By Pepper Fisher
NEAH BAY – If you have an interest in becoming a citizen scientist and you love long walks on the beach, we might have the perfect opportunity for you.
On Saturday, October 29, 2022, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (or COASST) will deliver a free training session in Neah Bay for members of the community.
They’ll present the COASST Beached Bird program, and those who choose to participate will be asked to collect data on beached carcasses of marine birds and marine debris on a monthly basis to establish the baseline pattern of beached bird mortality on North Pacific beaches.
Through a hands-on workshop, trainees will become acquainted with survey protocols, have a chance to learn more about the seabirds that live in their area, and learn about the effects of marine debris on sea life.
COASST is a citizen science project of the University of Washington that works to translate long-term monitoring into effective marine conservation solutions. Currently, nearly 1,000 participants survey beaches in Washington, Oregon, California, and Alaska.
The training session will be held at the Makah Community Hall (81 3rd Ave, Neah Bay, WA 98357). There will be a short break in the middle of the session for lunch, so please bring your own sack lunch. Participants need NO prior experience with scientific data collection, just a commitment to survey a specific beach at least once a month.
For more information and to reserve your training spot, call COASST at (206) 221-6893 or email coasst@uw.edu.
More information about the COASST program can be found at coasst.org