A coastal ecosystems specialist with Cooperative Extension and New Hampshire Sea Grant was one of four New Hampshire residents recognized recently for working to help keep the Gulf of Maine watershed healthy.
Alyson Eberhardt ’04G won a Visionary Award from the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, a U.S.-Canadian partnership dedicated to protecting environmental quality in the Gulf of Maine. The council annually acknowledges work in its five jurisdictions: New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Visionary Awards recognize innovation, creativity and commitment to promoting a healthy Gulf of Maine.
Eberhardt has long been involved in sand dune restoration projects on the coasts of New Hampshire and Massachusetts. As program manager for New Hampshire Sea Grant’s research volunteers, she developed best practices for engaging community members in ecological research. Her research on the American eel increased understanding of the value of salt marsh habitats to the life history of the species.
She was among 22 groups and individuals acknowledged by the Gulf of Maine Council during its annual ceremony, held this year on June 5 in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Other New Hampshire award recipients include Cynthia Copeland, formerly of the Strafford Regional Planning Commission; Eric Schroeder, citizen volunteer for the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services, and Molly Bolster, executive director of the Gundalow Company. The City of Dover was also recognized for its leadership in promoting sustainable growth and development, addressing energy challenges and exploring ways to mitigate climate impacts.
