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News Archives 2001 February | June | August | October
• Dr. Davis re-elected S.C. Sea Grant Consortiun board
chair
• Minority students to receive internship aid
• Grassroots program to restore oyster habitat
• Knight selected for Leadership South Carolina
• Sea Grant hires new accountant
Davis re-elected S.C. Sea Grant Consortium board chair
Dr. Leroy Davis, president of South Carolina State University, has been re-elected chair of the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium's Board of Directors. Davis begins his second one-year term immediately.
Davis has spent much of his professional life at South Carolina State University, where he began his academic career as a biology professor. In 1990, he became Vice Provost for Academic Administration and was later promoted to Vice President for Student Services. Davis was appointed the eighth president of South Carolina State University in 1996. He has also published articles in general and technical journals.
"I am extremely pleased that Dr. Davis has been re-elected chair of the
Consortium Board of Directors," said Rick DeVoe, executive director of
S.C. Sea Grant Consortium. "The Consortium and its programs will continue
to benefit from his guidance and stature as one of the state's preeminent university
leaders."
Minority students to receive internship aid
The National Sea Grant College Program has awarded $135,000 to the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium to support a South Carolina State University proposal that will foster student careers, research, and workforce competitiveness in marine and related sciences.
Through innovative partnerships, S.C. State will provide opportunities for South Carolina's minority students to be better prepared for careers in marine sciences, with a focus on aquaculture. Up to six students each year will receive internships during the three-year project, scheduled to run through 2003.
Project partners include Lockheed Martin Energy Systems, Maritime Transportation Research Center, South Carolina Technology Alliance, College of Charleston, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium.
Donald Anadu, associate professor in the Department of Biology, leads the project,
and S. Sureshawaran, assistant professor in the Department of Agribusiness and
Economics, serves as co-investigator.
Grassroots program to restore oyster habitat
For generations, Americans have moved vast amounts of oyster shells from the water to the land, but now Sea Grant researchers plan to work with local volunteers to return shells back to the sea.
If more shell was planted in coastal waters, it could provide a foundation for the young oysters. To survive, oyster larvae must attach to hard surfaces such as shells or dock pilings. Replanting oyster shell along the shoreline helps to increase oyster habitat and encourages future generations of oysters.
"People have mined oyster reefs for shells and meat, but they didn't recycle the shell back to the water," said Loren Coen, marine scientist at the S.C. Department of Natural Resources (DNR). As a result, the oyster resources along the East and Gulf coasts have declined dramatically over the past century.
Coen and his DNR colleague Nancy Hadley are coordinating a project funded by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium, NOAA, EPA, and the Hilton Head Foundation to help volunteers restore and enhance South Carolina oyster habitats, establish and promote oyster shell recycling, and use pilot reefs as living classrooms.
The researchers will work with volunteers from the S.C. Coastal Conservation League, University of South Carolina-Beaufort, local schools, and the S.C. Aquarium to establish oyster habitats.
Volunteers will build reefs by planting oyster shell and covering it with stabilizing mesh. Over time, these reefs will collect new oysters through natural larval settlement. Eventually, these areas should develop into natural oyster habitat. The researchers plan on organizing the construction of a minimum of two to three reefs in each coastal county.
Oyster reefs provide habitat for estuarine species to nest, breed, spawn, feed,
and find refuge from predators, said Coen. Oyster reefs can also protect salt
marshes by reducing bank erosion and improving water quality and clarity.
The researchers will develop a volunteer-based monitoring program to evaluate
success of these restoration projects. DNR scientists and fisheries managers
are also establishing an oyster-recycling program in South Carolina for future
restoration and resource enhancement projects.
In wintertime, many people in South Carolina hold oyster roasts and eat shellfish harvested from South Carolina or, more frequently, from the Gulf of Mexico. The problem is that "all or most of that shell gets thrown away, and in the past we had no organized state shell recycling program," said Coen.
The pilot reefs will be used as living classrooms to develop public awareness
of various ecosystem values of oyster habitats. Schoolchildren will be involved
in the project through collaboration with the Charleston Math and Science Hub,
which will develop classroom and field activities related to oyster habitats.
Knight selected for Leadership South Carolina
Elaine Knight, assistant director of the Consortium, has been selected to participate
in the 22nd class year of Leadership South Carolina, which is sponsored by the
Institute of Public Affairs at the University of South Carolina. The class helps
participants invest their energy and talents for the improvement of the state
of South Carolina.
Sea Grant hires new accountant
Romeka Washington has joined the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium as a fiscal analyst. Washington will handle a variety of the agency's accounting needs, including grants accounting and assisting in budget preparation.
Washington was formerly the finance clerk for the Town of Kiawah Island. She has a B.S. in business administration, with a major in accounting and management science from the University of South Carolina. Washington is currently completing coursework for her M.B.A. from the Citadel, which she expects to receive in August 2001.
• Welcome aboard!
• Coastal Heritage wins "Notable State Document"
award
• Sawyer speaks at Pew Oceans Commission
• Tidelands birding festival a success
• 3rd grader draws Consortium
• Sea Grant Association conference
• Beach Sweep/River Sweep 2000 update
Welcome aboard!
Romeka Washington joins the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium as an accountant and fiscal analyst. Romeka is responsible for a variety of accounting procedures, including grants accounting and budget preparation.
Formerly the finance clerk for the Town of Kiawah Island, Romeka has a B.S. in business administration from the University of South Carolina. Currently, she is on-track to receive a M.B.A. from the Citadel, and will graduate in May 2002. In her spare time, Romeka enjoys family activities, reading, and watching movies.
Susan Ferris is the public information specialist for the Consortium. While the annual Beach Sweep/River Sweep project is one of her top priorities, Susan is also responsible for the dissemination of information to the public about all areas in which S.C. Sea Grant is involved.
Susan comes to us from Madison, Wisconsin, where she was the public relations director for an advertising agency. She holds a B.A. in journalism from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and her hobbies include learning about nature, paddling, bike riding, and scuba diving.
Traci Thompson-Bryant is a fiscal technician at S.C. Sea Grant and will help support our accounting department. Traci previously worked at the Medical University of South Carolina, also as a fiscal technician.
Traci is currently working toward an accounting degree at Trident Technical
College and will graduate in May 2002. She then plans to attend the College
of Charleston to earn a B.A. in accounting. Aside from work, Traci volunteers
for the Phillip Simmons Foundation—a non-profit organization created in
honor of her grandfather, a famous Charleston blacksmith. Spending time with
her family, coloring, and reading are some of Traci’s favorite things to
do.
Coastal Heritage wins "Notable State Document"
award
The Communications team was invited to attend the “Notable State Documents for 2000” awards ceremony held on March 20, 2001 at the S.C. State Library in Columbia. A winning publication, Coastal Heritage was one of over 2,300 documents received and catalogued by the State Documents Depository System in the year 2000.
According to the S.C. State Library, the purpose of the annual awards is to
“recognize state governmental publications of outstanding merit and usefulness
to the citizens of South Carolina.” The award ceremony was scheduled near
Freedom of Information Day (March 16) to highlight the importance of government
information as well as the free and equitable access to public documents. For
more information about the program, visit the S.C. State Library Web site at
www.state.sc.us/scsl
Sawyer speaks at Pew Oceans Commission
Cal Sawyer, S.C. Sea Grant Extension coastal environmental quality specialist,
spoke before the Pew Oceans Commission during its March 27-29, 2001 fact finding
trip to Charleston. The Commission, an independent group of leaders led by former
White House Chief of Staff Leon Panetta, is conducting a national dialogue on
policies needed to restore and protect living marine resources in U.S. waters.
Sawyer briefed the commission on the critical importance of local land-use decisions
and the cumulative effects they have on coastal water quality and biodiversity.
The NEMO (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) program is developing
a more sophisticated way for local land-use decisionmakers to visualize development
alternatives for the future, Sawyer told the commissioners. After reviewing
the best scientific information available, the commission will make formal recommendations
to Congress and the nation.
Tidelands birding festival a success
More than 250 birders and other wildlife enthusiasts participated in the first
Tideland Bird Festival, a three-day event held in February 2001 along 13 sites
on the South Carolina coast. Miles Phillips, tourism specialist for the S.C.
Sea Grant Extension Program and coordinator for the event, hopes to repeat the
festival’s success next year, Feb. 21-24, 2002, at Huntington Beach State
Park.
3rd grader draws Consortium
Christian Brown of Pontiac Elementary won an Honorable Mention award from the S.C. Department of Revenue for his depiction of the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium. The TaxsmART: Picture Your Taxes™ program, coordinated by the S.C. DOR, helps children understand how tax dollars are spent. Children research a state agency over the Internet and then draw what they think that agency represents.
Ten elementary schools throughout the state participated in the program, and
nearly 300 “little Monets” were submitted. The award-winning artwork
was displayed at several D.O.R. service centers during the tax season. Susan
Ferris, public information specialist, attended the award ceremony in Columbia
to congratulate Christian on behalf of the Consortium.
Sea Grant Association conference
The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium hosted Sea Grant Week 2001, March 24-28 on Hilton Head Island, S.C. The theme for the conference was “A Vision for Success: Building Capabilities.”
A major point of discussion was how each Sea Grant program can be better represented
on Capitol Hill, from getting our message out (and into the right hands) to
cultivating Sea Grant-Congressional relationships.
Another important topic was the role of NOAA and the National Sea Grant College
Program in the 21st century.
S.G.A. leaders reintroduced the concept of “Theme Teams” as necessary
to remain in tandem with the mission and goals of NOAA. The “Theme Team”
approach maximizes the talents of the Sea Grant network in order to focus on
our unique strengths, and, ultimately optimize the way we do business. The current
and future role of “Theme Teams” were discussed as well as how to
measure successful efforts.
Beach Sweep/River Sweep 2000 updates
The official CMC data results are in—Beach Sweep/River Sweep 2000 was a spectacular success! 8,108 committed volunteers cleaned 116,353 pounds of aquatic debris from over 141 miles of South Carolina beaches, rivers, swamps, and lakes. As usual, cigarette butts were the #1 item collected, comprising nearly 33% of the litter that was found. (Many people don’t realize that it takes several years for cigarette butts to decompose… for more information about cigarette litter, see cigarettelitter.org.) Foam plastic pieces and food bags/plastic wrappers were the #2 and #3 items found, respectively. Some unusual items collected were a golf cart windshield, someone’s lucky rabbit foot, a battery-powered Jeep, and a telephone booth.
• NOAA grant awarded for HAB
• Coastal Heritage wins Publication Excellence Awards
• Live from 113 Calhoun
• Free Publication available on purchasing coastal real
estate
NOAA grant awarded for HAB research, education, and
outreach
The South Carolina Task Group on Harmful Algae is gearing up for another season of studying Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs). Aided by a new grant from the National Ocean Service (NOS), a division of NOAA, the project is titled, “A proposed harmful algal bloom initiative for South Carolina.” Nearly $500,000 of funding will allow the task group to further assess the potential environmental impacts of red tides, Pfiesteria, and toxic algae.
The task group has the following five objectives toward HAB assessment:
While HABs are a naturally occurring phenomena, surges in development and excess
nutrients could cause conditions that are favorable to new, potentially harmful,
algal blooms. “The research philosophy of this project is to focus on the
ecology of South Carolina HABs, not just where they are but why they’re
occurring,” says Alan Lewitus, Associate Marine Scientist with SC Department
of Natural Resources. “Over time, we hope to understand whether human activities
are contributing to the problem, particularly with regard to nutrient loading.”
Coastal Heritage wins Publication Excellence Awards
APEX 2001 recently bestowed a prestigious Grand Award to the SC Sea Grant Communications Team for the summer 2000 issue of Coastal Heritage. Of the 724 magazine and journal entries submitted, Coastal Heritage was one of 6 entries chosen to receive the Grand Award.
The publication, which contained the Consortium’s five-year report, garnered an Award of Excellence for printed annual reports as well. 347 annual reports were submitted and nineteen chosen to receive the Award of Excellence.
The APEX awards, based on excellence in graphic design, editorial content,
and communications effectiveness, are sponsored by Communications Concepts of
Springfield, VA.
Live from 113 Calhoun
Charleston-area residents can now access live weather conditions at 113 Calhoun
Street through WeatherBug.com. PC-users download WeatherBug and get up-to-the-minute
information such as high/low temperature, wind currents, forecasts, animated
radar images, and immediate storm warnings and alerts. WeatherBug is an online
weather network created by AWS Convergence Technologies Inc. in Gaithersburg,
MD.
Free Publication Available on Purchasing Coastal Real
Estate
The S.C. Sea Grant Extension Program, in collaboration with S.C. DHEC’s Ocean and Coastal Resource Management office, has published a new booklet, Q&A on Purchasing Coastal Real Estate in South Carolina.
