watermark Published by Laudholm Trust in support of Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve FALL 2010 volume 27 issue 2 inside AmeriCorps Deeds • Volunteers Recognized • Maintaining Grasslands • New Boardwalk Over Bog • Finding Fish Barriers • Mousam and Kennebunk • Piscataqua Region Plan • High school and middle school teachers visit American eel salt marsh habitat and learn about eel life history from fish biologist Alyson Eberhardt. The people who ran the program created the kind of safe learning atmosphere that I strive to achieve with my students each continued on page 8 Teachers on the Estuary inspires school-based projects Thirteen middle school and high school teachers from four states came to the Wells Reserve in July to learn how they and their students can become better stewards of estuaries. The 4-day professional development workshop, a centerpiece of the Teachers on the Estuary program, kept the teachers on the move. Among other destinations, they went to… the salt marsh — to learn about American eels • Laudholm Beach — to do beach profiling • Wells Harbor — to test water quality from aboard the • R&D the trails — to try out Picture Posts and explore habitats • Mather Auditorium — to make maps with Google Earth and • hear lectures on climate change and system-wide monitoring estuaries.gov — to explore Estuaries 101, an online high- • school curriculum The TOTE workshop was very popular with the teachers. Here are a few excerpts from their evaluations: This was by far the best organized, smoothest workshop that I’ve ever been to! year—kudos! I already have recommended the workshop to colleagues. The orga- nizers of these workshops are definitely tuned into a typical middle or high school science classroom. This workshop was such a treat—best I have ever been to. All of the resources and materials are amazing—and I am glad that the course isn’t done on the last day of the workshop... it continues in all of us as we go back to the classroom. I would highly recommend this workshop to others. It provided me with a ton of resources and ideas to take back into my classroom. This was one of the best workshops I have ever attended! Great session to explore the natural world and reconnect with the joy of science.
This document is posted to help you gain knowledge. Please leave a comment to let me know what you think about it! Share it to your friends and learn new things together.
Transcript
watermarkPublished by Laudholm Trust in support of Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
FALL 2010 volume 27 issue 2
insideAmeriCorps Deeds•Volunteers Recognized•Maintaining Grasslands•New Boardwalk Over Bog•Finding Fish Barriers•Mousam and Kennebunk•Piscataqua Region Plan•
High school and middle school teachers visit American eel salt marsh habitat
and learn about eel life history from fish biologist Alyson Eberhardt.
The people who ran the program
created the kind of safe learning
atmosphere that I strive to
achieve with my students each
continued on page 8
Teachers on the Estuary inspires school-based projectsThirteen middle school and high school teachers from four
states came to the Wells Reserve in July to learn how they and
their students can become better stewards of estuaries. The
4-day professional development workshop, a centerpiece of
the Teachers on the Estuary program, kept the teachers on the
move. Among other destinations, they went to…
the salt marsh — to learn about American eels •
Laudholm Beach — to do beach profiling •
Wells Harbor — to test water quality from aboard the • R&D
the trails — to try out Picture Posts and explore habitats •
Mather Auditorium — to make maps with Google Earth and •
hear lectures on climate change and system-wide monitoring
estuaries.gov — to explore Estuaries 101, an online high- •
school curriculum
The TOTE workshop was very popular with the teachers. Here
are a few excerpts from their evaluations:
This was by far the best organized, smoothest workshop that I’ve
ever been to!
year—kudos!
I already have recommended the workshop to colleagues. The orga-
nizers of these workshops are definitely tuned into a typical middle
or high school science classroom.
This workshop was such a treat—best I have ever been to. All of
the resources and materials are amazing—and I am glad that the
course isn’t done on the last day of the workshop... it continues in all
of us as we go back to the classroom.
I would highly recommend this workshop to others. It provided me
with a ton of resources and ideas to take back into my classroom.
This was one of the best workshops I have ever attended!
Great session to explore the natural world and reconnect with the
joy of science.
watermark A newsletter for members of Laudholm Trust and supporters of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
The Wells Reserve is one of 28 National Estuarine Research Reserve sites throughout the country. All reserves require local funding to match federal grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Wells Reserve is the only reserve that receives its match from a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Each year, Laudholm Trust contributes private funds
and in-kind services to support Wells Reserve operations and capital improvements.
