Organizations looking for volunteers to watch Nahant’s shoreline

NAHANT – Some people walk the beach for exercise.Others walk to enjoy nature.But three organizations are looking for Nahant residents to walk the town’s beaches for science and their community.Northeastern University’s Marine Science Center, Safer Waters in Massachusetts (SWIM) and Salem Sound will hold a training session on Saturday for volunteers interested in “adopting” Nahant’s beaches.The goal is to use the regular observations of beachcombers to inform the town and local scientists about the beaches’ health and condition.These “beachkeepers” in the past have provided information about erosion, the condition of sensitive plants and storm damage. The volunteers also provide a valuable service as stewards by cleaning up debris off the beaches.”It’s about increasing camaraderie and building stewardship of the places we love and value,” said Salem Sound Coastwatch Executive Director Barbara Warren.This is the second year the Adopt-A-Beach program has been run in Nahant. The training session will be held at the marine sciences center, 430 Nahant Road, from 2 to 5 p.m. on Saturday.Another session is scheduled for April 16, where the current volunteers can train a new group of recruits.SWIM has been committed to improving Nahant’s water quality since 1984. Beach monitoring seemed like a natural thing for the organization to do, explained volunteer Bill Crawford.”I became involved over 20 years ago while investigating the ‘problem algae’ that made the local beaches smell,” said Crawford. “But algae and other problems change over time.”That’s where Northeastern University’s Marine Science Center comes in. In addition to providing physical space for the volunteer training, university employees will collect and store the information collected by the beachkeepers.For instance, volunteers will provide scientists with a periodic inventory of the animals and plants at the beach. They will also be encouraged to take monthly water samples to check for bacteria, and will be trained to identify and remove invasive plant species. As the data accrues, scientists can examine trends impacting the beach and its health.”It’s a great example of our commitment to Nahant,” said Patricia Flint, of Northeastern University, who is helping coordinate the training. “We do all we can do to bring the community together and protect its natural resources.”In addition to clearing away debris, the beachkeepers will be asked to report any inappropriate usage of the beach – for instance, vehicles driving over dunes or private boats stored in public areas.”It’s all volunteers who make (the observations) a part of their routine,”said SWIM’s President Vi Patek.Salem Sound’s Warren said that is why the Coastwatch program has been successful. “People care about the places they go to,” she said.Plus, with the scientists help, the volunteers know they are making a difference.”It’s an excellent opportunity to learn how to be stewards in a scientific way,” said volunteer John Benson.The Adopt-a-Beach program training will be held on Saturday from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Northeastern University Marine Science Center, 430 Nahant Road, Nahant. The training will be followed by an hour-long inventory of Canoe Beach.The program is open to all Nahant residents and their families. Please register in advance to enable organizers to provide training materials. For more information or to register, please contact Patricia Flint at [email protected] or 617-373-7536, or Vi Patek at 781-598-1060.