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USGS Helps the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Celebrate Its Tenth Anniversary
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The USGS booth is set up and ready for visitors, thanks to early arrivals (left to right) Mary McGann, Helen Gibbons, Carolyn Degnan, and Nick Degnan.
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The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary turned 10 this year and celebrated with a series of events in September. The largest of these was the Oceans Fair, held in Monterey, CA, on September 21. The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) was represented at the Oceans Fair by members of the USGS' Coastal and Marine Geology Program (CMGP), staffing a large booth filled with interactive displays for people of all ages. Visitors could
assemble three-dimensional models of Monterey Canyon constructed from clear-plastic, stackable salad trays, examine sand samples from the California coast and beyond, gaze at foraminifers and other tiny inhabitants of the bay through microscopes, move a model of the San Gregorio fault backward in time to see how the fault may have influenced the shape of the bay floor, and color black-and-white drawings of foraminifers and a black-and-white poster about watersheds.
Three-dimensional model of Monterey Canyon made from stacking salad trays.
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Two display racks offered selected USGS publications from CMGP and other programs. The handouts
went like hotcakes, carried off in the ever-popular plastic bags imprinted with the USGS visual identifier.
Late in the fair, visitors were still approaching the booth asking, "Is this the place where you get the bags?" and staffers who
wandered far from the booth on lunch breaks saw many people carrying USGS bags.
The booth attracted a steady stream of visitors, from small children who wanted to color the foraminifer
drawings, through kids and parents who wanted to look through the microscopes and play with the models, to scientists who wanted to discuss the latest ideas on the geologic evolution of the Monterey Bay region.
We were fortunate to have a diverse staff of CMGP folks who
were able to accommodate them all! The participants were Roberto Anima, Ed Clifton, Carolyn Degnan, Nick Degnan, Steve Eittreim, Helen Gibbons, Alma Gonzalez, Gerry Hatcher, Juliet Kinney, Tara Kneeshaw, Kristen Lee, Mary McGann, Rani Nandiwada, and Jane Reid.
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USGS at the Monterey Bay Oceans Fair: (from left to right):
Mom watches as her daughter inspects a three-dimensional salad-tray model of Monterey Canyon. [larger version]
Two young visitors enjoy the coloring table. [larger version]
Visitors use reflecting microscopes to get close-up views of rock and sand samples (near scope) and tiny fish, crabs, starfish, and other creatures (middle scope). (The far scope featured foraminifers.) [larger version]
The microscopes intrigued parents, too. [larger version]
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The evening before the Oceans Fair, USGS scientist Steve Eittreim joined other scientists and
policymakers in a forum inspired by the anniversary, entitled "Taking Stock of Our Oceans—Reflections on the Past and Projections for the Future." Led by Leon Panetta, former Congressman from Monterey, the discussion panel included Jean Michel Cousteau (son of ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau and founder of the Ocean Futures Society, a nonprofit marine conservation and education organization) and Julie Packard (President of Monterey Bay Aquarium).
The weather for the weekend was delightful, and a good time was had by all.
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October 2002
in this issue:
cover story:
Tsunami Deposits in the Geologic Record
Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary Tenth Anniversary
Earth Science Week - Woods Hole
Chinese Scientists Visit Gas-Hydrate Labs
Blacks In Government
Briefing Congress on Coastal Hazards
Distinguished Service Award - Bill Dillon
Distinguished Service Award - Bill Normark
Superior Service Award - Marlene Noble
Superior Service Award - Florence Wong
Environmental Champion Award - Sue Hunt
Safety Award - Ellen Mecray
30th Annual Falmouth Road Race
Barth Joins Menlo Park Team
Walk for Multiple Sclerosis
Twichell to University of Nevada
Woods Hole Softball
October Publications List
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U. S. Department of the Interior | U.S. Geological Survey
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