PREP's most recent hire, Sierra Kehoe, joins us as our Communications Coordinator. Sierra is a recent graduate from the University of New Hampshire where she studied Earth Sciences and Oceanography. While at UNH, Sierra completed a senior thesis on the effects of microplastics on marine microbes and spent a semester studying the ocean aboard a sailboat in the Caribbean. Sierra is excited to continue her environmentally-focused work through her new position at PREP. She will work on creating impactful content and connecting with different communities and organizations within our watershed. Hear more from Sierra below!
How did you become interested in coastal waterways?
Although I have always loved being in and around water, growing up in southern Vermont meant that trips to the salty ocean water were yearly (not nearly as frequent as I have the luxury to enjoy now). In fact, growing up, I always thought that the odorous estuarine habitats were just the part you had to plug your nose through before you got to the sea. When I came to UNH to study the ocean, I realized there was so much more to the oceanic ecosystem than the majestic whales and sharks I saw advertised. All the fresh and brackish water that passes through the watershed flows into the Gulf of Maine; all the systems are connected. Since joining the coastal science community, I’ve loved learning about NH’s two unique estuaries. Now, when I pass the smelly salt marshes and mud flats on my way to the beach, I know that they’re precious and critical habitats teaming with activity.
How did you come to work for PREP?
At the end of my junior year at UNH in 2021, I was looking for summer work and was connected to PREP’s eelgrass work in the Great Bay estuary. I worked at the Jackson Estuarine Lab and processed the eelgrass and seaweed samples collected for the Tier 2 monitoring program. I returned this past summer to continue work on the Tier 2 monitoring, but also to assist different programs where I could. For example, I spent a lot of time in the water planting and searching for eelgrass to support the Eelgrass Restoration project. As the field season slowed down, I transitioned into my new role as Communications Coordinator. While I still love field work and exploring the estuaries, I’m excited to use my scientific background and knowledge to better communicate the work being done in our estuaries.
What is your favorite thing to do on the water?
I love to be IN the water! Swimming, boating, paddle boarding, water skiing, SCUBA diving, rock-jumping, and surfing are all water-centric activities I love to do. Unfortunately, those activities are limited to around four months a year – five or six if you’re brave. In the winter I love to ski! (But that’s also on water… frozen water… same thing, right?)
What is one simple thing you would tell someone to do to protect the places you love?
Pay attention! A little goes a long way, and if you start to pay attention to your surroundings and things happening around you, you can make a difference. Noticing a piece of trash on the ground, an event happening in your community, a gap in scientific knowledge, or an environmental problem in your town and DOING something about it is a great way to make a difference and continue to protect the spaces we enjoy and love.