Gulf Park Students Conduct Water Quality Testing in Bear Point Bayou

A group of 18 University of Southern Mississippi students were recently trained in water quality testing led by the Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy. Students in the Beta Iota Omicron (BIO) Club, EcoEagles and Gamma Theta Upsilon student organizations, based on the Gulf Park campus in Long Beach, participated in the event.

The water quality testing training was conducted in Bear Point Bayou, a body of water which runs through the University's Gulf Park campus. Over the next three years, the students, along with faculty members Jill Arnold, instructor of biology, and Dr. David Holt, associate professor of geography, will conduct monthly testing in two separate locations along the stream.

The testing, made possible in part by the Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy, will provide meaningful data to assist in preserving the waters and wildlife living in the eco-system of Bear Point Bayou.

According to their websites, the Audubon Society's mission is conserving and restoring natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, wildlife and their habitats. The Society relies on the strength of local chapters to connect people with nature and the power to protect it. The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to conserve lands and waters. Their work in Mississippi has played a key role in protecting and restoring some of Mississippi's iconic landscapes.

The Gulf Park campus student organizations, Beta Iota Omicron, EcoEagles and Gamma Theta Upsilon, have partnered together to conduct the ongoing water quality testing project. The goal of EcoEagles is to help find ways to support sustainability on the Gulf Park campus; the organization hosts bi-weekly meetings that are open to both the university and local community. The goal of Beta Iota Omicron (BIO) Club is to help promote career awareness for students interested in life or health sciences. Gamma Theta Upsilon is the geography honor society based on the Gulf Park campus whose activities support geography knowledge and awareness.

For more information about the water quality testing project, contact the Office of University Communications at 228.854.4574.