Wells Reserve Blog

Ecological Recovery of Maine Waterways & Coastal Fisheries

suzanne@wellsnerr.org (Suzanne Kahn Eder) — Wed, 09 May 2012 09:00:00 EST

On Monday, Dr. John Lichter of Bowdoin College was the featured speaker for our monthly Lunch 'n Learn. He shared his research and posed many intriguing quesitons: What ecosystem traits provide resilience after a disturbance? Is there a link between social and ecological resilience? How much do ecosystems depend on diversity? Dr. Lichter went on to give an interesting historical account of the Kennebec River system:

1710s: Overfishing was happening

1720s: Land was being cleared on a large scale

1730s: Dams were installed

1780s: Agriculture was well established

1860s: Water pollution was happening on an industrial scale

1960s: Invasive species were present

Between 1930 and 1970, dissolved oxygen levels dropped in the Kennebec River, but the levels rebounded significantly following the passage of the Clean Water Act. Although this is encouraging data, Dr. Lichter reminded the audience that there is still a long way to go in terms of recovery efforts.

There were once 20 million herring in the Kennebec River, whereas now there are only 3 million. This drop is related more to obstacles in fish passage (i.e. dams), rather than water quality. The hypothesis is that dams in Maine are preventing the full recovery of fish. An individual female alewife lays 150,000 eggs, so the impact of her (and the many other alewives swimming alongside her) not being able to pass dams upstream to lay her eggs is huge.

A piece of Dr. Lichter's talk that I found most interesting was his presentation of data taken at Benton Falls on the Sebasticook River. When a pump was installed to pump water over the dam at that site, it also sent fish over the dam, increasing their spawning numbers. Later, when a fish elevator was installed to lift fish over the dam, the spawning numbers increased again. Finally, when the dam was removed, the number of fish increased even more.

Before heading back to Bowdoin, Dr. Lichter posed for this photograph with two of his former Bowdoin students who now work at the Reserve: Kate Reichert, Environmental Education Fellow; and Alex Van Boer, Research Intern

Life after the Wells Reserve: An Americorps Member Update

no-email.ethornton@wellsnerr.org (Emily Thornton) — Fri, 04 May 2012 09:00:00 EST

I cannot believe it’s been six months since I left the Wells Reserve at the end of my MCC term. Last November, having spent the summer and fall gaining valuable field experience, I headed home to pursue my next career goal: admission to graduate school. It was a daunting but surprisingly natural transition, as my experiences at the Reserve prepared me well for this next phase.

I came to the Wells NERR during a two-year “break” from academic study. I had a degree in Biology and Environmental Science and knew that I was interested in conducting ecological research and becoming a professor. I just needed to determine what I wanted to study. I took a few short-term environmental research and education positions before arriving in Wells, using what I liked and disliked about each job to determine what to do next. I came to the Reserve in May 2011 after finishing an environmental education assistantship in Florida. I was eager to resume field research, particularly in aquatics, and was excited to start work with fish. The position was a great fit because I was looking for a combination of marine and freshwater work, and I was going to participate in a wide variety of monitoring and research projects (see my last post for a summary).

The summer flew by and in the early fall I began to think about what my next career move would be. This was a struggle because I was really enjoying my work, particularly the projects involving anadromous fish. After much contemplation, I realized that the only way my situation could be better was if I was doing my own research. All at once, I had found the desire to return to school and the topic I wished to study there.

And so the grad school hunt began! I did a nationwide search for coastal schools with professors studying anadromous fish ecology, and sent out dozens of emails inquiring about graduate funding. Early in the fall, I contacted Dr. Tom Quinn at the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences. We had common research interests and he described a project he hoped to have funded regarding the Elwha River dam removals and the river’s salmonids. Simply, the project was like a large-scale version of the Shorey’s Brook restoration project. It was, by far, the most exciting graduate opportunity I had heard about and I thought my experience at the Wells Reserve, particularly with Shorey’s Brook, would make me a good candidate for the position.

I continued my graduate school search, but UW remained at the top of my list. In mid-February, Dr. Quinn contacted me about a phone interview. That led to an in-person interview in Seattle, which resulted in my admission to the school! This September, I will begin my MS in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, studying salmonids as they recolonize and re-establish anadromy in the Elwha River.

The restoration of the Elwha River is one of the largest ecological restoration projects in United States history and I am thrilled to be involved. I am certain that my experiences at the Wells Reserve not only helped me to get the graduate position, but that the work I’ve done in southern Maine’s waterways has helped prepare me for the work that I’ll be doing on the Elwha.

Arendt Workshop Draws Folks from Midcoast, Keene, and Between

acox@wellsnerr.org (Annie Cox) — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST

Last Thursday 44 participants from 12 towns in Maine and New Hampshire along with local businesses, regional and state planners, and non-profits attended the Coastal Training Program's Strengthening Town Centers and Transforming Commercial Corridors workshop with Randall Arendt.

Randall began the evening with a slide show of pictures with features associated with well-designed commercial and mixed use development throughout the country. Some of these features include:

Introduce central medians planted with shade trees to calm traffic and increase real estate value
Link parking lots with sidewalks for pedestrians
Use multiple-story mixed-use construction
Create “greenways” for walkers and cyclists out of drainage areas to improve water quality and provide habitat

Afterwards participants broke out into groups to transform an aerial of an existing commercial corridor using the design techniques Randall had shown and discussed earlier. The groups shared their new designs with each other, one planner commented, “lots of before and after pictures - made the ideas accessible, showed that change can happen!”

Volunteering with the Wells Reserve at Laudholm

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST

WELLS, Maine, April 10, 2012 — “Many hands make light work” have long been words to live by at one of York County’s most beautiful and popular properties, and the Wells Reserve at Laudholm now has openings for people seeking a meaningful place to volunteer. If you have a few hours to spare each week, or a day now and then to dedicate to a local landmark, contact Nancy Viehmann, the Wells Reserve’s director of volunteer programs, at 207-646-1555 ext 118 or email nancyv@wellsnerr.org.

