Two scientists will study the coastal erosion within Acadia National Park after receiving fellowships to conduct their research. The fellowships are an initiative of the Schoodic Institute, which supports Acadia Science Fellowships to fund science to inform management and protection of Acadia National Park resources.
As part of her fellowship, Dr. Katie Castagno, director of the Land-Sea Interaction Program at the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Massachusetts, will study the impacts of past storms on Sand Beach, a unique feature and one of the most popular destinations in the park. She will work closely with Tommy Tucker, a colleague at the Center, to look at sediment cores in the lagoon just beyond the beach to show the effects of severe storms of the past. The research will also look at salinity loggers to track present-day inundation of the lagoon with sea water and will involve contributions from visitors in the form of a repeat photography station to document the impacts of specific storms on the beach’s structure.
Deirdre McGrath, a PhD student in anthropology and environmental policy working with Dr. Bonnie Newsom at the University of Maine, will use drone-mounted sensors to assess erosion rates of Wabanaki cultural sites as part of her research. These shell mounds, which number in the thousands along the coast of what is now Maine, are rapidly eroding due to storms and rising sea levels. McGrath will survey archaeological sites in Acadia while working with Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and a drone pilot. The resulting multispectral images can be compiled with detailed GPS data to create three-dimensional digital models to measure local erosion rates and inform decisions about how to protect important sites of cultural continuity.
Twenty-six fellows have been supported by Schoodic Institute since David Evans Shaw founded Second Century Stewardship in 2016, the centennial of the National Park Service. These two fellowships are among some 90 research projects that will take place in Acadia this year, facilitated by the Schoodic Institute.
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