Partnerships for Beaches

Strategies to build teamwork: Tony Lacertosa, Peerless Leadership Development
Tony Lacertosa’s Presentation (120 KB PDF)
A growing body of research shows that organizations who invest in improving teamwork experience better results, lower operating costs and have more highly engaged stakeholders who come to consensus on action plans in a shorter amount of time and with less conflict. These benefits are especially valuable to environmental research and education organizations who are dealing with tight operating budgets, a diverse group of interested parties who may not all have the same vision, and an ever-changing staff of volunteers. A team goes through stages of development as it progresses from when it first forms to when it operates like a well-oiled machine. These stages have been identified in a widely accepted work by the respected educational psychologist Dr. Bruce Tuckman. Certain behaviors that research has shown result in highly productive teamwork. Armed with this knowledge, participants will be able to look at their own workplace teams in terms of these behaviors to determine those areas that need to be addressed in order to improve effectiveness, efficiency and collaboration in their organizations.

Teaming-up to track bacteria in Kittery: Jessa Kellogg, Town of Kittery
Jessa Kellogg’s Presentation (2 MB)
The Town of Kittery has recently partnered with various groups to discern the source of bacteria hotspots in areas ranging from the beaches and marshes to outfalls and backyards. Working with Maine Healthy Beaches, Canine Detections Services, FB Environmental, The Spruce Creek Association, and the Kittery Department of Public Works has created unique collaborative approaches and a sharing of information and outreach opportunities not realized previously. For example, one project to locate and map backyard catchbasins (previously managed by the Navy and now unmanaged) led to well-known bacteria (E. coli) hotspots on Spruce Creek. After mapping, dogs were used to detect the nature of the fecal matter (human versus animal), and the potential contaminant flow. Another effort worked to identify the source of Enterococci in tide pools at Fort Foster Park that led to several beach closures. With mapping, sampling, and the use of dogs to determine if it was animal (possible beavers in the nearby marsh) or human, we were able to link the source back to an outhouse that has now been removed. These are just a few examples, but can highlight the importance of resource sharing and unique partnerships that lead to better results in bacteria source tracking.

Partners for Clean Water in South Boston: Judith Pederson, MIT Sea Grant
Judith Pederson’s Presentation (5 MB PDF)
Urban beaches present a unique problem because sources of pollution that result in beach closures require large expenditures to resolve. Closures of these beaches not only affect those that live in the area, but result in loss of income to the businesses near the beach. A combination of scientific data, citizen advocacy, and political will resulted in opening five urban beaches in south Boston, Massachusetts, with increased revenues to the region of several million dollars each year.

 

Session Notes (PDF)