If you’re talented with handtools, have a knack for painting or landscaping, or are skilled as an electrician or plumber, you can help maintain the buildings and grounds of historic Laudholm Farm.

If you enjoy meeting and talking with people from near and far, you could be a receptionist in the Visitor Center or admission booth, a ranger along a miles-long trail system, or a helper at fundraising events.

If you have a science or education background, you might enjoy monitoring water quality, profiling beaches, searching for and removing invasive species, or leading educational tours.

Let your talents and interests be your guide and Nancy will find a role to match. Make a difference at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is a 2,250-acre National Estuarine Research Reserve with its headquarters listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Wells Reserve’s goal is to protect and restore coastal ecosystems around the Gulf of Maine. Staff and volunteers expand knowledge about coasts and estuaries, engage people in environmental learning, and involve communities in conserving natural resources.

The work of the Wells Reserve and the care of its historic site are made possible by Laudholm Trust. Organized as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 1982, member-supported Laudholm Trust provides vital monetary and in-kind support to the Wells Reserve. This local support enables the Wells Reserve to receive additional funds from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is located on Laudholm Farm Road, just off U.S. Route 1 near the Wells-Kennebunk line.

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Babies On the Way

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST

May is expected to be baby month around here, so staff (along with a few volunteers and interns) got together yesterday to wish well the first-time parents-to-be. Among the gifts showered upon Annie Cox and Sarah and Jeremy Miller were these creative blankets crafted by office manager Joyce Shea. (That yummy-looking carrot cake was the work of Jane Smith, with husband Tin's teasing sentiment expressed in true-blue icing.)

Research Intern Building on Reserve Experience

jmiller@wellsnerr.org (Jeremy Miller) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 09:00:00 EST

In the summer of 2009, Marissa Hammond came to us as a wide-eyed UNE freshman with little experience in research science. She has since blossomed into a NOAA scholarship award winner who has been accepted into a highly respected graduate program in fisheries management and policy. Here is what she had to say about how the Wells Reserve played a part in that journey…

I am currently a senior at the University of New England, where I’m pursuing a degree in Marine Biology and Environmental Studies. I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to intern at the Wells Reserve studying larval and juvenile fish in the Webhannet Estuary.

After high school, I knew I wanted to study Environmental Science and Marine Biology — the question was where. When I toured the UNE campus it felt like the right place! I grew up in Wiscasset, a small coastal town in the Midcoast region of Maine, and UNE recreated that atmosphere for me. Within my first weeks on campus, I began volunteering for Dr. Pam Morgan of the Environmental Studies department, who frequently collaborated with researchers at the Wells Reserve. During the next month, I helped with various tasks involving salt marsh restoration. While volunteering with Dr. Morgan, I met Jeremy Miller, a research associate with the Reserve. Jeremy happened to be looking for an intern to take over sampling and processing for their ichthyoplankton (larval fish) monitoring program. So, for the next two and half years, I spent time during the school year and summer interning and volunteering at the Wells Reserve, gaining a vast array of skills, knowledge, and experience.

Because of this opportunity, I became a very competitive candidate for NOAA’s Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship, which I received during my sophomore year. This scholarship came with funding for two years, along with a paid internship for summer ’11. I did mine at the National Marine Fisheries Services (NMFS) field station in Orono, Maine, where I completed an independent project that I later presented at the NOAA Headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland.

My time at the Wells NERR and with NMFS sparked my interest in pursuing a graduate degree in fisheries science. I’ve always had a stake in Maine’s fisheries because my father is a lobsterman; I’ve been “sterning” for him since I was nine! However, with the predicted impacts of climate change, my curiosity and outlook on fisheries shifted. I went from enjoying it because I like being outside, to wondering how successful the next season would be if water temperatures increased or storms worsened.

I applied to Michigan State University and was accepted into the Fisheries and Wildlife Department in January. I am entering into a PhD program in the area of Fisheries Management and Policy. I will be working with a University Distinguished Professor, Dr. William Taylor, and will begin my program in August 2012. I will be studying the impacts of climate change on Lake Whitefish recruitment, which is the most important commercial fishery in the Great Lakes.

If it wasn’t for the connections I made and experiences I had within the Environmental Studies Department at UNE, the Wells NERR, and NMFS, I wouldn’t be where I am today!

Wells Reserve Offers Training for Volunteer Naturalists

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

WELLS, Maine, March 8, 2012 — Spring training for volunteer naturalists starts at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm on March 19. No experience or special expertise is necessary. Reserve educators provide full training and new volunteers will “job shadow” knowledgeable leaders until they are confident enough to go out on their own.

“Our volunteer naturalists are typically outgoing people who enjoy sharing their love of nature by guiding visitors around the Wells Reserve at Laudholm,” says Paige Rutherford, the Wells Reserve’s interpretive education associate. “We offer year-round environmental education for people of all ages, but right now we are getting ready for the many school groups who will be with us this spring.”

Upcoming trainings include an orientation for new volunteers, followed by “Secrets of a Great Guide,” “Be a Naturalist,” and several specialized topics for school programs.

School groups typically spend 2 or 3 hours exploring habitats that might include fields, forests, salt marshes, and a sandy beach. Special activities take place at multiple stops along the way.

“Helping people discover the world around them is reward enough for most volunteers,” Rutherford adds. “But they also get to be outside at an absolutely beautiful historic site, learn about and see diverse local wildlife, get to know about estuaries, join a great volunteer community, and support the mission of a national treasure.

To learn more about trainings, visit www.wellsreserve.org. To sign up, call Paige Rutherford at 207-646-1555 ext 110.

The Wells Reserve at Laudholm is located on Laudholm Farm Road, just off U.S. Route 1 near the Wells-Kennebunk line.

