Community Science and Education Volunteer Program

The enthusiasm, commitment and collaboration of volunteers are vital to the mission of the North Inlet-Winyah Bay Reserve. Community support and engagement is essential to achieving our goals of understanding and protecting coastal ecosystems. We believe that inviting community members to participate in research, monitoring, and education programs at the Reserve will build a stronger coalition of support for the conservation of our coastal ecosystems. 

Volunteer Projects

SC Adopt-a-Stream

South Carolina Adopt-a-Stream (SC AAS) is a statewide volunteer water quality monitoring program. Volunteer water quality monitors collect data on waterways that may not be regularly monitored otherwise. the program is led by the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services (SCDES) operated in conjunction with the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina (EEASC), Clemson University, and numerous public and private supporters. 

The NI-WB Reserve trains and supports volunteers to monitor tidal salt-water creeks in the Georgetown county area. Trainings are held twice a year or as there is interest.

Phytoplankton Monitoring

Volunteers are trained to collect and  identify coastal phytoplankton species and monitor for harmful phytoplankton blooms. These data will help to better understand how changing coastal conditions are affecting the ecosystem health of coastal and estuarine systems and also to predict and prevent harmful algal blooms. Volunteers sample twice a month at designated sites and analyze their samples at the NI-WB lab.

Painted Bunting/Songbird Surveys

Volunteers conduct point counts of the number of Painted Buntings and other songbirds utilizing the edges of the North Inlet, South Carolina, marshes as nesting habitat during the breeding season. This information will contribute to a better understanding of local population numbers.

  • View the North Inlet Painted Bunting Report 

Trash-Free Winyah

Road-side trash is carried by wind and rain into our estuaries, where it can harm turtles, birds, fish and habitats. Highway clean-ups help to  keep litter our of North Inlet and Winyah Bay. Participants in highway clean-ups must be at least 18 years old. Gloves, trash pickers, safety vest and snacks will be provided. We will have safety signage in place and cover safety precautions prior to starting. Participants in marsh-edge clean-ups should be prepared for strenuous walking and muddy conditions.

Beach Vitex Strike Force

Beach Vitex, Vitex rotundifolia, is a deciduous woody vine native the western Pacific that has become invasive along our beaches, crowding out native dune plants and altering sea turtle nesting areas. Volunteers are trained to identify beach vitex and in treatment methods to kill and remove beach vitex with minimal impact to the surrounding dunes.

FrogWatch

FrogWatch USA is a volunteer science program established in 1998 to provide individuals, groups and families with opportunities to learn about wetlands in their communities by reporting on the calls of local frogs and toads. The Winyah Wetland Chapter of FrogWatch provides training to volunteers who want to contribute data about the frogs they hear at their homes and in their communities.

Macroinvertebrate Monitoring

Insects and other invertebrates that live in streams (aquatic macroinvertebrates) are affected by environmental conditions and so can be particularly useful indicators of water quality. Volunteers sample streams by collecting macroinvertebrates with nets then identify them under a microscope. The data is analyzed to generate a water quality score which reflects the degree to which the community meets expectations for that region of the state. 

Phenology Monitoring

Phenology is the study of the timing of seasonal plant and animal life-cycle events, including the flowering of plants, ripening of fruit, the emergence of insects, and migration of birds. Monitoring phenological events can aid in the assessment of the vulnerability of species, populations, and ecological communities to ongoing climate change. Volunteers with the Phenology Monitoring Project record observations of plant phenology and wildlife activity for selected species at designated salt marsh monitoring trails.

 

Upcoming Stewardship Program Events

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Find out what’s going on at the Reserve with our monthly e-news letter and twice yearly North Inlet & Winyah Bay Bulletin.

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