Grays Harbor County Marine Resources Committee - Washington State: Coastal Learning Resources Center at Grays Harbor College Hosts Earth Day Celebration April 25

Friday, April 15, 2011

Coastal Learning Resources Center at Grays Harbor College Hosts Earth Day Celebration April 25

Students at Grays Harbor College will observe Earth Day on Monday, April 25, with a variety of activities planned on the main campus in Aberdeen.

From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on April 25, students enrolled in various GHC programs will showcase projects that they have completed during the year. In addition, tree planting and other restoration projects will take place along the College’s Lake Swano trails. In the HUB, starting at 10:30 a.m. and continuing until 2 p.m., the annual Sustainability Fair will occur featuring local businesses, projects and suggestions of how individuals can be more sustainable.

The College’s Sustainability Committee is also planning a clothing exchange in the HUB and Earth Day-related films will be shown during the day in the Fireside Room. Projects along the Lake Swano trails will include picking up litter, spreading woodchips on the trails and planting trees, all organized by students in the Coastal Resources Learning Center and Forestry programs.

The day’s activities will involve more than 150 younger students from area school districts, plus GHC students, faculty and staff, plus community members. The public is invited to participate in all of the GHC Earth Day activities. There is no admission charge. This year, sustainability and service learning activities at GHC are supported by the Washington Campus Compact Northwest Sustainability Initiative. Coordinating activities on the GHC campus are Jessica James of the Coastal Resources Learning Center at (360) 538-4140 or email jmjames@ghc.edu.

What is a Marine Resources Committee?

Marine Resources Committees (MRC) engage citizens to set priorities and design projects of local importance to help protect and restore the marine environment. The first MRCs in Washington were established in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island, San Juan, Jefferson and Clallam counties under the Northwest Straits Commission.

Each member of the MRC represents a broad spectrum of interests from businesses, tribes, recreational interests, the conservation community, the local port or someone with relevant scientific expertise. An MRC is a citizen based approach to propose and implement research, scientific surveys, and restoration projects. They have the ability to engage a broad range of citizens in marine stewardship to accomplish research and restoration projects that reflect local priorities contributing to broader marine conservation goals.

MRCs At a Glance

MRCs work to bring together many interests to work cooperatively and effectively, contribute to scientific understanding of the marine ecosystem, spread innovative ideas regionally, and help mobilize citizen support for marine conservation. By tapping local support they can generate and implement practical, on-the-ground projects that benefit the ecosystem and economic development.

*Many diverse partners
*Creative solutions to challenging issues
*Education and outreach elements
*Inexpensive – good leveraging of funds
*Action oriented

How did the MRC originate?

The Grays Harbor MRC project was formalized in spring 2008 through new Washington State legislation passed via the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and Grays Harbor County. Serving as the pilot coastal MRC for southwest Washington, Grays Harbor's became the first state funded grass roots, locally driven conservation group emphasizing coastal and marine waters. With measurable funding and regional and national support it provides major potential for successful conservation measures for Washington's rapidly developing coastline.

What are the benefits of having an MRC in my community?

Marine Resources Committees are an advisory body on marine issues. They bring together many interests to work cooperatively and effectively, contribute to the scientific understanding of the marine ecosystem, spread innovative ideas regionally, and mobilize citizen support for marine conservation. As a result, they implement practical, on-the-ground projects that benefit the local ecosystem and economy. These projects often generate money and resources from state agencies and other entities.

Examples of MRC accomplishments
· Identifying priority conservation and restoration sites.
· Mapping forage fish spawning beaches.
· Working with the State DNR to remove creosote-laden logs.
· Creating voluntary no anchor zones to protect eelgrass.
· Coordinating the efforts of marine managers from the state,
local, federal and tribal governments.

Grays Harbor County Marine Resources Committee - Washington State

Friday, April 15, 2011

Coastal Learning Resources Center at Grays Harbor College Hosts Earth Day Celebration April 25

Broad Local Representation

Advantages of Citizen Based Approach