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Winged Wednesday XIV: A Barnacle

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

The Wells Reserve boundary stretches well beyond the familiar Laudholm campus, as our partnership with the USFWS Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge means the reserve includes most salt marsh habitats within the Town of Wells. So when birder Brian Harris photographed a Barnacle Goose (with Mallard and American Black Ducks) on the Moody marsh, he documented a new species for both the refuge and the reserve. For the reserve, this would be species number 265.

Barnacle Geese summer at far northern latitudes; Greenland, Svalbard, and Novaya Zemlya are traditional breeding grounds, with Baltic Sea nations recently hosting a population. The bird's winter range is mainly England, Scotland, Ireland, and the Netherlands. So what would a Barnacle Goose be doing in Wells?

It seems just about any out-of-range goose could be a suspected escapee from a zoo or private collection, but birders are becoming more convinced that occasional wanderers appear in the northeast naturally. A nice summary on the topic, "Greenland Geese in North America," was published just a few years ago in North American Birding magazine.

The Maine Bird Records Committee decided unanimously that a 2003 record of the species was valid, thereby adding it to the official list of Maine birds, and their reasoning for that acceptance would likely apply to this individual, as well — it is acting like a wild bird, exhibits no telltale signs of captivity, and fits a pattern of increasing levels of apparently natural vagrancy.

If careful scrutiny by ornithologists suggests this goose got here with human assistance, we are happy to remove it, but meanwhile we have added Barnacle Goose to our complete list of birds.

Field Guides of the Wells Reserve

katereichert@wellsnerr.org (Kate Reichert) — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

As we gear up for a busy spring and summer, we are pleased to present a finished set of seven field guides to the Wells Reserve salt marsh and intertidal zones!

These field guides will serve as quick and simple references for docents and visitors on school field trips, summer walks, and other public programs. Each of the seven guides highlights 10 to 15 common species of plants and animals, including fish, birds, seaweeds, grasses, and many more. We hope you get a chance to check them out on your next visit!

Summer Camps Brochure Available

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

The web calendar is a great source of information about our programs, but the summer camps brochure adds detail and provides a signup form. Reserve your space(s) early to be sure you don't miss out.

Summer Camps 2012 brochure (333 kb)

Financial aid is available for these day camps. Learn more about our scholarship programs.

Post-Restoration Fish Habitat Monitoring for Shoreys Brook

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 09:00:00 EST

Goal

Determine the presence or absence of diadromous rainbow smelt and appropriate habitat within the restored area of Shoreys Brook

Project Period

March and April 2012

Activities

Habitat Assessment — Determine extent of tidal flooding and tidal incursion, identify potential spawning substrate, measure water quality and water velocity

Site Passability — Measure water velocity and water depth

Fish Use — Fish with fyke net, survey for eggs, visually search for fish at night

Products

Report no later than November 30, 2012

Partners

Great Works Regional Land Trust

Winter Wildlife Day 2

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

Here are a few images from the second Winter Wildlife Day, held during school vacation week with help from York County Audubon and the Center for Wildlife. Despite the lack of snow, folks had a good time. The rain showers seemed to arrive when everyone was inside for presentations and the sun came out when it was time for the trail walks.

At the end of the day, we drew two winners for our winter raffle sponsored by Kittery Trading Post. Congratulations to Amanda Provost of Berwick and Barbara Bridge of Cape Porpoise!

The Boston Channel Visits

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

A team from The Chronicle, WCVB's long-running news magazine, visited us as part of their "Tank Away" series. They selected three spots in Wells for their feature and started right here. You can view the result of their work online at thebostonchannel.com.

Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative Honored with U.S. Water Prize

acox@wellsnerr.org (Annie Cox) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

The Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative, an ambitious interstate effort to protect drinking water supplies for more than 47,000 residents in Maine and New Hampshire, has been awarded the 2012 U.S. Water Prize by the Clean Water America Alliance (CWAA).

In its announcement this week, the CWAA wrote…

The selection of the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative for the U.S. Water Prize highlights the importance of inter-jurisdictional partnerships to protect and sustain drinking water supplies. This inter-state collaborative between Maine and New Hampshire unites local, state and federal partners to protect forests and reduce stormwater pollution from anticipated development.

Created through the efforts of drinking water protection programs in both states, the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative brings together natural resource experts, municipalities, land trusts, and local water districts.

The lead convener for the collaborative is the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership (PREP). The Wells Reserve, as a PREP partner, handles project management for the collaborative through its Coastal Training Program. CTP organized a 2010 stakeholder workshop that resulted in the development of an Action Plan for protecting clean drinking water for future generations.

Representatives of the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative display copies of the Action Plan.

The Salmon Falls River is the largest river system contributing to the Great Bay estuary. It was recently identified by the U.S. Forest Service as the most threatened in the nation with regard to a potential decline in water quality due to conversion of private forested lands to housing.

Clean Water America Alliance President Ben Grumbles said the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative and other "water champions are showing America how to innovate, integrate and educate for water sustainability and economic success.”

Awards will be presented in Washington, D.C., on April 23.

Punkinfiddle Poster Art

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

When Punkinfiddle started out in 2003, we sponsored an art competition to find a logo that would tie pumpkins and fiddles together in a festive way. We had several worthy entries, but the standout was from Joseph Havens, a skilled graphic designer living in Kennebunk. Joe evoked our anticipated feel for the event before we had even nailed down the day's details!

Our friends at Dietz Associates digitized the art and featured it on our first poster. The logo jumped off the page, attracting lots of attention and helping to make our event wildly successful.

More Punkinfiddle poster background after the art…

The first Punkinfiddle was so great we decided to do it again. Among the volunteers to step forward to help in 2004 was Piper Castles, who offered to come up with an original piece of art to feature on the poster. Her painting was inspired by the weathervane perched atop the Maine Coastal Ecology Center—come see for yourself next time you're here.

Piper returned in 2005 and did a painting of Canada geese flying over the Laudholm campus. Just lovely. She followed it up with another eye-catching piece in 2006, the year we shifted Punkinfiddle to September so it would correspond with National Estuaries Day. It was a challenge, but Piper managed to marry pumpkins to the estuary very gracefully.

