Here are my intrepid volunteers Elizabeth Skolnick and David Victor Rose who placed the new mussels in the current habitat. They seem proud!
Here is the crown installed (see the Mussels for Bio-remediation page to see the video) after the mussel planting. Hopefully it will protect them and allow them to thrive.
Lately Ive been working on correcting the mistakes I made during the 1st mussel habitat installation. (Please refer to my page "Mussels for Bio-remediation page) In order to protect the mussels from predators (raccoons), I designed and create a crown that would deter animals while allowing plenty of perforation for water. It is made from non-leaching marine board which I cut into strips and weaved a hard basket. The ends are tied together with polythylene, woven monofilament.
Working with an experienced marine photographer as Dr. Joe DeGiorgis has inspired many new ideas how to visualize the life that exists in a waterway Superfund site. At the same time it has confirmed my initial ideas of providing evidence how bio-remediation with filter feeding organism work in a contaminated creek such as this one. Originally I attempted to photograph this crudely in my apartment studio as they cleaned water for English Kills over the course of 2 hours. But I felt that I need or dramatic proof in video. So I set up a more controlled setting where, again, the experiment is where I placed two vessels with EK water in identical containers. One is left as is, the other has three ribbed mussels submerged. I shot recorded this over 4 hours and this was the result. Again it showed how effective it filtered a murky, brakish water into something more clarified. At the same time I was able to capture all the parasites and ecosystem that exist on its body swimming from one mussel to another.
Notice how the mussel reposition themselves with their foot in the third hour. See here for the video:
This is a sped up video of 2 samples of water from English Kills (Newtown Creek - Brooklyn, NY). One vessel is left as is, the other has three mussels submerged for 4 hours. Examine the clarity of the water with the mussels after the end of the experiment. This video demonstration is part of the ENGLISH KILLS PROJECT (englishkillsproject.squarespace.com).
Lately this past month and a half I have been working with the eminent neuroscientist/ marine biologist and photographer Dr. Joseph A. DeGiorgis (faculty at Providence College and School of Visual Arts). He instructing me on the finer points of examining and photographing the miniature life in English Kills. I have been trying to photograph and video killifish, shrimp and ribbed mussels under the microscope at the SVA Nat Lab.
The killifish have featured prominently in my videos. But in this photo I was able to record evidence of phosphorescent spots that I never knew existed.
The shrimp is a recent resident of English Kills.This summer was the first time I have seen them in this part of the basin. Normally they are in other parts closer to the main artery of the Creek. Im amazed how complex their bodies are.
Ribbed mussel are native the Creek.
I have recently introduced them close to the CSO of EK (see the Mussel habitats link). My observation under the dissecting microscope revealed an amazing ecosystem that exist on their shell substrate. Like for instance this anemone.
I found this critter that seems to feast on the regurgitation of the mussel filters.
The lips and filters of the mussels was the most difficult to capture. They are quite shy and seem to sense when other being approach them and are sensitive to light.
Of course, barnacles are a usual tenants of the mussel's substrate.
This blog should be my public journal. I have been keeping my thought and observations and writing my experiences of the English Kills Project in private for years. One day I hope to turn this into a book. But I need to share more and I hope that Im beginning to do this now.
It was during lowtide in The English Kills basin that I observed along the the collapsed embankment something that I have not seen before. It was some kind of trickling or stream coming from the base where the water receded.
On August 31st the ENGLISH KILLS PROJECT presented another planning workshop and presentation about Newtown Creek and the state of English Kills at Kings County Saloon. Once again we worked with Matej Vakula's MANUALS for PUBLIC SPACE to ask participants how they would re-imagine English Kills. There was a good turnout with interesting and of course funny responses and designs!
This is the first blog post for the ENGLISH KILLS PROJECT. This will be the depository of new information, experiences, endeavors, observation, revelations and discoveries. This has been a project that keeps giving back. Meaning that with each new season of the year provides more, new and various types of aesthetic, intellectual, sensory and natural experiences for myself, collaborators, participants and others that the EKP engages with. Obviously, I cannot create a page for everything that happens, so this is my way of keeping up with you and for this audience to understand the evolution of the ENGLISH KILLS PROJECT.