This summer, Salem Sound Coastwatch was pleased to have Rowan working with Salem Sound Coastwatch as our Marine Ecology intern. A Reed College student (Portland, OR), Rowan has been involved in a variety of field studies and scientific research, including working alongside the MA Division of Marine Fisheries and MassBays to research eelgrass and develop protocols for testing the viability of harvested seagrass seeds. He has also assisted with two research projects to monitor the Collins Cove living shoreline and with numerous MIMIC marine invasive species surveys across Salem Sound. Additionally, Rowan analyzed the horseshoe crab community science results and summarized them in a report that will be shared at the end of the season.
Rowan has been an invaluable part of many local efforts: removing dodder, a parasitic plant, from the rain gardens along the North River, maintaining the SSCW saltwater aquaria, and planting new salt marsh plants at Collins Cove.