The booklet addresses natural hazards, such as erosion and flooding, and other factors that can affect coastal property. Building construction features to help prevent damage are included, as well as the different types of flood, wind, and hurricane insurance available to property owners. Tips include house relocation options to avoid erosion, specific limitations of flood insurance, and zoning laws that will affect renovation decisions. The booklet also contains a list of resources for further information.
Copies of the booklet can be obtained free-of-charge through the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium at http://www.scseagrant.org/library/library_pubs.htm.
The S.C. Sea Grant Consortium is dedicated to maximizing the economic, social, and environmental potential of the South Carolina’s coastal and marine resources through research, education, and outreach.
• NEMO pays off with new ordinance adoption
• Researchers rip apart houses for science
• Hunley sub studied
• New video series helps homeowners hold on to their
roof
• 2001 Beach Sweep/River Sweep Update
NEMO pays off with new ordinance adoption
The S.C. Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO) program helps local elected and appointed officials learn about various land-use strategies that can help protect water quality.
In response to NEMO program workshops and presentations, the City of Conway has adopted a new zoning ordinance requiring certain wetland plants to be planted in and around on-site retention ponds in new developments. These plants contribute to water-quality improvements, filtering pollutants and nutrients from runoff.
Recently, the city issued a zoning certificate and certificate of occupancy to the first project to comply with the new ordinance—South Carolina Employment Security Commission office at 200 Victory Lane.
“One effective way to work with the local land-use decisionmakers and help them do their jobs is through education,” says Cal Sawyer, S.C. Sea Grant Extension Program environmental quality specialist and NEMO coordinator in South Carolina.
“NEMO offers real-world examples of how other municipalities are protecting
natural resources, and offers information about the economic benefits these
practices have on local communities.”
Researchers rip apart houses for science
Building on what they’ve learned from three years of Sea Grant laboratory research, Clemson University engineers ripped apart 15 flood-damaged houses this summer, using devices from high-tech crowbars to a 35-ton crane to test hurricane-resistant retrofits. The test houses ranged from brick ranch to wooden two-story, all damaged by high water in Hurricane Floyd and slated for destruction in Horry County.
“This takes the lab into absolute real-world conditions where we can scientifically monitor exactly what happens and evaluate how well the retrofits work,” said Tim Reinhold, Clemson civil engineering professor. Reinhold and his team of five students made side-by-side comparisons of retrofitted and non-retrofitted roofs and walls to determine what works best and can be installed most easily by contractors in the field.
The project is a partnership among Clemson, Horry County, the South Carolina Department of Insurance, the Institute for Business & Home Safety (IBHS), the Horry-Georgetown Homebuilders Association, and local building officials from Horry County, Conway, and Myrtle Beach.
The study is an outgrowth of a three-year project funded by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium to evaluate retrofit options that could provide significant improvements in resistance of buildings to severe winds.
Retrofits under study included the effectiveness of adding screws or ring-shank nails as a supplement to the existing nailing pattern on news roofs; using adhesives applied from the attic space on existing roofs; and bracing gable roof ends to prevent their failure. Results of the tests will be compiled by Thanksgiving.
The test homes are among the 29 homes bought as part of FEMA’s repetitive flood buyout program in Horry County. The land must be returned to an undeveloped state in the fall of 2001 to meet the requirements of the FEMA buyout program.
The Conway experiments will also provide valuable data for an 18-month research project funded by the National Sea Grant Technology Initiative that began in October 2001. Reinhold is collaborating with Elizabeth Judge, S.C. Sea Grant Extension coastal hazard specialist, on a study of hazard-retrofit materials and techniques on occupied homes.
This fall, Sea Grant researchers will begin soliciting coastal homeowners to participate in the study. Then inspectors trained by Applied Research Associates (ARA) of Raleigh, N.C., will provide free, detailed wind-risk assessments of about 10 homes selected. Sea Grant researchers and ARA staff will recommend, cost-effective hazard retrofitting for each house.
After researchers and homeowners discuss which retrofit techniques would cause the least disruption and which designs are most appealing, local homebuilders will implement the retrofits. Product manufacturers and industrial partners will share costs of materials.
“We’re learning from the Conway research on empty houses about which retrofit materials and techniques are most effective and easiest to install,” said Judge. “We’ll apply what we’ve learned to occupied houses in the Sea Grant project.”
