Marine Affairs
Marine Affairs is the multi-disciplinary study of the interactions between humans and the marine and coastal environments and resources and how they are managed with the ultimate goal of achieving sustainability.
We use Governors Island Ecology and Environmental Projects, New York City Ecology and Development, New York State, and Federal Policy as the lenses and core content.
The goal of the Marine Affairs curriculum is to achieve equitable solutions to economic, environmental, and social issues surrounding our environment.
Environmental Anthropologists of New York Harbor School and New York’s Coastal Environments research and observe access, ecological development, economic progress, and resilience. Thus, they learn about natural resources and management (hands-on and policy-driven) at NYHS, Governors, and NYC.
Marine Affairs students meeting with community leaders
Students booth at City Hall
NYHS garden view
Marine Affairs students meeting with community leaders
Instructor
Rob Markuske, NYHS Faculty rmarkuske@newyorkharborschool.org
Courses
10th Grade
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Fall - Intro Sustainability
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Spring - Sustainability Issues and Farmer Science
11th Grade
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Fall - Marine Affairs Intro
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Spring - Marine Affairs Applied
12th Grade
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Fall - Waterfront Edge and Stakeholder Engagement
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Spring - Marine Affairs Seminar
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Career and Financial Management
Partners
These individuals provide support in many ways: certifications, student internships, student work-based learning experiences, and fieldwork development. Grownyc, Earth Matter, Billion Oyster Project, New York Climate Exchange, Redhook Terminals, Wildlife Conservation Society, EcoWatch, WINGS, The Nature Conservancy, USDA, NOAA, Marine Sanctuary Foundation, NYSunworks, and much more.
Future Farmers of America and Sustainable Agriculture Mission The FFA's mission is to prepare members for real-world success and to feed a growing diverse population while sustainablity conserving our resources. Activities FFA members participate in hands-on experiences, agriscience projects, research, competitions, and community service. Sustainability FFA A group of school leaders collects food waste from members and returns compost to our urban farm in the spring. The club aims to reduce carbon emissions from food waste, increase biodiversity, and educate people about the benefits of composting. Urban Farm FFA Students work with community members to grow food in the soil, hydroponically and use urban farming to increase biodiversity and manage stormwater runoff.
Industry Recognized Summative Assessments
Sustainability Fellow through NOCTI and Green Education Fund
MARPOL Compliance the North America Marine Environment Protection Association
EPA - Watershed Academy
Controlled Environmental Ag through USDA
Safe Boater Course
Waterfront Edge Design Guidelines - Waterfront Alliance
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Description
Course Content:
This course examines natural resources, their human impact, usage, and management. Specific case studies will illustrate the issues discussed; Harbor School, Governors Island, and New York City are our testing grounds for this content.
Course Objectives:
1. Explore and understand the complex and essential ways humans relate to and depend upon coastal and marine environments and resources.
2. Think critically about how humans transform and manage marine space and its components. 3. Reflect seriously on issues, challenges, and solutions involving complex marine and coastal management and sustainability problems.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1. Recognize multiple complex human uses of the marine and coastal environments and resources.
2. Describe significant issues and challenges in marine and coastal management and policy.
3. Provide examples of strategies typically employed in marine and coastal management.
4. Explain the importance of multidisciplinary holistic approaches for managing marine and coastal environments and resources.
5. Assess the effectiveness of potential solutions to address complex marine and coastal management and sustainability problems.
These skills will allow students to pursue college and begin to think about the fields of environmental education, environmental law, environmental journalism, environmental management, environmental ethics, environmental policy, environmental remediation, urban planning and design, marine biology, natural resources, sustainable development, zoology, and specialized areas like desert studies, international environmental politics, and sustainable development management.
NYS CTE Certification:
Natural Resources and Management in Agriculture/Natural Resources Career Cluster
Check out Marine Affair's Green Mapping Project for Climate Week NYC!
The Marine Affairs program will facilitate this project with guidance from Wendy Brawer at Green Maps. The map will illustrate students' investigation of Ecosystem Services, Sustainable Development Goals, and Climate vulnerabilities.
The hands-on data collecting took place during the early days of the 2024-2025 school year; students walked on the island and collected observations on the topics above.
Moreover, students took those observations and developed a map from the youth's perspective to guide people's experiences on the island. This will become integral to the student's experiences and enhance public knowledge of the island and its relationship to emerging issues of our time and developments to combat it, raising important questions.