Motherhood superseded Punkinfiddle for Piper, but our research associate Jim Dochtermann was more than happy to share his salt marsh scene for the 2007, 2008, and 2009 fliers, firming up the event's estuary connections. In 2010 and 2011, we again put the Havens logo front and center, placing it over a Jeff Stevensen photograph of a tranquil tidal river.

The 2012 Punkinfiddle will be our 10th (time flies!) and we're planning to present another memorable art poster to help celebrate in style. Watch for it this summer.

Albino porcupine and friend spotted along trails

katereichert@wellsnerr.org (Kate Reichert) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

A quick lunch-time trail hike turned into an exciting wildlife tracking adventure this afternoon for two members of the Education Staff! After turning onto the Pilger Trail from the Laudholm Connector, we noticed the very distinct tracks below. See if you can spot them!

Hoping simply to find out where the elongate porcupine tracks led, we followed the footprints slowly. These tracks were mixed in with a few others, including deer, raccoon, and perhaps a handful of other small mammals. Luckily, we took our eyes off of the ground just in time to catch a fantastic sight in a nearby apple tree: a small, white, prickly ball, edging itself toward the end of a branch. An albino porcupine!

Thrilled to see such an unexpected wild friend, we rushed back to the farmhouse to grab a camera and a couple pairs of binoculars. The porcupine stayed put, soaking in the warm rays of sunshine, moving only ever-so-slowly to reach up with a leg and scratch its belly! Content with a few good snapshots and binocular views, we continued along the Pilger Trail, still delighted with our find, until we met up with the Barrier Beach Trail to bring us back to the office.

But wait! Along the Barrier Beach, high up in a maple tree, was yet another bundle of quills and fur, this time all brown! Another porcupine friend, whom I had spotted just last weekend in the same tree, was resting peacefully on this beautiful winter day.

What a wonderful walk, with such adorable and unexpected friends!

This is the second time an all-white porcupine has been spotted on the trails at the Wells Reserve, and it is one of a handful of albino porcupines that have been seen in the Southern Maine region. Many of our visitors are familiar with Edna the albino porcupine, a lovable wildlife ambassador from the Center for Wildlife in Cape Neddick, who has visited the Reserve on many occasions including summer camps and Winter Wildlife Day. We are glad to know Edna has a few wild friends in the area, and encourage you to get out and see what wildlife and tracks you can find! For a tracking experience with a professional Maine guide or an opportunity to see animal ambassadors from the Center for Wildlife, we invite you to join us for Winter Wildlife Day this month, on February 23 from 10am-2pm. Hope to see you there!

Joyner Stepping Down as President of Laudholm Trust

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:00:00 EST

WELLS, Maine, February 3, 2012 — Diana Joyner, president of the Laudholm Trust, the fundraising partner of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm, is stepping down from her position in June, according to an announcement from Bruce Read, chair of the Trust board.

A board committee has begun the search process for a successor.

“Four years ago, Diana stepped off of our board and into the interim president position at a critical time in the history of the Trust,” notes Read. “The economy had softened and we needed someone with distinct leadership skills at the helm. Diana did such an outstanding job, we asked her to stay aboard for a few more years. Under her leadership, the organization has not only grown, it’s thrived.”

According to Read, Joyner was instrumental in leading the organization through the economic downturn without staff or program reductions by trimming operational and event expenses, increasing event profits, increasing site rentals for weddings and corporate events, and developing and implementing a three-year strategic plan.

“One of our goals was to increase the visibility of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm by rebranding the organization,” adds Read. “Diana led the charge on this. We’ve reintroduced the Wells Reserve at Laudholm through new logo designs, revamped publications, an all-new website, new historical building signage and trail signs, a new trailside education program, and increased visibility in the media.”

According to Read, Joyner also created new opportunities for community involvement. “Diana developed new partnerships with local school districts, helped create some events to attract young adults and families, and recruited almost fifty new business partners and sponsors for the Trust’s signature events at the Wells Reserve – the Laudholm Nature Crafts Festival, Punkinfiddle, and Wells Reserve EcoDay.”

Joyner’s impact on the historic Laudholm campus included co-managing a renovation of the Visitor Center and the installation of new exhibits there, as well as the construction of a new entryway information kiosk.

“I’ve especially enjoyed the opportunity to work with the Laudholm Trust board and staff, the team at the Wells Reserve, and our many generous donors and volunteers,” remarks Joyner. “Like all non-profit organizations, we faced many challenges during the economic downturn. But with the extensive support we’ve received at all levels, there have been many successes that place the organization in excellent condition, financially and programmatically.

“I’ve established many new relationships that will continue to enrich my life,” adds Joyner. “At this point, it’s time to pass the helm over to an individual who will broaden the impact of Laudholm Trust while I spend more time with my family. I fully intend to be a very active supporter in the years ahead.”

Read says that the board’s search committee is now accepting online applications. Interested individuals can learn more about the position and the application process by visiting the Wells Reserve at Laudholm website at www.wellsreserve.org. Joyner will be assisting throughout the transition.

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About Laudholm Trust

Laudholm Trust, a member-supported 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is dedicated to advancing the coastal research, education, and stewardship programs of the Wells Reserve and to preserving its historic buildings by providing monetary and in-kind support for programs, operations, and capital improvements. The Trust strives to extend its unique legacy by galvanizing community support and inspiring actions that protect Maine's coastal environments. For more information visit www.wellsreserve.org.

Mechanized Haying

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Just added to the historic photo archive is this old photograph with the brief note "at Wells–Laudholm" written on the back. Any tractor experts care to speculate on the year and make of that antique? Thanks to Charles for passing along the 2x3" image from which this was cropped.

Keystone Property Protected along Merriland River in Wells

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

WELLS, Maine, January 26, 2012 — A 105-acre property that connects 540 acres of existing conservation land has been permanently protected by the Town of Wells in partnership with the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve at Laudholm.

