The Maritime Aquarium in Norwalk is home to thousands of marine species and runs several volunteer programs that support the health of Long Island Sound.
Now, the National Association of Zoos and Aquariums is recognizing the aquarium for its teen volunteer group.
WSHU’s Sabrina Garone spoke with Tom Naiman, vice president of education at Maritime Aquarium.
WSHU: Many folks might not realize that Maritime is more than just the aquarium. Aside from being a great place to see wildlife, could you give us an overview of some of the work that's done in the field?
TN: Certainly, most people do think of the Maritime Aquarium as a great place to take their kids, and we are that and we always want to be that. However, we also have a much bigger mission that involves the three real pillars of our work. Those are the aquarium, the education programs, and our conservation programs, which largely focus on coastal environments.
Sarah Crosby is our director of conservation and policy, and she and her team do a lot of work to understand how salt marshes respond to climate change. We also have a large program in which we collect ghost lobster pots — lobster traps that have been abandoned on the bottom of Long Island Sound and are still catching animals in many cases.
Then, we have our community science programs that bridge our conservation and education programs. Students and members of the public from young children to senior citizens, join us in the City Nature Challenge. We spend a weekend in the spring recording the presence of species in our region. And in partnership with Sacred Heart University and Project Limulus, we have a big group of participants who tag horseshoe crabs on the local beaches. But what's really exciting is the work we're doing to impact people's knowledge and appreciation of Long Island Sound and the global ocean, prepare the next generation to be stewards of nature and understand and protect the ecology of our region.
WSHU: And speaking of the next generation, the aquarium just won an engagement award for the ECHO Teen Volunteer Corps. Could you tell me about some of the work that that group is doing specifically?
TN: What we've done in that program has been really exciting. ECHO stands for ecology, conservation, heritage and outreach. We start with teens in their first year in the aquarium, providing them with "best practices" training in the field of interpretation. People outside of our business don't necessarily know what the field of interpretation is. And it's really the practice of making meaning out of a natural sight, or a natural collection, or an artistic or a science collection. We give them instruction and opportunities to practice interaction with each other and interact with the public around touch tanks and exhibits at the aquarium. We also seek opportunities for them to go out into the community, whether that may be the school they go to, their family, their friends, and the places they live. When a teen is passionate and excited about something, as we all know, there's really no stopping them!
WSHU: Do you hear stories from kids who've gone through the program? Do a lot of them continue into college or other careers that involve science because they took part in this?
TN: One story that I do tell is of a wonderful young woman who was an intern in our department and went on to get her PhD in coral biology. She's now a professor at the University of Hawaii, and she told me that she was set on this path and fell in love with marine science when she dissected a squid in middle school at an aquarium! So, that's just one example. There are many, but it's really exciting to be able to expose people in their formative years to all of the things that they can pursue. That will not only be inspiring to them, and gratifying to them but also will make the world a better and safer place.
WSHU: What's an easy way for regular folks to support Long Island Sound in their everyday lives?
TN: Conservation is at the core of what we do, and we support that conservation work with the admissions dollars that people provide when they enter the aquarium. Our membership program is another outstanding way to support and allows people to know about the special opportunities we're offering. Check out our community science programs on our website! Come out with us at midnight to Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk to tag horseshoe crabs in the spring! Join us on a BioBlitz, or let us teach you how to identify frog calls! If you're interested in the ECHO program, all the info is on our website. There is really no end of ways to engage with us.
For more on community science efforts in Connecticut and beyond, check out the latest national special from WSHU's Higher Ground.
