NORTHEAST CLIMATE HUB 360o OF CLIMATE EDUCATION: A VIRTUAL TOUR FOR SUSTAINABLE AQUACULTURE PRACTICES

Gulnihal Ozbay1, Jennifer Volk2, and Erin Lane3

1Delaware State University, College of Agriculture & Related Sciences, Cooperative Extension, Dover, DE 19901
2University of Delaware, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, Cooperative Extension, Dover, DE 19901
3U.S. Forest Service, USDA Northeast Climate Hub, Durham, NH 03824
 

The Northeast Climate Hub, building on capacity within USDA, delivers science-based knowledge and practical information to farmers and forest landowners in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, West Virginia and District of Columbia.  The USDA Northeast Climate Hub and all land grant partners have worked together on the production of a robust, detailed, and innovative digital experience that can engage people in climate informed decision-making, and immerse the user into a digital field 'visit' that feels "as if you were there". Before adopting a new practice or making an operational change, farmers and foresters often want to first see the new technique in action. As climate change uniquely impacts all managed lands and waters in both rural and urban settings, technology-transfer and knowledge sharing can help to convey new ideas and techniques. Innovative demonstration strategies can help us do so more effectively than ever before. This network showcases a variety of climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies that have been implemented across public and private lands and waters in the Northeast. This web-based network is interactive so that users can "visit" the sites from their own computer, tablet, or mobile phone. The virtual network showcases key practices on existing on-the-ground farm and forest sites using innovative 360o photography and videos.

Virtual tours of various agricultural activities at selected sites and farms have been used to develop educational materials to the public. Rutgers University features living shorelines and oyster castles and application of aquaculture technique while University of District Columbia features aquaponics for tilapia culture in the high tunnel system. West Virginia State University is developing a video featuring a high tunnel with aquaponics and aeroponics and in summer 2018, Delaware State University will be developing a video on near shore oyster culture.

The virtual demonstrations serve as educational experiences that we hope will generate greater interest and understanding about climate change issues, and a larger appreciation and respect for those addressing them. We envision that this project will help build a bridge to climate adaptation strategies. Field visits are a powerful teacher, and we believe virtual field trips can achieve similar results with greater accessibility. In order to engage more people in climate informed decision-making, this project immerses users into digital field 'visit' that feels as if you were there. These educational efforts provide necessary information farmers and resource managers need to sustain their production and prepare them for fast changing climate conditions and disasters.