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NYSMEA Enrichment Activities

Throughout the year NYSMEA will sponsor various activities for which
certificates will be awarded.  These may be used for appropriate
credit depending upon the school district.  These will be educational,
enjoyable and environmentally related!
 *click on pictures to enlarge  

"Liquid Assets: A History of New York's Water System"
Diane Galusha, author, Education and Communications Director
of the Catskill Watershed Corporation
American Museum of Natural History
Friday, January 23, 2009  (2 hours)

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Diane Galusha treated us to an illustrated glympse of the history surrounding the development of 
New York City and its linkage to upstate New York water resources from colonial times to the present day.  

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The AMNH is such a great venue for our meetings.  
You never know what you are going to see.  
While walking to our meeting in December we encountered an 
interaction between two species - actually a advertising photoshoot.

Annual Membership Social and Lecture

"Diving, Exploration and Research in Long Island Sound"

Adam Grohman, Underwater Historical Research Society

Alley Pond Environmental Center,

Saturday December 6, 2008  (2 hours)
A good group of people met at Alley Pond for an executive board meeting, followed by a delicious dinner.  In addition to the many desserts we were treated to a reading by long time member Maxwell Wheat, poet laureate of Nassau County.  The Presentation for the evening by author and adventurer, Adam Grohman centered on several of the Long Island wrecks that he has researched and dived upon.

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Visit to Long Island Maritime Museum - October 11, 2008 (3 hours)

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The day began with our Board meeting in the
 Maritime Library.

The main building houses historic photos, models 
and half models of many vessels as well as an
 exhibit of lifesaving memorabilia, the library, 
gift shop and a new classroom.

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We visited the boat building shops to see the
 current projects. Note the masts and booms 
stored in the ceiling. 		 The oyster shed housed exhibits of various nets 
and dredges as well as historic photos and an
 authentic oyster shucking station.

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The most unique building is the boat house with the largest exhibit
of actual historic vessels that once sailed the Great South Bay.

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Tony, our guide, even spent time teaching Anita how to play the concertina.  The group walked 
over to the West Saville maritime center to see the town dock, the active marina, with railway 
and lifts which services local commercial vessels, and the historic Bluepoints Oyster building
now housing the Dowling College CEECOM center.  We also examined the museum's schooner, 
Pricilla, which is listed as a National Historic vessel. 

Visit to AREAC Laboratory at Brooklyn College March 29, 2008 (3 hours)

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Dr. Martin Schreibman, Professor Emeritus and the founding Director of Brooklyn College's Aquatic Research 
and Environmental Assessment Center (AREAC) began the day with a slide show detailing the history and 
activities of the center.  He also treated us to a review of the economic, sociologic and scientific pro's and 
con's of aquaculture.  The center currently carries out research in the reproduction and growth of several 
species including Tilapia, Clown fish, clams, oysters and lobsters among other species.  After a question and 
answer period we toured the facilities.  

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Dr. Schreibman shows the group one of several tanks 
in which Tilapia are raised to harvest size.  

Several of the set-ups used to raise Horseshoe crabs
 (for up to 7 years and counting,) clams, and flounders. 

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Dr. Schreibman showed the group a new type of 
culturing aeroculture, where plants are raised with 
their roots kept in a very humid environment 
(the buckets,) periodically sprayed with a water 
enriched by fish wastes.  On a large scale this type 
of culturing has the possibility of producing commercially 
valuable plants which are removing wastes from 
aquaculture or other systems. 		 A peak inside the buckets at the 
root and sprayer mechanism.

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Control plants grown under traditional 
soil planting technique.		 The group gave high marks to the taste of 
the vegetables and spices grown using the 
experimental technique. 

Visit to Stevens Institute of Technology  February 23rd, 2008 (3 hours)
Stevens Institute Press Release 

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Deputy Director Tom Wakeman gives the first of 
several presentations on the history and 
activities of the Center for Marine Sciences		 Our group gathers to observe instrument array 
anchored in Hudson River and the magnificent 
view of New York on the opposite shore.

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Looking at the 400 foot hull testing tank which is used for 
everything from submarines to America's Cup contenders

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January 13, 2008 Visit to the American Museum of Natural History (3 hours) 
Once again Lisa Breslof hosted a large group of members for a tour of the museum 
including the new H2O Exhibit, an IMAX show on Dinosaurs and 
the Planetarium's Cosmic Collisions show
Holiday Party and Lecture at the Long Island Science Museum, Dec. 8, 2007 (2 hours)

Dr. Nicholas Coch of Queens College gave a great, but scary presentation on 
the possibility of a major hurricane in the New York area.
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Coral Workshop at Atlantis Marine World Nov 17th, 2007 (3 hours)

Joe Yaiullo, cofounder and curator of AMW, one of the foremost 
professional coral aquaculturists gave a fascinating PowerPoint presentation followed 
by a demonstration of live coral propagation.  Afterwards we toured the coral 
propagation lab and behind-the-scenes of the Atlantis tanks.
   

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Joe began with a great PowerPoint on 
coral reproduction and the history 
of Atlantis Marine World.

This was a great shot from the 
presentation showing one coral 
attacking another.
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Joe demonstrated propagation techniques which he developed that have now
become standards in the industry.

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Different techniques are used for each coral including clipping with pliers and
using a hammer and screwdriver.

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Another technique developed by Joe was to use florist bud holders to hold cuttings.

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Various types of adhesives are used to secure other cuttings to tile discs.

 

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Eileen Gerle, Eileen Dugan and Joe then gave us a tour behind-the-scenes
including the coral laboratory.

 

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Joe then fed the vertebrates in his beautiful tank
as the group continued our tour of the exhibits.
Fossil Hunting at Big Brook for shark teeth Oct 13th, 2007 (3 hours)

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        Sarah Richards, trip leader

Lisa Breslof

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