FY 2011 NOAA Preserve America Initiative Internal Funding Program - Funded Projects

For results of project, click on project title.

Classrooms Without Borders: Investigating the Fast Steel Flier Grecian
The Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary will partner with Alpena High School and the Great Lakes Environmental Research Lab to conduct a series of live dive interactive broadcasts from the shipwreck Grecian. . The goal of this project is to combine a series of interactive broadcasts to several sanctuary visitors’ centers around the country with an archaeological assessment of the shipwreck led, in part, by Alpena High School history students, who have an exciting, historic NOAA asset in their backyard.

Highlighting 150 Years of Weather Observations in Asheville, North Carolina
Volunteer observers have been documenting weather phenomena in the Asheville, North Carolina area since 1857. An exhibit will be erected at Asheville’s Colburn Earth Science Museum showcasing the history of the people who supported the weather and climate community. Education materials will also be developed to enhance the experience for visitors, many of whom are kindergarten-8th grade students.

Enhancing the Experience: A Mobile Audiovisual Tour of the Outer Banks
A video tour of North Carolina’s Outer Banks has been developed by the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, East Carolina University, and Emergent Pictures. This tour will be available to the public. To further promote this project, the MNMS purchased iPads for public viewing of these videos.

How the Northwest Fisheries Science Center Changed the Game: Technological Contributions to Research Management in the Pacific Northwest
Over the last century, the Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) made notable and innovative scientific and technological contributions to advance resource conservation and management, seafood safety and security, and response to unusual environmental events. Key senior personnel, who were instrumental in achieving these notable innovations, will be interviewed to document the history of the Center. The result of this project will highlight the NWFSC’s evolution into a world-class fisheries research laboratory and communicate its contributions in advancing fisheries science and management through historic documents, cataloged images, and short videos posted to an interactive website.

Voyage to Discovery
Voyage to Discovery (VtD) is a multi-faceted initiative highlighting African-American maritime history through education, archaeology, and science. Significant African-American maritime achievements are illustrated, thereby engaging students in ocean conservation awareness and encouraging them to consider careers in oceanography and marine science.

Documenting the Portuguese–American Experience in the Fishing Industry of New Bedford
More than half of the New Bedford, MA fishing fleet is comprised of Portuguese fishermen, boat operators, and boat owners. This number one fishing port in the U.S. is undergoing a rapid transformation, including the retirement of aging fishermen. This project will document their experiences by recording, transcribing and translating 15 oral histories with representative Portuguese members of New Bedford's fishing industry and by collecting photos and other documents related to their activity. These materials will be used to develop a variety of products and activities, such as k-12 teaching materials, exhibits, and publications, aimed at providing and preserving information relevant to the understanding of fisheries management, coastal restoration and the economic vitality of the port of New Bedford.

Replacement Weather Kiosk at Central Park’s Belvedere Castle
Weather observations have been taken in New York City’s Central Park since 1869. In an effort to preserve and update NOAA’s display of official weather observations and historical climate data for New York City, NWS formed a partnership with the Central Park Conservancy (CPC) to replace the outdated weather display at Belvedere Castle with a new, state-of-the-art, interactive touch screen kiosk.

The Ed Hastings Memorial Trail Project
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service and the US Fish and Wildlife Service are key Federal partners in the recovery of Atlantic salmon. This partnership provided key data that controlled catch rates of US fish in Greenland as well as increasing success of this stocking program with emerging technology known as visual implant elasotmer (VIE) tags under the leadership of Ed Hastings, a contract biologist for NOAA who made significant contributions to the preservation of an invaluable NOAA trust resource: the genome of the endangered Atlantic salmon.

History of Weather Along Route 66
This exhibit, to be displayed at numerous public events in Amarillo, TX, will highlight the unique weather history along the famous Route 66. From blizzards to tornadoes, NWS personnel will research and conduct interviews to develop an understanding of the weather history of Amarillo as well as create a Top Ten Route 66 Weather Events list which will be included in the exhibit.

Light Rail Meets Walking Path at NOAA
In 1933 US Coast and Geodetic Survey, now NOAA, established the Norfolk Office. This project will document the history of the Marine Operations Center (MOC) in Norfolk and increase NOAA awareness to the general public in downtown Norfolk. Through increased signage along the perimeter fencing of the NOAA facility and at the exterior of the site adjacent to the Norfolk "Tide" Light Rail and pedestrian paths, this project will strive to increase public awareness of NOAA and services provided by the MOC and ships.

Window on NOAA: Lihue, Kauai Airport Display
The NOAA Office of National Marine Sanctuaries has had a presence on the island of Kauai for more than 15 years. In 2008, the County of Kauai was awarded a Preserve America Community designation. The County has offered the Pacific Island Region an unprecedented opportunity to host an all-NOAA window display exhibit at the Lihue Airport. Over one million visitors traverse this airport annually. Additionally there are thousands of Hawaii residents who travel to and from Kauai. Through the NOAA display, island visitors have been learning about the leadership role that NOAA has played in the rich natural, historic and cultural legacy of Kauai.

Transcribing Oral Histories from the “Surface Analysis: Where it’s going, where it’s been” 2010 PAIIF Project
Project Leads: Marybeth Gerhardt and Katie Collins Hydrometeorological Prediction Center, Camp Springs, MD National Weather Service

Film Conversion - 1969 Hurricane Camille and April 1974 Super Tuesday Tornado Outbreak
Project Lead: Ron Gird Office of Climate, Water, and Weather Services, Silver Spring, MD National Weather Service

USS MONITOR at Drewry’s Bluff Interpretive Sign
Project Lead: Jeff Johnston MONITOR National Marine Sanctuary, Newport News, VA National Ocean Service

Enhancing New Mexico’s Complex and Diverse Weather History
Project Leads: Jennifer Palucki and Kerry Jones Weather Forecast Office, Albuquerque, NM National Weather Service

Historical Film Conversion to Digital from Alaska Fisheries Project Leads: Rebecca Reuter, Gary Ducker and Brent Norberg Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Seattle, WA National Marine Fisheries Service

Threatened and Endangered Fish in Idaho Traveling Display
Project Lead: Shawna Theisen Northern Idaho Branch Office, Grangeville, ID National Marine Fisheries Service

Click here for more detailed information on the 2011 NOAA PAIIF funded projects.

For additional information, contact Katie Garrett or Cheryl Oliver.