Tybee Island Marine Science Center
Marine education on Tybee Island
The mission of the Tybee Island Marine Science Center is to promote the appreciation, conservation, and understanding of the marine ecosystem of coastal Georgia through education and service.
Marine education programs on Tybee Island began in 1987 with beach walks and seining. These classes were offered as an outreach program from the University of Georgia Marine Extension Service. After tremendous response, the outreach program merited a location of its own. In May 1988, only a year later, the Tybee Island Marine Science Center opened its doors.
The initial sponsors of the Center were the City of Tybee Island and the University of Georgia, Marine Extension Service. These two groups were joined in 1990 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary. The formation of the Tybee Island Marine Science Foundation in 1990 established another major sponsor.
Currently, the Center is co-sponsored by the Tybee Island Marine Science Foundation, the City of Tybee Island, and NOAA Gray?s Reef National Marine Sanctuary. The Foundation is the primary sponsor and provides fundraising support and a Board of Directors.
Volunteers and interns continue to be an integral part of the operation of the Center. Their assistance contributes greatly to the success of the facility.
Community Projects and Partnerships The Tybee Island Marine Science Center participates in the Adopt-a-Wetlands program on a monthly basis monitoring the Atlantic Ocean in front of our Center. The entire staff renewed certification or became certified for the first time in November 2004. This program is designed to increase public awareness of the State's non-point source pollution and water quality, to provide citizens with the tools and training to evaluate and protect their local waterways, to encourage partnerships between citizens and their local government, and to collect reliable baseline water quality data. For more information on this program, visit the Adopt-a-Wetlands website. Beach Clean Ups The Science Center assists groups of volunteers with beach clean ups on Tybee. Data sheets are recorded for information on the type and amount of litter found on Tybee. The Center also sponsors and participates in the Spring and Fall Beach Sweeps organized by The Tybee Beautification Association each year. Visit the Tybee Beautification website for more information on this local non-profit that works diligently to preserve and enhance the natural beauty of Tybee Island. Loggerhead Sea Turtle Monitoring The Georgia Department of Natural Resources has been monitoring Loggerhead sea turtle nesting along Georgia's coast since the 1980s. The Tybee Island Marine Science Center in cooperation with GA DNR coordinates the Tybee Island Sea Turtle Project. For more information, click on the Sea Turtle Project link. Marine Mammal Stranding Network Staff at the Tybee Island Marine Science Center are trained by Clay George, Biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, to respond to stranded marine mammals on our island. |
