New Meyer’s Point grants support environmental research and hands-on learning

Along the shoreline of South Puget Sound where forests, wetlands, and marine ecosystems meet a rapidly growing urban corridor, Washington State University researchers and students are studying some of the Pacific Northwest's most pressing environmental and cultural challenges at Meyer's Point Environmental Field Station (MPEFS).

A new round of awards from the 2026 MPEFS Small Grant Program will fund interdisciplinary research and field-based learning at the field station located just north of Olympia in one of Washington's fastest-growing regions. The projects span coastal resilience, biodiversity, Indigenous knowledge systems, environmental history, and sustainable land use.

"These five new projects span multiple academic units and a diverse array of disciplines," said MPEFS Director Stephen Bollens. "Collectively they represent our commitment to advancing research, teaching and outreach related to the nexus between the environment and society, consistent with WSU's broader mission as a land grant university."

Bequeathed to WSU in 1990, Meyer's Point includes 95 acres of undeveloped land and more than 2,100 feet of Puget Sound shoreline. The property also contains extensive terrestrial, wetland, and aquatic habitats that offers a rare place to study environmental change at the urban-rural interface.

Taken together, the five new awards showcase the College of Arts and Sciences' (CAS) and Meyer's Point's strength in supporting service and community engaged research.

Research rooted in place

Several of the new research projects are taking a closer look at changes already unfolding along coastal Washington.

One project, "Confronting Coastal Archaeological and Ecological Change: Measuring the Problem and Exploring Local Solutions to Anthropogenic Sea Level Rise," led by anthropologist Colin Greer, will employ drone-based Lidar mapping and 3D photogrammetry to examine short and long-term changes to shorelines.

Another project, "Acoustic Monitoring for Avian Biodiversity and Waterfowl Habitat Use at Meyer's Point," led by Jennifer Phillips from the School of the Environment, will use acoustic monitoring technologies to study how many species of birds are utilizing Meyer's Point for migration, overwintering, and breeding.

Connecting research and experiential learning

The project "Ecotone Dynamics and Field-Based Learning at Meyer's Point Environmental Field Station," led by Kevan Moffett of the School of the Environment, will focus on ecological transition zones, places where ecosystems meet and interact. This new project will measure atmospheric deposition and plant physiological stress across the site, and just as important, will expand opportunities for students, including immersive multi-day field-based experiences.

Indigenous knowledge, history, and stewardship

Two grants place Indigenous knowledge systems, cultural history, and stewardship at the forefront, reflecting long-standing relationships to the Puget Sound region.

The project "Expanding Indigenous Perennial Food Gardens and Demonstrating Compatible Land Use," led by Sierra Smith from WSU Extension, will support efforts to establish two indigenous "first food" gardens, one for Camas and one for biscuit root, on site at MPEFS. This project will include active participation by children in tribal schools.

A second project, "A Bushel's Worth: Indigenous Knowledge and Labor in Puget Sound's Oyster Industry, 1850-2026," led by historian Kathleen Whalen, will look at the long ties among Indigenous communities, marine ecosystems, and the region's oyster industry. It traces those connections across more than a century and a half of change.

A regional model for environmental research and outreach

Since 1990, Meyer's Point has supported research, training, and outreach across multiple WSU campuses, alongside community partners.

The Meyer family's original vision was to "promote environmental education, research, and the arts." The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) continues to develop the field station with that charge in mind, strengthening it as a hub for research, education, and outreach for the Puget Sound region and beyond.

"Meyer's Point represents the kind of long-term investment that reflects both our land-grant mission and our responsibility to the future," said CAS Dean Courtney Meehan. "It creates opportunities for students to engage directly with environmental challenges while strengthening the partnerships and research collaborations needed to serve communities across the region. This work will continue to grow in importance for Washington state and beyond."