FLOW, which stands for Follow and Learn about the Ocean and Wetland, is Amigos De Bolsa Chica's new Citizen Science Program. This is an exciting opportunity for members of the community to learn more about coastal ecology, to participate in the collection of scientific data and to get involved in environmental quality monitoring efforts. Anyone interested in participating in this program is encouraged to sign up for training to become a volunteer!
FLOW volunteers receive extensive and continuous training on how to be a citizen scientist! The Plankton Citizen Science Program consists of weekly plankton collections at specific sampling stations. FLOW volunteers learn how to properly collect water and plankton and how to analyze the samples collected. The methods and practices adopted in this monitoring program follow the standard procedures used for monitoring plankton all over the world. FLOW Citizen Scientists collect plankton samples utilizing plankton nets. They measure and record water quality variables (such as temperature, salinity, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, pH) and other environmental data (such as weather and wind conditions and tide height) in support of the analysis of the plankton which is done under the microscope.
FLOW meets every Friday in the Bolsa Chica State Beach Visitor Center in Huntington Beach, CA. We meet at 9:30am or 1:30pm, depending on the high tide. Check our website http://www.amigosdebolsachica.org/flow.php for the schedule or e-mail us at flow@amigosdebolsachica.org.
We have a training scheduled for October 6, 2017 at 1:30pm in the Visitor Center. Please e-mail us at flow@amigosdebolsachica.org if you are interested in attending.