The Tilton parcel, as it is known, contains 5,250 feet of frontage along the Merriland River, ecologically significant wetlands, and forested uplands. It protects habitat for a variety of wildlife, scenic views, and historic stone walls, and will provide for recreational and educational opportunities for the public.

The 105-acre Tilton parcel serves as a conservation bridge between two already conserved tracts of land: 410 acres of town-owned land called the Great Haith, and a 130-acre conservation easement held by the Great Works Regional Land Trust. With the protection of the Tilton Parcel, a 645-acre conservation node has been created in the center of this community.

Keith Fletcher, a member of the Wells Conservation Commission who was the Tilton Project Leader, says that "We are very lucky that the most important parcel in the Great Haith area was owned by a family with deep Wells roots. They love the land and wanted to see it conserved. They waited patiently for many years for the funding to fall into place for this purchase. I am very grateful to the Tilton family, and I am sure future generations of Wells residents will also be grateful that this land was placed into conservation."

The property was purchased from the Tilton Family, who had owned and managed the land for many years. The property includes extensive road frontage on both sides of Route 109, and along the Bragdon Road. Five acres around an existing house were excluded from the purchase.

The conservation purchase was funded by the Elmina B. Sewall Foundation, a grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program, and the residents of Wells, who each year vote to place town funds in a “Land Bank” for conservation acquisitions.

“Once again the people of Wells have voted to invest in their future: clean trout streams, pure well water, healthy beaches downstream, beautiful woods, and water for recreation,” says Owen Grumbling, chair of the Wells Conservation Commission. “Investing in the Land Bank fund year by year allowed us to acquire this beautiful parcel without incurring debt.”

The Merriland River is the major freshwater source for one of the three estuaries encompassed by the Wells Reserve and Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. The river originates in sandy outwash plains in western region of the Town of Wells, meandering for six miles before meeting Branch Brook to form the Little River, the largely pristine estuary of the Reserve and the Refuge.

The Merriland River and its associated uplands are a high priority for conservation for the Town of Wells Conservation Commission and Wells Reserve.

“Protection of land along the rivers that flow into our estuaries and those properties that contribute to landscape-scale conservation in coastal York County communities are priorities for us,” says Paul Dest, director of the Wells Reserve. “The Tilton Parcel helps accomplish both of these objectives.”

Remembering "Sandy" Brook

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

In this week's York County Coast Star, Shelley Wigglesworth reports on the passing of Alexander Bacon Brook — "Sandy" — who owned and edited the paper from 1957 to 1977. The remembrances collected there reflect Brook's life as a newspaperman, but readers of the era also knew he loved York County's unspoiled environment. Here's a passage from an editorial he wrote in the paper — as Joyce Butler says in her history of Laudholm — "when preserving Laudholm Farm was still a dream"…

...untouched, unrelieved panorama of sea and sun and sky and trees and marsh grasses… observing a stationary bittern, or the ducks where the river widens, or a red-winged blackbird on the far bank… to dream alone and furtive there like an early settler… drinking the clean scents of sweet grass and saltwater, feeling the hot sun shine on, shine on, hearing the wind playing the marsh grasses like a million oboes and the swishing of the outgoing tide at the river lip.

Yes, this is why we are here, stewarding such timeless wonders to honor the vision of our predecessors and to inspire future generations.

Winter-Spring Program Calendar

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Our program calendar covering February through May is now available to download. Highlights include:

Day camps for February and April school vacations
Winter Wildlife Day
Monthly Lunch 'n' Learns
Docent Training
Two Night Hikes
Wells Reserve EcoDay

Download the 2012 winter-spring calendar (700kb)

Another Step Forward for National Ocean Policy

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

The White House has released a draft implementation plan for National Ocean Policy, demonstrating ongoing progress on a massive task. The draft implementation plan is guided by four themes:

Adopt ecosystem-based management
Obtain, use, and share the best science and data
Promote efficiency and collaboration
Strengthen regional efforts

The plan lays out a series of more than 50 actions — with accompanying outcomes and milestones — guided by these National Priority Objectives:

Ecosystem-Based Management: Adopt ecosystem-based management as a foundational principle for the comprehensive management of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes.
Inform Decisions and Improve Understanding: Increase knowledge to continually inform and improve management and policy decisions and the capacity to respond to change and challenges. Better educate the public through formal and informal programs about the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes.
Observations, Mapping, and Infrastructure: Strengthen and integrate Federal and non-Federal ocean observing systems, sensors, data collection platforms, data management, and mapping capabilities into a national system, and integrate that system into international observation efforts.
Coordinate and Support: Better coordinate and support Federal, State, Tribal, local, and regional management of the ocean, our coasts, and the Great Lakes. Improve coordination and integration across the Federal Government and, as appropriate, engage with the international community.
Regional Ecosystem Protection and Restoration: Establish and implement an integrated ecosystem protection and restoration strategy that is science-based and aligns conservation and restoration goals at the Federal, State, Tribal, local, and regional levels.
Resiliency and Adaptation to Climate Change and Ocean Acidification: Strengthen resiliency of coastal communities and marine and Great Lakes environments and their abilities to adapt to climate change impacts and ocean acidification.
Water Quality and Sustainable Practices on Land: Enhance water quality in the ocean, along our coasts, and in the Great Lakes by promoting and implementing sustainable practices on land.
Changing Conditions in the Arctic: Address environmental stewardship needs in the Arctic Ocean and adjacent coastal areas in the face of climate-induced and other environmental changes.
Coastal and Marine Spatial Planning: Implement comprehensive, integrated, ecosystem-based coastal and marine spatial planning and management in the United States.

The Wells Reserve is already deeply involved in 8 of the 9 priorities and will surely continue its role in pursuing actions that improve ocean health.

