The purpose of this award through the 2023 healthy communities grant program is to support the appalachian mountain club in their efforts to work with partners, students, and citizen scientists,…

The purpose of this award through the 2023 healthy communities grant program is to support the appalachian mountain club in their efforts to work with partners, students, and citizen scientists, identify areas of enhanced mercury risk in the merrimack river watershed using dragonfly biosentinels; work with teachers and partners, as well as their students and community participants, to interpret results and present findings across their target communities; and empower students and citizens to inform their communities about mercury risk based on their work and guide them in developing educational materials based on their own hands-on research as well as state and federal advisory information.activities:these funds will be used to conduct field monitoring for mercury in lowell, MA, lawrence, MA and manchester, NH. Site selection and field supplies and gear will be coordinated, and mercury analysis samples will be submitted. Students will be guided in the creation of science communication materials, such as videos and fact sheets, based on their own hands-on research. The project will host seminars focused on women working in the merrimack, as well as aim to increase mercury knowledge in sensitive populations (women of childbearing age, children). A teacher professional development workshop focused on using citizen-science collected data as real-world data in curriculum will be developed and implemented. The appalachian mountain club, along with project partners, will facilitate opportunities to connect to the watershed communities to share their scientific results and communication products, ensuring all materials are adapted and translated to align with audience objectives. Subrecipient:subaward funding will aid partner dartmouth college in coordinating sample analysis, assisting with summer institute and symposium, participating in sampling and classroom sessions, and acting as liaison with the national DMP to implement qapp procedures.outcomes:expected outcomes of this project include training teachers and community partners in field methods and mercury science, engaging students in sampling and data analysis, increasing education on the environmental impacts of industrialization, and enhancing monitoring of and communication about mercury in the merrimack river watershed. The intended beneficiaries include residents of lowell, lawrence, and manchester, NH.