Honorary TrusteesDoris Adams-NunnemacherJ. Alden CheeverGeorge W. Ford IILily Rice Kendall HsiaWalter LefflerRebecca Richardson
Wells Reserve Management AuthorityDiana Joyner, Chairman President. Laudholm TrustDaniel Belknap, Ph.D. Professor, Department of Earth Sciences University of MaineRIchard Clark Member, Board of Selectmen Town of Wells Ward Feurt Refuge Manager Rachel Carson National Wildlife RefugeThomas Morrison Director of Operations, Bureau of Parks and Lands Maine Department of ConservationKathleen Leyden (ex-officio) Director, Maine Coastal Program Maine State Planning OfficeLaurie McGilvray (ex-officio) Chief, Estuarine Reserves Division National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Diana Joyner
Partners in research, education, stewardship, and preservation.Stay informed about developments
at the Wells Reserve at Laudholm
by signing up for email updates,
subscribing to our blog, liking us
on Facebook, or following us on
Twitter. Laudholm members
can expect Watermark twice a
year, in spring and fall, and other
occasional “snail” mailings.
What a wondrous summer! It reminded me
of my childhood in Maine and how I loved
the hot sunny summer days and all the out-
door activities I enjoyed with my family.
The Wells Reserve at Laudholm enjoyed
one of its best summer seasons! The site
was in a constant state of activity with
pre-K through adult visitors energetically
partaking in nearly 90 programs, walking our
trails, picnicking, enjoying Laudholm Beach,
and attending events. Families and guests
celebrated 10 weddings at our site, an Ameri-
Corps team and Volunteers For Peace assisted
us with a wide variety of site and building
improvements, and Wells Reserve staff led
interns and volunteers in completing research,
education, and stewardship initiatives.
Laudholm Trust also hosted a wide
range of events that, of course, included
the family-oriented Punkinfiddle and our
signature Laudholm Nature Crafts Festival.
In the spring, we hosted an evening
with Paul Tukey that included an environ-
mental film screening, community dialogue,
and local environmental businesses. Our
Family Fun nights were geared to active
families. George Burk exhibited his art and
EcoSports Day added a new dimension to
our calendar. Overall, we enjoyed our most
profitable season while developing over 40
new business partnerships and attracting
many new visitors!
I am always a bit sad when summer
ends and the days grow shorter. But this
year we have so much to be grateful for and
autumn brings us time for much needed re-
flection. During the past year, we overcame
financial challenges, released a new website
to general acclaim, completed the redesign
of our entry and kiosk, added street signage,
continued top-notch programming, and
made many new friends.
We have much to be thankful for, yet
most of all we are grateful for you, the
members, volunteers, donors, and business
partners who made this year so successful.
You give us optimism about the year ahead.
I thank all of you for your loyalty and
commitment to the Wells Reserve at
Laudholm. I wish you and your families a
new year filled with good health, cherished
friendships, and a renewed awareness of
life’s interconnections.
4
volunteerism, stewardship & preservation
AmeriCorps team enhances habitats, improves campusDo you have a wish list of
projects you yearn to tackle
but just don’t have the time
to complete? Then imagine a
place like the Wells Reserve,
with historic buildings that
need constant attention,
miles of trails that are wet or
overgrown, pathways that
develop puddles every time it
rains, and wildlife habitat that needs to be nurtured. Now imagine an infusion of 10 strong young
people arriving to live with you from mid September to mid November and give you 40 hours of
their brawn and brain each week!
For the past several years we have welcomed an NCCC*AmeriCorps team. Working side by
side with Charles, our facilities manager, and long-term volunteers, the team accomplished the
following projects:
Built 174 feet of boardwalk along the Muskie Trail. This section of trail is a bog where rare 1.
and sensitive plants grow—wild cranberry, nodding ladies-tresses, dragon’s mouth, slender
blueflag, cotton grass
Created brush piles as habitat for the state endangered New England cottontail rabbit2.
Rebuilt stone dust paths leading to the Maine Coastal Ecology Center3.
Improved several trails by widening, clearing, mulching, and stabilizing them4.
Measured trail lengths then engraved and painted trail and campus signs5.
Painted the northwest face of the farmhouse6.
Helped with Punkinfiddle and EcoSports Day7.
We also lent our team to some of our conservation partners — Rachel Carson National
Wildlife Refuge, Mount Agamenticus Conservation Project, York Land Trust, Kittery Land Trust,
and Great Works Regional Land Trust. On weekends the team helped with additional service
projects including the United Way’s “Keep Maine Warm” and several fundraising runs from
Freeport to Salem.
At our send-off breakfast in their honor, Jamie Rogers, the AmeriCorps team leader,
commented, “We couldn’t have imagined a better way to end our 11-month program than
being here in Maine!”
Thank you, volunteers
This past year more than 577 volunteers
contributed at least 16,462 hours to the
Wells Reserve and Laudholm Trust. Many of
you reading this are among the people who
have helped us achieve these incredible
numbers and we thank you!
