member suggestion: Annual Schedule for litter sweeps and other volunteer opportunities should be added to a GSG website calendar, to allow advance planning and get more organizations and students involved. 

  • Chamber and TDA are planning to roll out  a central, shareable, and customizable non-profit calendar for the whole region in early 2024. 

  • Regional Conferences - First 2 conferences in the region to address environmental issues as a public health concern.

    • 10/27 ARHS State of Health Summit 

    • 11/3 Albemarle Algal Bloom Summit 

      • An NC State researcher at this conference reported that the 2019 waterfront samples we collected from downtown EC were found with toxin levels 5x above safe thresholds. 

        Member reported that USCG rescue swimmers no longer train in the Pasquotank River due to concerns about water quality. 

Sammy Fudge - ECPPS Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum and Instruction

  • Forming partnerships with teachers and schools. Giving kids exposure to green space, incorporating kids in gardens and taking care of environments. 2024 Science standards will have a teacher committee  to review standards and see if they are applicable to classrooms. Once signed off by the state, they will become new standards.

  • Suggesting monthly principal meetings being a way to bring our GSG action grants to the attention of these schools, making it as easy as possible for teachers. (Julie will get on the meeting agenda)

  • Schools have open green spaces which are not taken advantage of. Everyone is so focused on classroom instruction, outdoor education is not a priority. Expert assistance with planning and implementing some outdoor learning projects on school campuses  like food and pollinator gardens, more trees for shade on the playgrounds, restore unused greenhouses, etc would be helpful. 

  • Central Elementary and Master Gardeners working together? Trigg?

Volunteer Opportunities

  • An algal researcher from UNC-IMS is looking for people to host a purple air monitor on their house, preferably more than 10 miles from the river. Studying whether Algae toxins are affecting air quality. Wifi connection and a place to mount is necessary, but researcher will arrange install for you.

  • County has received a grant from the NC Resilience Coastal Communities Program which provides funding to cities to design and implement a county resilience project. Dealing with issues related to sea level rise, flooding, and the impact of water on the community. Priority for grant funding will be in the NewLand area, a low-lying part of the county with a history of flooding during past storms. Setting up a community action team to develop strategy for this. Also a public survey on the County website for the resilience strategy to provide input for this project.Volunteers needed. 

Albemarle Watershed Watch Report - Rodney

  • New water watchers, Steve and Dianne training to take over sampling Curtis and Sheila’s sites on the upper Little River. David Fynn is also getting trained to sample Charles Creek. Water Watchers can also help  with youth water quality monitoring programs.

  • Even in winter, we will  continue monitoring 7 locations monthly and sending samples  to two universities. NC State researchers are conducting testing to identify sources of nitrogen. 90% of  Nitrogen comes in from our swamp land.

  • UNC Morehead says Heavy Nitrogen and Phosphorus causes more algae blooms. 

  • Salinity has been high in rivers for 2 years, levels around 8/9 will inhibit algae blooms. The increased salinity may be the reason we’ve  seen less algal blooms the last few years. 

  • Trees along the waterways dropped their leaves in August this year, way too early. Cause uncertain -- increased salinity? Sea level rise? Ghost forests appear to be developing on the Camden Causeway and other locations. 

  • Rodney is catching black drum, a salt water fish, in the Little River for the first time in 40+ years.  Dolphins are regularly seen in our rivers this year. Increased salinity is the suspected cause. 

Upcoming Events

  • 11/13-12/10 Christine Wiesner Photo Climate Change Challenge 

  • 11/24-1/7 FH Hot Cocoa Crawl

  • Earth Protectors Club COA - Pollinator Garden

  • 2024: Plant a Valentine Tree Giveaway (400 Trees ordered) Looking for volunteers/planning (food bank for cooling, First Friday distribution ??)

  • 2024: Pasquotank County has formed a  Litter Committee with asst city manager John Shannon chairing, Solid Waste, Law enforcement and Planning represented. Brad Gardner suggested a county/GSG  2024 litter sweep collaboration, maybe pre USCG Marathon. 

Next Meeting/Other Business

  • Sharon interested in the Passenger train back on a limited basis.

  • Concern about the City abandoning the recycling program, thinking aluminum carried to junkyard and getting paid. Glass recycling business sold to David Cross. Somehow facilitating a recycling program? Invite the city and the county solid waste people to the January meeting?

  • Next meeting - Second week of January Monday/Wednesday?? Will take a member poll. 

  • Happy Thanksgiving to ALL!