A.5 Eelgrass: What? Where? And Why?
Learn about eelgrass habitat in Island County and why we care about this resource. Island County Beach Watchers, Marine Resources Committee, and Friday Harbor Labs are partnering to determine the extent, and plant characteristics, of this habitat through underwater mapping, aerial photography and intertidal sampling. Jan Holmes, Gregg Ridder, Neal Clark
 Jan Holmes
Jan earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Huxley College of Environmental Science and a Master of Science degree in Marine and Estuarian Science from Western Washington University. She has been a Beach Watcher volunteer since 1990 and co-coordinator of Beach Watchers intertidal monitoring program since 1994. She is currently part of a new Beach Watcher effort to research the extent of eelgrass beds around Island County using Underwater video. She is co-founder of Periwinkle Press, a non profit organization which produces marine identification guides.
 Gregg Ridder
Dr. Ridder received a PhD in Chemistry from Purdue University in 1977. He worked as a research scientist at Procter & Gamble for 25 years studying mechanisms of toxicity at the cellular level using analytical cytometry. In retirement, he is contributing to the mapping of eelgrass abundance by underwater videography and aerial photography for the Marine Resources Committee as a Beach Watcher volunteer.
 Neal Clark
Neal had a long career in the computer industry, initially working at the hardware/software boundaries, and finishing with an Internet start-up. He retired to Whidbey Island in 2006, and became a Beach Watcher in 2007. Neal led the hardware design and equipment assembly team for the "Eelgrass Project".