While it is always difficult to single out
anyone for special recognition–because
you all make unique contributions–we
did recognize the following people at our
volunteer gathering in August…
“Extraordinary” Volunteer Extraordinaire
Mark Klys
Bob Ludwig Preservation Award
Cynthia Daley
Laudholm Award
Tim Dietz
Copper Beech Award
Pat Tracy Frost
Conservation Award
Robert Christensen-Lang
Lily Rice Kendall Volunteer Spirit Award
Joan Junker
Contribution to Research Award
Corey French
Mark Klys aligns a picture post.
watermark
5fall 2010 volume 27 issue 2
Boardwalk protects bog habitat along Muskie Trail
A decade ago, the open grasslands appre-
ciated by so many visitors, which are also
vital to a variety of birds and other wildlife,
were in danger of being reclaimed by
shrubs and forests. Thanks to a multi-year
grant from the Natural Resources Conser-
vation Service, that trend was reversed and
the Wells Reserve now has many acres of
thriving grasslands.
We received the grant in 2001 through
the Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program,
which encourages landowners to manage
their property to enhance habitat for a
range of wildlife. The grant received by the
Reserve was specifically for maintaining and
enhancing grassland habitat.
Grasslands are have been in decline
throughout New England in part due to
development, but also because forests have
been reclaiming abandoned farm fields. Our
grant helped pay for annual mowing and
removal of shrubs for the past decade.
While this grant term has come to an
end, we are committed to maintaining the
Wells Reserve’s grasslands into the future
so people and birds will always be able to
enjoy them.
Ten-year grant for grasslands comes to close in 2010
stewardship / conserving natural resources
A dependably wet section of the Muskie Trail, known for some time to support unique plants for the Reserve, is now bisected by a 174-foot boardwalk that will help protect bog habitat while keeping hikers’ feet dry. The boardwalk was constructed by facility manager Charles Lord with assistance from volunteers Frank Heller and Mark Klys along with the NCCC*AmeriCorps team. Charles is shown above with Amanda Trontell and Ryan Morris.
6
Blistering heat, rain storms,
biting insects, poison ivy,
snakes… nothing deterred
a dedicated group of staff
and volunteers this summer
from visiting each and every
road-stream culvert along
the Kennebunk River, from its
mouth on the border of Ken-
nebunk and Kennebunkport
to its far reaches in Acton, Shapleigh, and Waterboro. Four teams headed out with survey poles,
digital cameras, GPS equipment, and maps to survey the entire Kennebunk River watershed for
barriers to fish passage.
During July, the teams visited 79 sites, 21 of which were deemed severe barriers. At the
worst sites, they found serious problems that would prevent fish from easily passing upstream
or down — collapsed culverts, obstructed culverts, culverts perched above stream level, or
other flaws.
The data collected from the Kennebunk
River survey were submitted to a statewide in-
ventory of road-stream crossings. This database
will help project partners to set priorities for
restoring critical fish habitat sites.
The Maine Road-Stream Crossing Survey is
a joint project of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
the Maine Department of Conservation / Maine
Forest Service, and the National Wildlife Founda-
tion. Its goal is to document places where poor
design or degraded condition of road culverts
hampers the ability of fish to access upstream or
downstream habitat, then to use this information
to increase stream habitat productivity.
stewardship / conserving natural resources
Documenting fish barriers on the Kennebunk River
above: Measuring water depth and evaluating sub-
strate downstream from a culvert.
left: A tide gate blocks migratory fish from moving
upstream from salt marsh to fresh water.
Summary of Results
from Kennebunk River
Stream Crossing Survey
(full report available at
wellsreserve.org)
Surface at Stream Crossing
paved 81%
unpaved 19%
Barriers to Fish Passage
no substrate in culvert 53%
large scour pool 44%
perched outlet 35%
inlet drop 14%
perched inlet 9%
blocked inlet 7%
deformed inlet 5%
severely blocked inlet 4%
watermark
7fall 2010 volume 27 issue 2
Over the past two years, the Wells Reserve
has been deeply involved with the
Mousam and Kennebunk Rivers Alliance,
which is working to address ecological
concerns, improve water quality, restore
native fisheries, and develop stewardship
for the two rivers by connecting commu-
nity members with their watersheds. The
people at the heart of the alliance also
draw support from Maine Rivers and state and federal agencies.
