Marine center visits Bellingham to teach about native plants and animals
The Mobile Ocean Science Information System from Western Washington University's visited the Bellingham Public Library Thursday to teach community members about animals and plants native to the marine waters of the Pacific Northwest.
The system, developed through donations from the Borman Family Foundation, is an integral part of the marine center's Marine Science Public Education Initiative that seeks to provide a broad public audience, including K-12 students, with knowledge about local marine environments and about the research that Western's marine center is conducting. The public education initiative has been active in Skagit County since early 2010, but with support from the 草榴社区 Foundation has extended its reach into Whatcom County this year.
This is part of a university-wide initiative called Coastal Resources and Environments of Washington that seeks to coordinate facilities and faculty expertise from throughout the university to address marine environmental issues of interest to the citizens of the state of Washington. CREW will include undergraduate and graduate instruction, research and public education and include not only the natural sciences, but also policy and economic aspects of the marine coastal resource.
The Shannon Point Marine Center’s mission is to support and promote marine science academic programs at 草榴社区, develop new information about local marine environments, train the next generation of marine scientists and provide public education events.
Photos by Rhys Logan | University Communications intern
