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Members of New Haven’s Common Ground High School's Wetlands Club had the unique opportunity to explore the City’s waterfront, investigate the local ecosystem, and create cyanotype prints using materials they gathered from the environment, all thanks to the University of New Haven’s Robert M. Lee and Linda M. Wilkins Marine Science Center in the Canal Dock Boathouse in New Haven on the on the shore of the Long Island Sound.

“Because it was an afterschool wetlands club, the students were especially interested in the topic,” said Sarah Novarro, lab manager and Center’s outreach coordinator.

“They appreciated being able to take what they were learning and actually being in a wetland, investigating those things they had studied on paper, but don’t always get to experience firsthand,” Navarro continued.

The field trip began with a guided walk through the Long Wharf Nature Preserve, where students and their teachers explored the area’s plant life and ecological significance. Led by Amy Carlile, Ph.D., associate professor of biology and environmental science and assistant dean for faculty and curriculum for the College of Arts and Sciences, the group examined wetland plants and discussed how the landscape changes with the seasons.

After gathering plant materials and shells, the students returned to Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center, where they created cyanotypes—blueprints of their collected items—using UV light. “It was a great way to connect the field component of the trip with an artistic element they could take home,” said Novarro. “It also gave them a chance to warm up and interact with the environment in a different way.”

‘We’re laying a strong foundation to make this place a hub’

The University officially opened its Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center last fall, with a dual mission: to provide hands-on learning experiences for undergraduate and graduate students and to serve as an environmental education hub for the greater New Haven community.

“In this first year, we’re laying a strong foundation to make this place a hub for environmental education and outreach,” said Novarro. “Part of that is learning where we thrive and where we can make the most impact.”

Through its outreach initiative, COASTS (Community Opportunities for Assessing Science Training on the Sound), the Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center has hosted a variety of events, including collaborations with local schools and community partners. The goal is to create interactive, impactful programs that engage students and residents with the marine environment.

“We’ve noticed that so many people live in New Haven and don’t even know there’s water here, or they don’t know much about it,” said Novarro. “We want to be a space for people to learn, be curious, and ask questions about what’s happening in our harbor.”

By focusing on outreach to underrepresented communities, the programs aim to improve access to environmental education. Events such as the Wetlands Club visit are just the beginning of what Novarro and her team hope to accomplish.

“We’re starting to make connections, and things are falling into place,” she said. “The more people that see what we’re doing, the more opportunities open up.”

‘We’re figuring out where we can make the most impact’

Looking ahead, Novarro and her team are focused on expanding the Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center’s programming and strengthening partnerships with local schools and organizations. The facility is committed to hosting a number of outreach events each year, and the team is continually refining what those events will look like.

“We’re figuring out where we can make the most impact,” said Novarro. “It could shift over time, but the goal is to create programming that’s engaging, interactive, and gets kids out on the water.”

For those interested in partnering with the Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center, Novarro encourages them to reach out. “If you don’t know if it fits or would work well, let’s have that conversation,” she said. “We have a wonderful space that we’re excited to share with the community.”

With an expanding roster of events and a growing reputation in the community, the University’s Lee and Wilkins Marine Science Center, and the Canal Dock Boathouse as a whole, is quickly becoming a destination for hands-on environmental education. As Novarro put it, “We’re setting ourselves up to keep growing, and we’re excited for what’s ahead.”

For more information or to explore potential opportunities, please contact coasts@newhaven.edu or Sarah Novarro snovarro@newhaven.edu