The Wrack
The Wrack is the Wells Reserve blog.
Why "The Wrack"? In its cycles of ebb and flow, the sea transports a melange of weed, shell, bone, feather, wood, rope, and trash from place to place, then deposits it at the furthest reach of spent surf. This former flotsam is full of interesting stuff for anybody who cares to kneel and take a look. Now and then, the line of wrack reveals a treasure.
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Using social science research to facilitate science translation
| March 10, 2010The Coastal Training Program uses social science research to facilitate the translation of science to communities dealing with complex land use and water quality protection issues. The need for social science research is linked to the conflict frequently associated with balancing multiple perspectives about the connections between land use and clean water. Understanding the cultural roots of conflict can be the first step to overcoming barriers to progress on environmental issues.
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Barred Owl
| March 8, 2010After our most recent snow fall, I had a visitor behind my home on the Alheim Property. I am not an Ornithologist by a long shot but I believe it is a Barred Owl. A beautiful bird and I thought I would share the Photo. Any birders out there think it's something else? … -
Six more weeks
| March 5, 2010In late January I asked our facebook fans "Will the groundhog see its shadow?" February second has always been a favorite of mine, but this year my query was dually inquisitive. Yes, I wondered if this wimpy winter would get serious before being over, but I also wanted to know if the new wellsreserve.org would be on display by then. Or if it would remain un… -
February SWMP storm data
| February 26, 2010Whew! Nothing like some February rain showers huh? It's been a "weird" winter for lack of a more "technical" term.....
Here are some numbers from the most recent "Blast" that occured Thursday Feb 25 through early morning of February 26th 2010. (All data was collected on the SWMP Meteorological Station behind the Maine Coastal Ecology Center.)
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Phase-out
| February 19, 2010This will be the last blog entry at laudholm.org.
We began this experiment in late 2005 as an attempt to get news and information out to members and supporters more quickly. Four years and nearly 200 entries later, we can see that we have largely succeeded.
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Physical factors mediate effects of grazing by a nonindigenous snail species on saltmarsh cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora
| February 11, 2010Project Summary
Researchers manipulated densities of the invasive snail Littorina littorea at two sites, one in the Little River estuary and another in the Webhannet River estuary, to investigate the effect of grazing on plant production and sediment accumulation. They found that under more stressful conditions for saltmarsh cordgrass (Spartina alterniflora) poor drainage or greater flooding, for example the impact of snail grazing on biomass becomes apparent: Where snails eat cordgrass faster than it can grow back, less cordgrass is available to capture sediment and the marsh surface does not build up as quickly. In contrast, the impact of snails is not significant under more favorable conditions for cordgrass.
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Gulf of Maine Council presents Visionary Award to Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
| February 10, 2010 | Filed under: NewsThe Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve was recognized recently by the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, which presented the Wells Reserve with its 2009 Visionary Award. The Council praised the Wells Reserve for sustained excellence in science, communication, partnerships, education, and stewardship of the Gulf of Maine ecosystems.
