What You Can Do
LISTEN
WMVY’s Laurel Redington & GPF’s Executive Director, Emily Reddington discuss Island Ponds and what you can do to protect them:
WATCH
Nitrogen is an essential building block of life, but in excess it can harm our coastal waters. Learn what role nitrogen plays in our pond ecosystems and how we can reduce nitrogen pollution in our local waters:
LEARN
Restoring coastal ecosystems such as our Great Ponds is local conservation with a global impact. Learn more about BLUE CARBON & EELGRASS ECOSYSTEMS on Martha’s Vineyard:
When pond ecosystems are out of balance due to increased temperatures and excess nutrients (nitrogen and or phosphorus), harmful algal blooms can occur:
Cyanobacteria, sometimes called blue-green algae, are found in all Vineyard waters and are a natural part of these ecosystems. When a few types of cyanobacteria grow out of control, or bloom, they can produce toxins that are harmful to health:
Updated Island Blue Pages!
We all want to protect the water resources of our Island home, but often we do not know what we can do. The Island Blue Pages will give you some ideas. It begins with the big picture — everything you need to know about the Vineyard’s water cycles — and then identifies actions that each of us can take to safeguard our Island’s waters. Many of the solutions are simple; many will even save you money. Please join us in our efforts to protect the health of our Island waters.