During the retrofitting process, Judge will coordinate a series of workshops with homeowners. Homeowners will be asked which factors—cost, recent storm history, insurance rates—most influence their willingness to retrofit their homes.
This information could give builders, building officials, home inspectors,
and homeowners new ideas for strengthening homes. The project will also offer
researchers more exposure to practical constraints of the marketplace and the
construction environment, said Judge.
Hunley sub studied
Sea Grant scientists and archeologists are studying how environmental forces have interacted with the recently excavated Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley over the past 136 years.
Scientists will learn how the Hunley has affected the surrounding environment, and archaeologists will gain insight on how microorganisms have affected the submarine. Collaborating on the project are Pamela Morris, assistant professor with the Medical University of South Carolina and David Conlin, archeologist with the National Park Service’s Submerged Resources Center.
Microorganisms of the type studied by Morris and Conlin thrive on iron and are a major cause of corrosion for shipwrecks. Some of these microorganisms are also extremely sensitive indicators of past environmental conditions such as temperature and water pH.
As soon as the submarine was uncovered and exposed to new environmental conditions, this information was lost. But by looking at the microbes that lived in and outside of the submarine, Morris and Conlin hope to recapture this information and understand the conditions that surrounded Hunley following its sinking in 1864.
Before the Hunley was lifted off the sea floor, Conlin and other members of the Hunley archeology team took core samples from the sediment in and around the submarine, as well as samples of the concretion layer covering the hull. Morris and her team of research assistants are now analyzing the samples in her lab at Fort Johnson.
“Unfortunately, there is no ‘black box’ to tell us what happened to the Hunley,” said Paul Mardikian, senior conservator at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center where the submarine is beginning what will be a lengthy conservation process. “The work that Morris and Conlin are doing on the sediment will shed light on the micro-environment of this incredible time capsule.”
Samples preserved in Morris’ lab are being put through a number of tests. Microbiological studies include examining the number and type of bacteria present in the interior and exterior sediments and hull concretions. Exterior sediment will be tested for the amount of sand, silt, and clay particles, as well as for the number and type of macrofauna present.
“We’re using molecular approaches, analysis of the microbial DNA,
a technique that has never been used to examine underwater archeological sites,”
said Morris, who is also studying the biodegradation of crude oil leaking from
USS Arizona. “We hope that this research will help answer archeological
problems, specifically the environmental conditions in and around the sub.”
New video series help homeowners hold on to their roofs
A new video series shows homeowners how they can increase their roof’s strength against high winds. The “Holding On to Your Roof” video series, funded in part by the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium and developed at Clemson University Department of Civil Engineering’s Wind Load Test Facility, illustrates various strategies to protect residential roofs in high-wind areas.
Clemson graduate student Ed Sutt takes the viewer step-by-step through the retrofit process on a demonstration roof. Each video begins with a structural test that explains the forces acting on the roof and why each of the recommendations improves the roof’s strength. Sutt also demonstrates techniques, gives helpful hints, and provides detailed cost estimates for each job.
“We’ve been working with the folks at Clemson for quite some time to develop cheap ways for folks to strengthen their homes,” said Robert Bacon, S.C. Sea Grant Extension Program Leader.
Homeowners who have no plans to do the retrofit themselves can watch these videos and learn basic principles of roof retrofit—allowing them to better communicate with a roofing contractor. Each video costs $8.50 and comes with an accompanying brochure detailing the specifications and procedures outlined on film.
To order, specify Tape 7743 “Holding on to Your Roof Part 1: Retrofitting
Roof Sheathing Using Adhesives”; or Tape 7744 “Holding on to Your
Roof Part 2: Retrofitting Your Asphalt Shingle Roof Covering and Sheathing Connections.”
Make your check payable to Clemson University and mail to Clemson University
Bulletin Room, Room 96, Poole Agricultural Center, Clemson University, Clemson,
SC 29634-0129. The videos can also be ordered online at http://cufan.clemson.edu/olos/.
2001 Beach Sweep/River Sweep Update
The Beach Sweep/River Sweep was held, as scheduled, on September 15. Thousands of volunteers statewide battled strong winds, chilly temperatures, and feelings of disbelief and anger about the recent terrorist attacks… yet still managed to gather together, showing a steadfast commitment to our environment and strength in unity. Our grief is with the victims and their families and friends.
Thank you, volunteers, for all of your hard work. Check back to this site in mid-October for preliminary results of the 2001 Beach Sweep/River Sweep.
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