NUCFAC PLT YLINC Summer 2014 Day One - Amazing things to sea!

Peppers from the Stephen F. Austin High School garden. Deliciously organic!

We began at Stephen F. Austin High School, on Houston's East End. For years, Austin High School has been one of the most active members of our unified network of Project Learning Tree Greenschools!, completing several environmental impacting projects, including rainwater catchment systems, a water conservation project, and extensive urban gardens. The Youth Leadership in Nature Challenge students harvest several fresh fruits and vegetables from the Austin gardens before we went south, towards the waters of Galveston.



Susan Miller, a longtime National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) volunteer, introduced the campers to the sea turtle captive breeding program. Our attentive students learned most of the species of sea turtle that frequent the Gulf of Mexico are endangered, especially the Leatherback and Kemp's Ridley. In fact, the Kemp's Ridley sea turtle's rapid decline in the 1970s is what initiated the captive breeding and turtle exclusion device testing program at the NOAA Galveston Laboratory. The campers also got to see the sea turtle clinic, where injured turtles are nursed back to health. Woodsy had a photo opportunity there with the NOAA staff who took extra time out of their days to give us a tour on Monday, and We thank them for that opportunity.

Susan Miller (far right in the NOAA shirt) talks turtles with the campers

Probably the most adorable 1 year old Loggerhead in the whole lab.

Education specialist Kelly Drinnen and Education Coordinator Shelly Du Puy gave the students a virtual tour of the Flower Garden Banks Marine Sanctuary, a cluster of coral reef 100 miles off the coast of the Louisiana Texas Border. Kelly also told the camps about the Hollings Scholarship, a summer internship opportunity with NOAA right in the Galveston area.

At Galveston Island State Park, Lisa Reznicek of the Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife got our feet dirty with a hands on exploration of the flora and fauna on the Galveston coast. The campers dug into the swash zone and washed tiny invertebrate out of Sargassum sea weed, each handful its own small ecosystem.

TPWD Park Interpreter Lisa Reznicek showing campers what interesting life can be found in Sargassum.

A sarrgasum crab in the hands of Sabrina Olvera

The campers closed the day by pitching tents at Galveston Island State Park, and cooking a sumptuous dinner of barbecued chicken, beans, rice, and grilled vegetables.

The campers were also given their week long challenge. Which of the four teams of campers will win the next day, when they compete for who can rap the Woody Owl Rubbish Rot Rap best? Find out tomorrow!