Liz Stebbins talks with Rob Moir about the causal connections between what we do to our lawns and conditions in waterways.
ORI's campaign began in Falmouth, MA when 16 Striped Bass were found dead on the shore. Residents blamed the lawns sloping down to the water. Over-fertilization of lawns causes excess phosphorous and nitrogen (nutrients) to run into waterways, where they consequently feed slimy, harmful algal blooms. Algal blooms suck oxygen out of the water and kill fish. Striped bass and their forage fish, herring, have a very interesting role in New England ecology and culture.
Liz Stebbins is in her third year of studying biology at Harvard College. She is particularly interested in marine biology and the conservation and management of ocean resources, and since beginning work at ORI has loved being able to support political change based on scientific understanding. She is fascinated by fishery ecology (an interesting intersection between policy and biology) and hopes to continue learning at the Ocean River Institute.
