April 26 at 1:30 pm

The St. Mary’s River Watershed Association needs your help monitoring submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) in the St. Mary’s River!

Become an SAV Watcher by registering for a training session on Sunday, April 26 from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm at St. Mary’s College of Maryland River Center classroom (deadline to sign up: Wednesday, April 22).

SAV refers to flowering, vascular plant species that grow in salt, brackish, and fresh waters around the world. SAV is an important part of a healthy Bay ecosystem and is one of the best indicators of water quality and overall Bay health.

SAV Watchers are citizen scientist who collect data on where, how much, and what kind of SAV are present. These data are sent to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR). DNR publishes the data so that Bay researchers, environmental professionals, or citizens can view and use it.

During the training, we will learn the proper monitoring protocol, including how to identify SAV species and how to properly collect, record, and digitize data so that it’s uploaded to the web. After you’re trained, you can participate on your own, monitoring from shore, a kayak, a dock, or a boat.

Details (a copy of your responses and this information will be emailed to you):

• What to Bring: Water bottle, notebook, pen or pencil, a willingness to learn!
• Where to Park: Please park in Lot E at St. Mary’s College of Maryland by Kent Hall. Here is a link to a campus map. If you’re headed south on Point Lookout Rd, turn right onto Trinity Church Rd, pass the SMCM River Center parking lot and building, and park in the next parking lot on your right. You can follow your GPS to Kent Hall (47474 Trinity Church Rd, St Marys City, MD 20686), and Lot E will be right next to it.
• Parking Pass: You must register for a visitor’s parking pass prior to attending the training or when you arrive on campus. Otherwise, you will risk a parking ticket.

1. Open this link: http://www.tocite.net/smcm/portal
2. Click “View Available Permtis”
3. Click Register under the “Visitor Parking Permit”
4. You may sign in, create an account, or select “Continue as Guest”
5. Complete the “Your info.” Add “Cassie Gurbisz” where it says “Name of the Student or Faculty/Staff Member you are visiting.” 
6. Next, click “add vehicle to permit” and provide the required vehicle information
7. Please review the terms and conditions and check that you have read, accepted, and understood. 
8. Then, click register for permit. 
9. The process is complete! No additional information is required.

• Where the Training is: The training will be in the James P Muldoon River Center classroom (Building 19 on the campus map). Walk down the steps from Lot E and follow the path until you hit two double doors, once you enter the building turn right, and enter the river center classroom. We will put signs up to guide you.

More information about the SAV Watchers program is found HERE.  For questions about the FREE training program on April 26th, email SMRWA Executive Director, Emma Green Ewing at [email protected]. 

Spaces are limited! If something comes up and you can’t attend, please email Emma at [email protected] so we can offer your spot to someone else.