To date, these are the activities carried out by the Reserve in support of this initiative:
assess current fisheries stocks •
survey barriers to fish passage •
research historical fisheries and river use •
develop a volunteer water quality monitoring program •
prepare a fisheries management plan for the Mousam River •
hosted a conference and film event about sea-run fish and habit connectivity •
presentations to community groups •
In the coming year, the Reserve will continue its support of the rivers alliance by:
developing a fisheries management plan for the Kennebunk River •
creating a river history website •
assessing habitat quality in the Kennebunk River watershed •
A key strength of the Mousam and Kennebunk Rivers Alliance is how it draws on the tal-
ents and resources of the people who live within these watersheds and care about them. If you
would like to become involved or learn more about the effort, contact research associate Jacob
Support the Wells Reserve.Join Laudholm Trust.Membership benefits include free admission to the Wells Reserve all year (except some special events), discounts on event admission and education program fees, Watermark newsletter, and other special mailings. To join, please mail this form and your payment to:
Laudholm Trust, P.O. Box 1007, Wells ME 04090
Crafts Festival In-kind ContributorsBorealis Breads, Bread & Roses Bakery, The Bull ‘n’ Claw Restaurant, Congdon’s Family Restau-rant, Dunkin Donuts, Getchell Brothers, Hannaford Food & Drug #389, Hannaford Supermarket & Pharmacy, Jake’s Seafood, Kennebunk House of Pizza, Lyons Coffee Service, Greg Maling, Michaud Distributors #115, Mike’s Clam Shack, Dr. Chifaru Noda, Panera Bread, Salmon Falls Garden Center, Scoop Deck, Sea-Vu Campground and Mini-Golf, Shaw’s Supermarket, Shields Meats and Produce, Spiller’s Farm Store, Sub Builders, When Pigs Fly
Crafts Festival Artisans Contributing Prizes for the RaffleRichard Abbott, Kristin Myrick Andrews and Jim Andrews, Chris Banikiotes and Rosemarie Dil-ernia, Kathy Beeson, Dave & Eda Benttinen, Roger & Sue Bisaillon, Doug Blum, Ainsley Bodman, Richard Bois, Robert C. Brand, Chaya Caron, Tim Christensen, Ania Davis, Lori A Davis, Leo Donahue, Deirdre Donchian, Mary Jane Doubleday, Karen Z. Eames, Stephen Eames, Lisa Eaton, Ann Eldridge, Sharon Florek, Patricia Flynn, Ms. Marsha Francis, Deborah Frazier, Harriet Gallant, Patti Genest, Ashley & Leah Gerry, Ms. Wendy Webster Good, Lacey Goodrich, Lisa Grant, Mark Guido, E. Halsey, Tom & Nan Hamel, Christina Heiniger, Cathy Heinz, Susan Hellier, Valerie & Gerald Hoff, Susan & Todd Hoffman, Dot Hutchins, Jack’s Gourmet Pickles, Edmond Johnson, Leslie Kane, Jack Kenneally, Nanney B. Kennedy, Ron King, Gigi R. Laberge, Judith & Chong Lim, Stuart Loten, Lovell Designs, Inc., Steven Manning, Ms. Stephanie Mason-Thibodeau, John Meyer, Jay D. Miles, Michael Milicia, Erin Moran, Hope Murphy, Barbara O’Brien, Kim & Guy Pilla, Marlene Reali, Trenny Robb & Bob Michaud, Paula Robert, Marty Schwartz, Suzan Scribner-Reed, Sue Shane, Vaughn Smith, Vaughn Smith, Donne Zip Sopp, William Mathews Spaulding, Sheila Speckin, Regina & Daniel St. John, Stanchfield Farms, Michele Stivaletta, Janet Verville, Susan Wechsler, Sandra J. White, J. Kevin White, Patrick Zephyr
EcoSports Day Sponsors & DonorsSevigney|Lyons Insurance Agency, Mike’s Clam Shack, Village By The Sea, Dietz Associates creative marketing and design, CMG Graphics, Southern Maine Medical Center, Tourist News, Allen Screen & Digital, Wells Family Practice, Shepard & Read, Boon Island Ales
wellsreserve25 years in 2011
February 24 (Thursday)
Winter Wildlife Day
April 16
Wells Reserve EcoDay
May 14
International Migratory Bird Day
June 18
Changing Landscapes Exhibit Dedication
September 10-11
24th Laudholm Nature Crafts Festival
September 24
Punkinfiddle 9
A National Estuaries Day Celebration
MCD LandscapingMim on a Whim
Mountain View Golf RangeNew England Brisketeers
Old VinesOlympia Sports
People’s United BankPrime Scion
Purvida StudioQuest FitnessRobin’s NestRP Imports
Sacred Movement YogaSeacoast Fitness CenterShaw’s SupermarketsSmith-Zukas Antiques
Southern Maine AviationSpahr-Dabrowski LLC
Sparrow Arc FarmSurf n Turf
Sweet ScoopsTLC for SafeLawnsWheels n Waves
Whitten Hill StudioYork Fitness Center
PO Box 1007 Wells ME 04090
Happy new year from all of us at Wells Reserve and Laudholm Trust!
You can get your Wells Reserve and Laudholm Trust news by email or on the web. Help us make the most of your donations: