Most people realize that turning off the lights when they leave a room will save money on their electric bill, but they might not realize this also may help the environment. Increasing this awareness and sharing other ways that people can limit the amount of nitrogen they put in the atmosphere are part of a Massachusetts National Estuarine Research Reserve’s efforts to improve water quality.

“For years,” says Christine Gault, manager of the Waquoit Bay Reserve, “we’ve been working on the sources of nitrogen loading—wastewater and fertilizers—but we never addressed atmospheric deposition because people kept saying, ‘We can’t do anything about it.’ A couple of years ago, I said, ‘Wait a minute. We’re never going to make any progress on this issue unless we address that source.’”

Graphic courtesy of NOAA Coastal Services

Since then, the reserve has developed a multipronged effort to address nitrogen in the atmosphere that includes land acquisition, science and policy bulletins, education programs for students, teachers, and coastal decision makers and numerous partnerships with organizations that are working on the related issue of climate change.

They have even made changes to their building and energy use policies to act as a role model for other organizations.
“I really do have faith in the vision that if you start something in one area, it can spread,” Gault says.

It comes from above

For the United States as a whole, atmospheric deposition of nitrogen probably contributes 40 percent of the nitrogen that reaches coastal rivers and bays. The rate of atmospheric nitrogen deposition in southeastern New England is among the highest in North America.

The commonly recognized sources of nitrogen in the atmosphere are smokestacks and tailpipes, and by the time it reaches coastal waters, atmospheric nitrogen falls invisibly in raindrops, dust or simply due to gravity. Atmospheric nitrogen, however, has the same impact on water quality as the more common sources of nitrogen—agriculture, faulty septic tanks and lawn and garden fertilizers.

“It doesn’t matter what the source, nitrogen changes the coastal ecosystem,” Gault explains. “Basically, you’re just fertilizing the algae and phytoplankton.” A lush growth of algae outcompetes eelgrass, which serves as nursery grounds for many fish and other aquatic species; depletes oxygen, killing marine life; increases the incidences and duration of harmful algal blooms; and lowers species diversity.

In addition to degrading coastal water quality, atmospheric nitrogen is a contributing factor in climate change.

One of the challenges in reducing atmospheric nitrogen is that the emissions from fossil-fuel-burning power plants and other industry smokestacks can often travel hundreds of miles. For instance, much of the atmospheric nitrogen in New England originates from power plants in mid-Atlantic and Midwestern states.

“Most people have heard of a watershed,” Gault says, “but we’re talking about an airshed. If the power plant that’s impacting us is in Ohio, what are we going to be able to do to affect that?”

Gault’s response is, “Plenty.”

Applying the science

Waquoit Bay is addressing atmospheric deposition using the two primary tenets of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System—research and education.

“One of the things we knew early from the research is that growing trees intercept nitrogen from the atmosphere,” Gault says. In 1995, the reserve began working with eight partners, which include state and federal agencies, municipalities, an American Indian tribe and nonprofits, to acquire land in the reserve’s watershed to maintain a forest buffer. So far, the group has purchased 1,600 acres.

The reserve also has distributed two science and policy bulletins on atmospheric nitrogen geared toward coastal decision makers. “Research reserves are all about research and translating that to coastal decision makers and the public to get better coastal management,” Gault notes.

Strength in numbers

Following the theory that the best way to change human behavior is through education, the reserve has undertaken numerous efforts to teach people about this issue. Early in their efforts, however, Gault says it became clear that atmospheric nitrogen was only part of the bigger picture of climate change, and by broadening their scope they could collaborate with many more organizations and better meet their objectives.

“Climate change is a huge umbrella issue,” Gault says. “Sea level rise, ocean warming impacting corals and fisheries, coastal erosion—a number of coastal management issues could be dealt with under that umbrella.”

Working with a variety of partners, the reserve offers courses to help homeowners create a “green” home, and to look at alternative energy cars. Training is provided to area homebuilders on smart growth practices and energy efficient construction.
Realtors are coming to workshops on sea level rise, and municipalities are learning how to become energy efficient. Gault notes that one town is now using wind turbines to run wastewater treatment plants, and a number of towns are pursuing similar options.

The reserve is a partner in an effort to help school districts lower their energy consumption by educating their staff that simple acts like turning off lights when not needed, shutting off appliances and computers when not in use, and lowering the thermostat at night can help lower emissions. She points out that two school districts on Cape Cod have saved over $250,000 in energy costs and reduced their emissions over the last two years primarily using those simple measures.

The reserve also is offering teacher training on climate change and renewable energy, and is helping educators incorporate these topics into Massachusetts curriculum frameworks.

Gault notes that staff also have worked hard to reduce the reserve’s emissions. A gas-powered truck was traded in for an electric one. The 1883 16-room summer cottage that is now the reserve’s offices was retrofitted with new storm windows and insulation. An energy audit on all reserve buildings resulted in old French doors being replaced, the conversion of the heating system from oil to natural gas, and moving heating ducts to insulated space. Ceiling fans are being used instead of air conditioning.

“We’ve really tried to do quite a bit to our own buildings,” Gault says. “We’re trying to set the example.”

She adds, “If we start using alternative energy and making people conscious of energy efficiency, we can become a model. If we can do it here, people can do it in Ohio and Indiana—anywhere. It’s important that we show people how to do it differently.”

For more information on Waquoit Bay’s efforts to address nitrogen in the atmosphere, point your browser to www.waquoitbayreserve.org.

Hanna Goss is a technical writer and the editor of Coastal Services, the magazine, of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal Services Center. This article appeared in the July/August 2003 issue. To subscribe go to: www.csc.noaa.gov/magazine.