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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Controlled burn blackens field, enhances habitat
| April 22, 2009
April 17 was warm and dry with a light breeze, a Friday at the end of a dry week. Early in the morning, a fire crew from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service judged the conditions were just right for burning the 2-acre grassland just beyond the Wells Reserve flagpole.
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Michele Dionne receives national award
| February 4, 2009Dr. Michele Dionne, the Wells Reserve research director, has been awarded the 2008 NERRS/NERRA Award, which recognizes people who have made significant contributions to the mission of the National Estuarine Research Reserve System.
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Ice storm aftermath
| December 18, 2008York County's worst ice storm in decades knocked out power for 4 days at the Wells Reserve. No significant damage occurred to the Laudholm buildings. Surely some branches and trees fell, but trails are all open and the new fallen snow has already inspired at least one cross-… -
Making way for a new entry kiosk
| November 20, 2008The Wells Reserve will soon have a new information kiosk near the parking lot. The one that has served well for more than 15 years is being dismantled and removed. The new kiosk is scheduled for completion by the end of the year.
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Laudholm's fifth president
| October 27, 2008 | Filed under: NewsThe "interim" label has been removed; Diana Joyner is the new president of Laudholm Trust.
Tim Dietz, chairman of Laudholm's board of directors said:
Diana's energy, enthusiasm, and proven organizational skills will play a significant role in taking the Laudholm Trust and the Wells Reserve to the next level of growth. We are delighted Diana has accepted this position.
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Winged Wednesday XVII: Twenty Years of Bird Banding
| August 13, 2008It's the 20th anniversary of bird banding at the Wells Reserve this year. The master bander who has been at the heart of the program all this time, June Ficker, recently looked back at her 1988 records and provided this summary: Operated 6 12-meter mist nets from May 27 to August 31 for a total of 14 Wednesdays from 6 to 10:30 am. Species banded: 19Birds banded: 69Gray Ca… -
One fish, two fish& is that really a bluefish?
Michele Dionne, Director of Research at the Reserve, has an ongoing collaboration with Dr. Celia Chen at Dartmouth College to study how mercury moves through the salt marsh system. When some of her lab crew headed out to catch Atlantic silversides to be tested for mercury content, we got some of these small fish instead, which we originally thought must be herring. -
Will the next Reserve hold a freshwater estuary?
| July 7, 2008Wisconsin Governor Jim Doyle has nominated the St. Louis River in the northwest part of his state to become the 28th National Estuarine Research Reserve. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will determine whether to add the site to the Reserve system. The Governor's press release is here… -
Doing the Tick Tuck
| June 13, 2008 | Filed under: Culture
Simple measures can help prevent disease. Do the tick tuck.