Comments on the implementation plan are due toward the end of February. The government is looking for general input as well as responses to these questions:

Does the draft implementation plan reflect actions you see are needed to address the nine priorities for the ocean, coasts, and the Great Lakes?
What is the most effective way to measure outcomes and to detect whether a particular action in the implementation plan has achieved its intended outcome? Would a report card format be useful?

Kelp Farming Fascinates Crowd

suzanne@wellsnerr.org (Suzanne Kahn Eder) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Paul Dobbins, President of Ocean Approved, shared his vast knowledge of kelp farming with a group of over 35 people yesterday during a Lunch 'n' Learn in Mather Auditorium. He came fully equipped not only with a very informative lecture, but also a huge bowl of delicious homemade kelp cole slaw for everyone to sample!

Among the many intriguing pieces of information that were shared:

Of the 7,700 million metric tons of food on earth, only 1.5 percent is seafood. This is despite the fact that 70 percent of the earth is covered with water. There is a huge opportunity to grow more of our food at sea through kelp farming. Ocean Approved does not use any chemicals or toxins through its process of growing kelp.
Ocean Approved, based in Maine, is the only commercial kelp farm in the United States. Its kelp is 100 percent natural and highly nutritious.
Kelp, referred to as a "sea vegetable," grows from spores. The spores are tiny--950 million kelp spores would fit on a postage stamp.
When kelp begins its life in this spore stage, it behaves much like an animal, moving around on its own power!
The ideal temperature for farming kelp in the ocean is 52 degrees. The perfect depth is 7 feet. Maine's cold waters are an ideal kelp farming environment.
When water temperatures hit 62 degrees, kelp stops growing and goes into its reproductive phase.
As kelp grows, it absorbs excess nutrients from the water and provides shade and shelter for marine organisms (such as lobsters and winter pollock), while also producing oxygen through photosynthesis.
Three months after putting "baby kelp" into Casco Bay, Paul and his team harvest Sugar Kelp that has grown to lengths of 8 feet. During the fastest growing month of February, it grows 2.5-3 inches per day.
Mature kelp puts out UV inhibitors in the summer months, which protects younger kelp underneath from the sun.
Kelp is a bioaccumulator of heavy metals. In England, kelp farms have been shut down due to high arsenic levels. Ocean Approved kelp from Casco Bay, however, does not have any detectable traces of heavy metals.
One of the challenges of kelp farming in Maine is finding an area that is ideal for kelp farming, but isn't already being used for lobstering.

Thank you to Paul for such an informative and engaging program!

Seafood Watch on Your Smartphone

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

For years now, we've been handing out Seafood Watch pocket guides so people can make more careful decisions about what fish and shellfish to buy or avoid. The Monterey Bay Aquarium publishes regional guides, so the information is tailored to residents of the northeast, for example.

Now the aquarium has made ocean-friendly seafood recommendations even more convenient for smartphone users with its Seafood Watch app for iPhone or Android. At our house, the printed "pocket guide" often lived under a magnet on the refrigerator or got pierced by a thumbtack on the bulletin board, rarely making the trip to market. Now we will have the critical data in hand, as our mobile devices don't get left behind.

Thanks Mission-Aransas NERR and Groovy Green Livin for bringing the Seafood Watch apps to our attention via Twitter.

Winged Wednesday XXIII: 2011 Attempt at the 99 Common Birds

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

I noted 132 species during 2011, but only 92 of the ones on our "99 common birds" checklist. These are the ones I missed:

Lesser Yellowlegs
Spotted Sandpiper
American Woodcock
Eastern Wood-Pewee
Great Crested Flycatcher
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Rose-breasted Grosbeak

It's just silly to miss woodcock, but most of the others are understandable. In fact, a look through my personal records going back more than a decade reveals not a single Red-breasted Nuthatch on Wells Reserve property. I'm sure they're around — back when my office was down at the Alheim house I noted them a few times in the pines along Laudholm Farm Road — but I have only crossed paths with white-breasteds since moving up to the farm.

I've just five grosbeak records in 11 years, too, calling that species into question as "common." Maybe it's time to review that list of 99.

Photo by Wolfgang Wander

Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative

acox@wellsnerr.org (Annie Cox) — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 09:00:00 EST

Building Capacity and Collaborating to Protect Source Water

The Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership convened the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative to improve watershed planning and management — and to protect water supply sources — in the Salmon Falls River watershed.

The Salmon Falls River flows from an ecologically diverse land area shared by the states of Maine and New Hampshire, and drains into the Great Bay estuary, a coastal ecosystem of national importance. Approximately 28,000 people rely on public water systems in the Salmon Falls watershed to provide clean drinking water. Many other households rely on private groundwater wells within this region to provide clean drinking water. While the watershed is a critical drinking water source it is also threatened by future increases in polluted runoff resulting from population growth and the associated conversion of forested land to developed areas. The U.S Forest Service 2009 report Private Forests, Public Benefits identified the rivers in the Piscataqua Region as the most threatened in the nation with regard to a potential decline in water quality due to conversion of private forested lands to housing.

The collaborative coordinates long-term source water protection efforts among planning commissions, land trusts, watershed associations, water systems, and town, state, and federal agencies in New Hampshire and Maine. The collaborative's goal is to protect and sustain high quality drinking water in the Salmon Falls River watershed.

Project Details

The Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative hosted the one-day Working Beyond Borders to Protect Drinking Water in the Salmon Falls Watershedworkshop on October 27, 2010. The workshop built a sense of shared purpose among participants in the Salmon Falls Watershed. Organizations included more than 80 participants from Maine and New Hampshire state agencies, water systems, local governments (select boards, planning boards, conservation commissions, and town staff), watershed groups, lake associations, land trusts, regional planning commissions, and other conservation organizations. The workshop led to an action plan that reflects the priorities and ideas generated from the workshop and complements existing water protection work being done by water districts, municipalities, and many different organizations in the watershed. As part of the overall project, several low-cost, high-priority actions will be implemented.

