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Liz Duff Receives Gulf of Maine Council Visionary Award

Liz Duff (right) assists Chelsea Collaborative youth in measuring a patch of invasive plants. Photo credit: John Halloran

LINCOLN, Mass.—Mass Audubon Education Coordinator Liz Duff was recently awarded the distinguished Visionary Award by the Gulf of Maine Council at a reception in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The annual Visionary Awards recognize recipients within each state and province bordering the Gulf of Maine whose projects involve public awareness, grassroots action, or manufacturing and business practices. Duff was one of two honorees in Massachusetts. Since 1996, through Mass Audubon’s highly acclaimed Salt Marsh Science Project, Duff has involved students in grades 5 through college in 10 coastal cities and towns ranging from Salisbury to Boston. in “real-world” research that contributes to salt marsh restoration and management plans and activities.

“Liz’s commitment to inspiring young people to care for and protect the coastal environment is unwavering,” said Kathy Leahy, director of Mass Audubon’s North Shore Advocacy Office. “Students are empowered by the Salt Marsh Science Project, knowing they are contributing to the ecological health of their community and, at the same time, incorporating science, math, and technology by conducting authentic scientific research.”

During their field study in the salt marsh, students measure salinity, identify plants, record information on vegetation transects, assess tidal restrictions, and collect other data, which they then analyze. While investigating the marsh, they learn that the ecosystem is important for wildlife such as birds, fish, and other marine life, as well as for flood control. Teachers commend the program for its experimental and problem-based learning while parents get involved by joining field trips and leading some activities, which acquaint them with the salt marsh ecosystem and the importance of preserving the local environment. Collaborating scientists also lend a hand to the project, helping to design students’ studies, analyze the data that has been assembled, and share the results of the research with other individuals and groups.

As Education Representative for the Plum Island Estuary-Long Term Ecological Research project, Duff serves to help communicate research findings to her students and to individuals, organizations, businesses, and agencies so that they can better manage coastal resources in the area. “Liz reaches a large audience with environmental messages that resonate with people while giving them the tools they need to make responsible environmental decisions,” said Kathy Leahy.

Duff is also a key partner in the ambitious effort to control invasive species in the salt marshes of the Great Marsh/Essex County region. She is collaborating with Newburyport Gulf of Maine Institute Team, Wetlands Restoration Program, the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, local schools to control persistent invasives, such as purple loosestrife, common reed, and pepperweed, and to restore natural wetland habitats. In addition to Duff’s work with children, she reaches out to teachers in the area to further the effectiveness of her project to educate the community about the nature of the North Shore and how to conserve it for the future. Through professional development institutes, she has reached almost a thousand teachers, emphasizing coastal ecosystems and, most recently, climate change.

“I’m very proud to be recognized as a Gulf of Maine Visionary,” said Duff. “I have deep connections to the Gulf of Maine, including my home in Gloucester and my family roots in Penobscot Bay, Maine. It is rewarding to work professionally to improve this important bioregion and to instill the value of stewardship in younger generations.”

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Mass Audubon works to protect the nature of Massachusetts for people and wildlife. Together with more than 100,000 members, we care for 34,000 acres of conservation land, provide educational programs for 225,000 children and adults annually, and advocate for sound environmental policies at local, state, and federal levels. Mass Audubon's mission and actions have expanded since our beginning in 1896 when our founders set out to stop the slaughter of birds for use on women's fashions. Today we are the largest conservation organization in New England. Our statewide network of wildlife sanctuaries, in 90 Massachusetts communities, welcomes visitors of all ages and serves as the base for our work. To support these important efforts, call 800-AUDUBON (283-8266) or visit www.massaudubon.org.