"Monitoring Beach and Dune Dynamics"

James F. O’Connell, Coastal Processes Specialist for the Woods Hole Sea Grant Program and the Cape Cod Cooperative Extension, was the workshop presenter. He spoke in the morning about the conditions and processes shaping Cape Cod coastal landforms both historically and currently through ongoing climate, weather, and ocean forces. In the afternoon he took the teacher group out to a local beach, and taught them the “Emory Rod” and “O’Emory Rod” beach profiling methods he uses to measure and monitor positions and heights of beaches, coastal dunes, and other landforms.

In addition, Valerie Bell, science teacher at the Nauset Regional High School on Cape Cod, talked to the group about using this method with her classes, and included “tips for teachers” on how to ensure good results.

Click here for links to web-based resources on this topic.