Products

Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative Action Plan (5 MB)

Project Partners

In addition to PREP and the Wells Reserve, the following groups are currently active participants in the Collaborative’s Steering Committee:

Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention
New Hampshire DES Drinking Water Source Protection Program
New Hampshire DES Watershed Assistance Section
Maine Rural Water Association
Granite State Rural Water Association
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
City of Berwick Water District
South Berwick Water District
Maine Non-point Education for Municipal Officials (NEMO)
Strafford Regional Planning Commission
U.S. Forest Service
Salter-Mitchell
Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance
USDA Farm Service Agency

For more information contact the project management team:

Christine Feurt, Ph.D., 207-646-1555 ext 111
Annie Cox, 207-646-1555 ext 157

2012 School Vacation Camps

katereichert@wellsnerr.org (Kate Reichert) — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST

We have just finalized a schedule for our February and April School Vacation camps! This year we will be offering two full-day Just for Kids camps (for ages 6-9) and two full-day Junior Researchers camps (for ages 9-12) during winter and spring school vacation weeks. I am so excited for these camps, which will get campers outside during two awesome seasons here at the Reserve!

Just for Kids Camps (Ages 6-9, 9am-3pm)

Thursday, February 23 Winter Wildlife Detectives

Friday, February 24 Winter Feathered Friends

Monday, April 16 Vernal Pool Party

Tuesday, April 17 Endangered Neighbors Art Day

Junior Researcher Camps (Ages 9-12, 9am-3pm)

Tuesday, February 21 Winter Trekkers

Wednesday, February 22 Snow Survivors

Wednesday, April 18 Migration Exploration

Thursday, April 19 Beach Keepers

Full descriptions of each camp can be found on our calendar, and the registration form and scholarship applications can be found in the links below. Each day of camp is $40 for members and $50 for non-members, although we are offering $10 off your total cost for every 2 camps you sign up for! The registration deadline for February camps is February 16, and the deadline for April camps is April 12.

I look forward to seeing returning camp families as well as a bunch of new faces!

Registration Form

Just for Kids Scholarship Application

Junior Researchers Scholarship Application

Restore Americas Estuaries call for proposals

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST

Restore Americas Estuaries, the "cohesive force and guiding beacon for coastal and estuarine habitat restoration across the country," will hold its sixth national conference next October in Tampa, Florida, with the theme "Restoring Ecosystems, Strengthening Communities." The deadline for proposals is February 1.

From the conference website:

We are particularly interested in proposals for sessions, presentations, and posters dealing with the interface of the environment and the economy, but all proposals relevant to coastal habitat restoration will not only be considered, but are highly encouraged.

Watermark Newsletter for Fall 2011

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 09:00:00 EST

Contents of the Fall 2011 issue of Watermark include…

Restoring Habitat for Migratory Fish in Shoreys Brook
Up Front — Entry Drive Enhanced with New Trees, New Interpretive Signs Focus on Habitat, "Changing Landscapes" Exhibits Open, KEEP Assessments Complete, Forest Ecology Management Plan, Scholarships for Wild Friends in Wild Places, Reserve Director Earns National Honor, AmeriCorps Team Pitches In, Facility Improvements, TOTE Succeeds in Second Season
President's Notebook
Forest Notebook – The Straight Story
New Signs for Historic Site
York River "Wild and Scenic" Update
Team Completes Assessment of Maine Wetlands
Merriland River Grant Moves Parcel Toward Protection
Lists of Supporters
Outstanding Service Award for Endangered Species Protection
Events Coming in December and next year

Download the Fall 2011 Watermark (5 MB)

Restoring Habitat for Migratory Fish in Shoreys Brook

editor@laudholm.org (Scott Richardson) — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 09:00:00 EST

On a classic October morning, a research team heads to the Eliot–South Berwick line, where a private landowner has opened his property for a Wells Reserve study of fish and fish habitat. Parking the pickup at the end of a long hayfield, the five gather up gear and step into a middle-aged pine-oak forest, then head downslope past ferns and toppled trees till the trail goes wet underfoot, the canopy breaks, and they stand at the edge of Shoreys Brook. This is headquarters for the next few hours. It is one of eight sites along the brook’s 4.3 miles being surveyed for resident and migratory fish, and their habitat, in advance of a planned dam removal downstream.

Near its source, Shoreys Brook is narrow enough to step across. Banks of thick grass and small shrubs rise to woodlands north and south, while to the east a secluded patch of marsh grass is rich with the yellows and reds of early autumn.

The research crew is lucky today. It’s a beautiful morning with bright sun, a light breeze, cool air, and no flies or mosquitoes to speak of. Spring and summer were often a different story, so a collective appreciation floats in the air.

Everyone pulls on chest waders and sorts through their equipment and supplies. Emily Thornton, who will collect the habitat data, grabs a tape measure and wire flags to mark the brook segment to be studied. Kate Reichert joins her, working through the prickers to measure 200 feet upstream and downstream while setting markers at specific intervals along the way.

A Different Way of Fishing

When Emily and Kate finish marking, they settle into habitat work while the fish team gets started. Fishing’s a three-person job: shocker, netter, and bucket carrier.

Jacob Aman is today’s shocker. Jake hoists an electrofishing generator onto his back, tosses a 10-foot wire braid into the water, and wields a white pole with a halo at the bottom end. When he presses a switch on the wand, a high-pitched beeping warns that a current is flowing between the halo and the braid, electrifying the water just enough to stun small aquatic animals.

The netter, Jeremy Miller, stands by with a long-handled dip net suspended in the water just downstream of Jake. The electric current will affect fish only briefly, so he will need to act fast or the target will escape.

Timothy Dubay stands by with a bucket half filled with brook water. That will be the temporary hold for any fish caught today.

The electrofisher’s reach is only a few feet, so the team works its way upstream just a few steps at a time. At each stop, everyone gets into position and focuses full attention on the water. Jake switches the current on and glides the halo below the surface. Each attempt lasts a few seconds and most are uneventful.

