Enhancing Stewardship and Sustainability

Coastal municipalities are in excellent positions to provide citizens and visitors with water-based recreation in tandem with science education. They are prime locations to acquaint young and old(er) learners in meaningful ways with coastal watersheds. Research shows positive outdoor experiences can foster place attachment, increase levels of environmental literacy, and enhance stewardship behaviors - all of which are crucial as development expands along the Gulf Coast. 
The City of Orange Beach Wind & Water Learning Center blends water-based recreation with environmental science education for Alabama Gulf Coast residents and visitors. Drawing from local watershed management plans and publicly shared ecology curricula, we have synthesized highly relevant, environmental science education offerings utilizing recreation as a pathway toward waterway stewardship. Kayaking and sailing programs are two examples of sustainable on-the-water recreation that serve as platforms to teach participants about local watershed systems and the unique challenges within them. These prime modes of water-based recreation directly connect participants to the watershed, yet have minimal to no impact on the waterways they take place in. 
Coastal municipalities are likely more equipped than they realize to provide paired recreation-science education programming on the water. Sailing, kayaking, and inquiry-based environmental science education programs don't have to be built from ground zero. Numerous resources and the potential for community partnerships exist, removing the need for municipalities to "reinvent the wheel." The Wind & Water Learning Center can serve as a model for utilizing publicly available resources and developing mutually beneficial partnerships. We are eager to help communities build a framework that best serves their outreach and education needs. Let's provide coastal citizens ways to better connect to, learn about, and protect the waterways vital to our quality of life along the Gulf Coast.

The Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and Mississippi State University Gulf Coast Community Design Studio work closely with the community of Moss Point, MS to facilitate the implementation of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) into the aging stormwater management systems in the city. Moss Point is a representative of low-lying coastal cities in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Like many coastal communities, this area is underserved, has undersized and aging stormwater infrastructure, and is increasingly vulnerable to coastal flooding and pollution. This presentation will outline work being done to identify high priority locations and design and implement Nature-based retrofits at a local elementary school to address both flooding and nonpoint source pollution. Topics include: 1) a process for determining specific areas where NbS will be the most beneficial by working directly with residents and municipal staff, 2) NbS design and implementation support in the identified areas, and 3) training development process for school staff to maintain the implemented NbS retrofits.  

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GNDNERR) is collaborating closely with the underserved community of Moss Point, MS, and a technical team to design and plan for the implementation of community stormwater parks to reduce flooding and nonpoint source pollution. This project explicitly engages an underserved community that experiences disproportionate flooding impacts. In the small city of Moss Point, MS, minorities make up 78.1% of the total population, median household income is $42,173, and 29.93% of residents live in poverty (U.S. Census Bureau, 2016-2020). The Gulf Coast Community Design Studio (GCCDS) has a history of working with communities and local organizations to implement low impact development and green infrastructure projects along the Gulf Coast. The role of the Studio in partnership with Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve and the technical team is to create a stormwater park design that is informed and supported by community members who will be impacted by the construction of a stormwater park or reforestation effort in their neighborhood. Residents in the study area suffer from chronic flood issues that damage their homes. The stormwater park has a clear role to play in alleviating these flooding issues. The purpose of the community engagement process is to reveal the less obvious local needs to ensure that programming and other uses of the park are directed by community input. The end result is a park design that provides an amenity for the Rose Drive neighborhood, both in terms of flood reduction and recreation opportunities. Public outreach will include a review of preliminary 2D modelling results and preliminary design concepts  that would reduce floodwaters in the Bayou Casotte watershed. Final design will be informed by input from the affected community, gathered using a combination of methods including visual preference studies, questionnaires and interactive charrette.   

Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GNDNERR) is collaborating closely with the underserved community of Moss Point, MS, and a technical team to design and plan for the implementation of community stormwater parks to reduce flooding and nonpoint source pollution. This project explicitly engages an underserved community that experiences disproportionate flooding impacts. In the small city of Moss Point, MS, minorities make up 78.1% of the total population, median household income is $42,173, and 29.93% of residents live in poverty (U.S. Census Bureau, 2016-2020). The preliminary project objective includes determining the feasibility and flood reduction impacts of stormwater parks at three different sites. The potential stormwater park sites in Moss Point, MS include Khayat Park, St. Joseph's Church, and the Rose Drive Connection Site. Preliminary HEC-RAS 2D modeling results indicate that the stormwater storage and habitat restoration projects would reduce floodwaters between 1-2 inches in local residential neighborhoods and up to 3-4 inches in the vicinity of the restoration projects during the more frequent storms (1-year, 24-hour rainfall events). Additionally, a maximum flood reduction of up to 5-6 inches was seen in one of the more flood-prone neighborhoods when two of the projects were implemented in tandem. The projects would increase public access to the natural history of Moss Point, as well as enhance and restore ecosystem services that support vulnerable populations in coastal communities, including coastal flood protection, coastal erosion reduction, and improved water quality and management.

The Gulf Coast Phenology Trail: Engaging Community Scientists in Stewardship Activities Through the Power of Observation and Data Collection


Emmett E. Carstens and Jonathan L. Pitchford


Phenology is defined as the study of the timing of recurring plant and animal life cycles and stages in relation to climatic and non-climatic environmental conditions. The Gulf Coast Phenology Trail (GCPT) was established in 2016 as part of the USA-National Phenology Network to engage state and federal partners in the collection of phenological data across the Gulf Coast region. The primary goal was to gather long-term data on native plant and animal species found along the trail to help determine what impacts changing climate may be having on their phenological phases. The GCPT currently consists of fifteen partners across coastal Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. There are plans to expand the GCPT into coastal Alabama through partnerships and establishing programs with The University of South Alabama, and Dauphin Island Sea Lab. Plant species being monitored across the trail include: Red Bay, Red Maple, Yaupon Holly, Longleaf Pine, and Common Persimmon. Animal species monitored include migratory birds like Purple Martin, and important pollinators like Bumblebees. The GCPT relies on the support and dedication of community scientists to make weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly visits to monitor at each of the trail sites. By observing the natural world, community scientists can experience decreased stress, an improved mental state, and a greater attention or awareness for detail. The data collected by observers can be used to detect phenological shifts between co-dependent and co-evolved species and track the regional effects of climate variability. Phenological data may also help resource managers make decisions for some habitat management activities like prescribed burns, and herbicide treatments.

Salt marshes are important for maintaining healthy and resilient coastal ecosystems as they remove nutrients, buffer storm surge, sequester carbon, control erosion, and provide habitat for wildlife. To combat erosion, shorelines have become increasingly 'hardened' over time through the construction of structures like bulkheads and seawalls. Alternatively, 'living shorelines' have been implemented as a nature-based solution that support biodiversity, improve water quality, and are suited to handle long-term environmental conditions that cause hardened structures to fail within a few decades. One of the barriers to implementing living shorelines is the acquisition of sufficient plant materials and a trained workforce needed for marsh restoration work.


Two commonly used species that dominate salt marshes on the Gulf and Eastern coasts, are Spartina alterniflora (smooth cordgrass) and Juncus roemarianus (black needlerush). Marsh plants purchased for use along the Gulf of Mexico are shipped as 'plugs' (small seedlings) and sourced from nurseries in Florida and Louisiana, with no large-scale nurseries that offer these species in coastal Mississippi. With funding support through an NRCS Equity in Conservation Outreach Cooperative Agreement, the Mississippi State University Coastal Research and Extension Center has developed the Native Plant Producer Network (NPPN), a program aimed at increasing the stock of locally sourced wetland plants for use in small-scale restoration projects while simultaneously providing hands-on training, assistance, and networking opportunities to students, producers, and the public. To date, the project team has begun partnerships with three demonstration sites and six local schools across five counties and has repotted >2,500 plants that will be distributed to network members. The team has participated in education outreach events reaching over 600 individuals and is planning workshops aimed at recruiting new producers along the MS Gulf Coast to grow native wetland plants.

Effective community engagement must be built on trust, acknowledgment of culture and tradition, and facilitate meaningful dialogue. Creating and implementing best practices of community engagement will foster new relationships, increase public involvement, and create new experiences. This can be done through holistic strategic planning efforts, open dialogue, and providing access to information.
Historically, marginalized communities have not been involved in conversations about environmental issues. They often face disproportionate environmental burdens and challenges that can have detrimental effects on their quality of life. The Mobile Bay National Estuary Program is committed to ongoing community engagement in marginalized communities in coastal Alabama to reduce pollution, promote sustainable development, and address inequalities contributing to environmental injustices. 
As part of MNEP's outreach and engagement plan, we have focused our efforts on establishing relationships with municipalities, housing authorities, and grassroots organizations in communities that have been categorized as Justice 40 according to the Climate and Economic Justice Screening Tool. Education and public involvement build stewardship and enhances quality of life by connecting people to their watersheds, estuarine and coastal habitats, and all the living things that depend upon them. The MBNEP has sponsored and collaborated on events focused on environmental wellness and community well-being in underserved communities. Back to school events, watershed education, community clean ups, and wellness summits are a few examples of community engagement that has taken place between the staff and our partners. 
This abstract explores the benefits and methods of community engagement in marginalized communities such as the Eight Mile Creek and Western Delta watersheds, local Housing Authorities, municipalities, and various grassroots organizations, highlighting best practices that demonstrate the potential to strengthen community resilience. The presentation will include lessons learned throughout the engagement process.