CAMBRIDGE, MD (August 17, 2012)–The Horn Point Laboratory invites the public to take part in its annual community Open House on Saturday, October 13, 2012, from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Located on the banks of the Choptank River on Maryland's Eastern Shore, the laboratory is renowned for its study of marine ecosystems. The theme of this year’s event is “The Bay and Beyond" and features investigations by the laboratory's scientists in the Chesapeake Bay and coastal areas around the nation and the world.
"Our displays tell the stories of our research so that visitors of all ages can understand how the tools of science are used to restore and protect the health of our rivers, bays and oceans," said Horn Point Laboratory director Mike Roman.
All Community Open House activities are free and open to the public, and children will receive a free t-shirt.
With more than 40 activities planned for all ages, visitors can:
- Tour Horn Point’s state-of-the-art laboratory dedicated to the restoration of the Chesapeake Bay;
- Take part in kids activities in the Environmental Science Education Tent with storytimes, nature crafts, a touch tank filled with Bay critters, face painting, games, and more
- See prehistoric Atlantic sturgeon captured by local fishermen and are now part of a Chesapeake Bay restocking effort
- Discover how the Horn Point Oyster Hatchery is helping bring oysters back to the Chesapeake Bay and its rivers
- Learn about efforts to restore seagrass beds, wetlands and deteriorating islands, such as Poplar Island
- Experience how scientists bring storms into the lab to study their effect on aquatic plants
- Explore a drop of water and the amazing world of tiny creatures within it
- Watch as real-time weather and water conditions are reported to the internet from sensors in Chesapeake Bay and learn about a sensor network that encircles the globe.
The Horn Point Laboratory is located at 2020 Horns Point Road in Cambridge. For more information and directions, call (410) 221-8425.
A part of of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the Horn Point Laboratory on Maryland's Eastern Shore, has advanced society’s understanding of the world’s estuarine and ocean ecosystems. Horn Point scientists are widely respected for their interdisciplinary programs in oceanography, water quality, restoration of sea grasses, marshes and shellfish and for expertise in ecosystem modeling. With ongoing research programs spanning from the estuarine waters of the Chesapeake Bay to the open waters of the world's oceans, Horn Point is a national leader in applying environmental research and discovery to solve society’s most pressing environmental problems.
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