When someone blurts “There’s an eel!” Jeremy proficiently scoops a narcoleptic Anguilla into the net and hastily moves the pencil-thin fish to Tim’s bucket. Already the eel is recovering, but it is trapped in the hold for now.

So it goes: Steady, methodical progress upstream interrupted by momentary bursts of activity. A couple more eels go into the bucket and an occasional frog or salamander is caught and released (“If it has legs it’s not a fish,” Jeremy quips). Now and then a gangly water scorpion finds its way into the net, giving some crew members the willies. One burly guy shivers at the sight of a giant water bug that looks as big as a rubber coin purse.

Today’s a training session, too, so Jeremy hands the net to Tim for a spell. Catching eels isn’t as easy as the experienced hand had made it look. On his first try, Tim’s too slow. On his second, the net jams against a submerged stick and an eel escapes. Next time, though, Tim slides the net under the eel and lifts it out of the water. It’s a little one, just a few inches long, and Jake’s urgent “Get your hand under it!” comes just as the eel slides through the net’s weave and plops lightly back into the brook.

Tim doesn’t let discouragement show and he gets solid support from Jake. “Don’t worry about it. It’s not easy. We’ve all lost fish. Slippery as an eel is not just a saying.” (Get your hand over it is the imperative if eels are a bit bigger, because they’ll slither right over the edge of the net if given half a chance.)

Before the fishing team finishes, Kate steps in to test her aim and reaction time with the net while Tim goes back downstream to wrap up the habitat work with Emily.

Describing Habitat

If fishing was a painstaking process, characterizing habitat is more so. Emily evaluates a daunting set of habitat details at stop after stop, reporting her metrics and judgments to her streamside scribe.

Maintaining balance on an uncertain bottom, she measures the width of the brook, its depth, and the length of each riffle, run, and pool. She labels streambank condition, classifies pool types, and plunges a bare hand into the muck at the bottom, pulling up a gob of substrate to ascertain its texture — “No sand in there... it’s all fines,” she reports.

Her assistants, first Kate and now Tim, use handheld probes to take the brook’s temperature and test its salinity, dissolved oxygen, conductivity, and pH. Their double-sided data sheets fill with numbers, wrinkle with water droplets, and now and then host a resting dragonfly.

The work appears to be a blend of tedium and fascination, monotony and discovery. It is the beauty of nature inspected up close and the pain of a wild rose reaching out to snag an unsuspecting forearm. The pair achieves a practiced rhythm as the hours pass, the transect lengthening behind them. After wrapping up at one pool, Emily squints ahead to the next and announces, “I see the flag. The end is in sight.”

Restoring Migratory Passage

A day earlier and a couple of miles downstream, Tin Smith described the reason behind this fish monitoring to a dozen people gathered at the Raymond and Simone Savage Wildlife Preserve during a Coastal Training Program workshop.

“This dam has likely been in place in some form or other since the middle of the 17th century,” Tin explained. “It was probably constructed for milling lumber and grain.”

Over the years, the dam was broadened and bolstered as needed. The old mill pond was a popular swimming hole during the first part of the 20th century, then the property became a private residence for six decades. In 2008, the 27-acre site was bequeathed to Great Works Regional Land Trust by its owner, Simone Savage. It was not long before the land trust began to eye the dam with thoughts of removing it to restore habitat.

The dam had partially breached in 1998 and the water level behind it had dropped enough to cause erosion at an upstream culvert under Route 101. To stabilize the busy highway, the Maine Department of Transportation has decided to install a new strut and culvert, a task that complements the dam removal project beautifully.

Using Shoreys Brook as an example, Tin encouraged his group, saying “Big projects can be done by small organizations.” In this case, an enormous advantage came from the fact that the dam and adjacent land were held by a single landowner, Great Works Regional Land Trust. Tin said he and many others involved with the restoration project were “amazed that it has happened so quickly,” a testament to the foresight and collaboration of project partners and their key supporters.

For some 350 years, eight species of migratory fish that once moved with ease into Piscataqua River tributaries — sea lamprey, rainbow smelt, blueback herring, alewife, American eel, American shad, sea-run brook trout, and Atlantic salmon— have been discouraged or prevented from reaching miles of potential spawning habitat along Shoreys Brook. This year’s pre-restoration fish surveys have indicated that tenacious eels, famous for their ability to surmount obstacles, can pass in some number upstream, but alewives and other migratory fish are clearly blocked by the dam.

Removing the 170-foot earth-and-concrete dam and repairing the perched culvert under Route 101 are expected to restore migratory fish, improve water quality, and ensure sediments are supplied downstream. A small amount of stream bed reconstruction is planned, but mainly the brook will be allowed to find its own course. The restoration focus instead will be on creating a gentle slope alongside the brook so a flood plain and salt marsh can be encouraged to form. The head of tide is expected to move a couple of hundred feet upstream, as well. In the end, the tidal portion of Shoreys Brook is meant to resemble what it looked like prior to European settlement.

Having established a 2011 baseline, the Wells Reserve science team intends, funds permitting, to return for followup fish surveys in years to come. Their deep-seated hope is to find river herring, smelt, and other long-lost species living and reproducing again in the quiet backwaters of Shoreys Brook.

Photo Captions

Kate Reichert, Jacob Aman, and Jeremy Miller survey fish in a freshwater marsh near the origin of Shoreys Brook, a tributary of the Salmon Falls River.
Jacob Aman operates a backpack electrofisher and Kate Reichert readies herself with a dip net while Jeremy Miller observes.
Emily Thornton marks a sampling spot on her measuring tape as she inspects grain size in a handful of mud from the Shoreys Brook bottom.
Tim Dubay takes several water quality measurements as part of the habitat evaluation along Shoreys Brook.
At an October Coastal Training Program workshop, Wells Reserve Stewardship Coordinator Tin Smith explains how dam removal and habitat restoration will improve conditions for migratory fish throughout Shoreys Brook.

From Watermark 28(2): Fall 2011