SAV Seekers Training (Sussex County - Delaware Sea Grant)

Ready to become a SAV Seeker? Join us on April 17, 2027 at the University of Delaware Cannon Laboratory for a full-day training that will prepare you to monitor Delaware's submerged aquatic vegetation.

Register here: https://www.delawaresav.org/event-details/sav-seekers-training-sussex-county-delaware-sea-grant

About the event

Ever wondered what's growing beneath the surface of Delaware's rivers, bays, ponds, streams and ditches? Well, there may be submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), and we need your help to find it! Join us for an engaging hands-on training to become a SAV Seeker—a community scientist helping to monitor the underwater grasses that sustain our waterways. This program will set you on the path to conduct comprehensive, adaptable transect-based monitoring effort across fresh and brackish waters, with ongoing support from dedicated Program Coordinators.

Join Delaware Sea Grant for a full-day volunteer training at the University of Delaware Cannon Laboratory in Lewes, Delaware on April 17. Participants will learn about submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) and the importance of monitoring these critical underwater habitats through a combination of classroom instruction and hands-on activities. The training includes live and pressed SAV species identification, a dry run of the field monitoring protocol, and everything you'll need to prepare for participating in future SAV surveys.

Please bring your own lunch.

Your Journey to Becoming a SAV Seeker:

Task 1: Classroom learning with hands-on activities

Task 2: In-field training at a monitoring site near you—we'll group participants by location

Task 3: Complete and pass an open-book knowledge test

Go Time: Start collecting data that contributes to Delaware's statewide SAV database!

Note: you will be given the option to take the certification test at the end of the event.

What You'll Learn:

SAV Basics: Discover what makes SAV special, why it matters for Delaware's waters, and how volunteer monitoring supports restoration efforts

Plant Identification: Practice identifying Delaware's SAV species using identification keys and pressed specimens, learning to recognize key features like leaf shape, arrangement, and flowering parts

Field Methods: Learn how to set up monitoring transects, assess habitat conditions, measure water quality parameters, and document SAV coverage

Data Collection: Get trained on using Survey123 and iNaturalist apps, or paper datasheets to record your observations

Hands-On Practice: Participate in an outdoor field demonstration to practice the full monitoring protocol

Questions? Contact Brittany Haywood at [email protected].

Registration Link: https://www.delawaresav.org/event-details/sav-seekers-training-sussex-county-delaware-sea-grant