PROJECT OBJECTIVES The objective of the Mosquito Breeding Habitat Survey was to identify and eliminate mosquito breeding habitat at the Sea Girt National Guard Training Center (NGTC). Mosquito-borne diseases are a threat to site personnel as well as visitors utilizing the beach area, camping facilities, sports fields, and those visiting the museum.
THEORETICAL BACKGROUND AND PROJECT RATIONALE Geo Referencing is the process of associating a physical map or raster image of a map with spatial locations.This 10 minute Youtube videoexplains georeferencing in more detail. The benefits of having georeferenced maps is that you can easily compare and perform research on them through overlays.
For this project, spatially georeferenced maps from 1930 and the present were accessible but the 1950 aerial maps needed to be georeferenced in order to effectively compare them to the rest. The interns were tasked to take points from the 1950 images and plot them to the actual, identical points located on site maps that were available to them. This task helps in keeping all three aerial versions of a site consistent in location. The skills required for georeferencing include being able to use spatial data, read tables in ArcMap and have knowledge around computers.
SUEIP is responsible for conducting annual site-wide surveys to locate and categorize all potential mosquito breeding habitat at the Sea Girt NGTC, and make recommendations for eliminating or reducing these available breeding habitats. Potential breeding habitat includes any area that could contain standing water, including roadside ditches, puddles, depressions, buckets, tires, etc. This is part of an ongoing survey effort that will be used to not only address breeding habitats on a seasonal basis but monitor breeding habitat availability over time. In June, 2020, the Sea Girt NGTC property was surveyed by SUEIP and EMB staff. In total, 65 potential breeding habitat locations were identified, 11 of which contained standing water. The remaining 54 locations were either dry, damp, or displayed evidence of previous standing water. This is an increase of 16 potential breeding locations from the 49 locations documented in 2019 and an increase of 27 potential breeding locations from the 36 locations document in 2018. Interns summarized these results in a formal report including a graph depicting the upward trend in available breeding habitats from 2018 to 2020. Positional data from the most recent 2020 survey season has been added to a dataset created in 2018 and will be part of an ongoing long-term monitoring effort. In August, SUEIP and EMB staff, with cooperation from facility maintenance personnel, successfully filled in several potential breeding locations. SUEIP submitted an After Action Report summarizing these efforts to EMB for their records.