Will the next Reserve hold a freshwater estuary?
Scott Richardson ~ 2008-07-07
Wisconsin 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. The NERR System announcement is here.
According to the latter reference…
If NOAA approves the designation, the 15,000-acre St. Louis River site will become the second reserve in the Great Lakes. Ohio’s Old Woman Creek, on Lake Erie, was designated in 1980. The St. Louis River flowing between the cities of Superior, Wisconsin, and Duluth, Minnesota, is one of the largest freshwater estuaries on Lake Superior.
In simple terms, estuaries are “where rivers meet the sea.” In Wells, that sea is the Gulf of Maine, but the Wisconsin sea would be a large freshwater lake. We are used to thinking of estuaries as the places where fresh water and salt water mix. The idea of a “freshwater estuary” is not new, but it is controversial.
To learn about seiches and wind tides and how they contribute to the definition of a freshwater estuary, we recommend this University of Wisconsin Extension page. Follow the link for Freshwater Estuaries Defined.
Does the term freshwater estuary catch you by surprise?
One drop at a time
Scott Richardson ~ 2008-06-19
This morning, the Coastal Training Program advisory committee met at Wells Reserve to share news, resources, ideas, and collaborative opportunities. Among the attendees was LaMarr Clannon of Maine NEMO, who highly recommended a visit to One Drop at a Time: A Sustainable Pilot Project with Green Stormwater Management Technology. I decided to check it out, and enthusiastically endorse LaMarr’s recommendation.
Social science tools for natural resource managers
Scott Richardson ~ 2008-06-12
Coastal Training Program (CTP) coordinator Chris Feurt is in Burlington, Vermont today, speaking at the 14th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management. This year’s theme is “People and Place: Linking Culture and Nature.”
Chris’s talk is titled “Understanding the ‘system’ in ecosystem management—social science tools for natural resource managers.” Her case study stems from the CTP “Protecting Our Children’s Water” initiative, where social science methodologies are applied to community-based ecosystem management. Here is part of her abstract…
Stakeholder and institutional analysis combined with instructional design and collaborative learning methodologies facilitated watershed partnerships in coastal watersheds in southern Maine. An understanding of the cultural roots of conflict, motivational forces guiding resource management and perceived barriers to collaboration guided this place-based design of the national science to management initiative. The social science methodologies applied in this case study yielded surprising and valuable perspectives about the social system influencing community based ecosystem management. A conceptual framework for integrating social science tools into ecosystem management is proposed.
NOAA reviews Wells Reserve
Scott Richardson ~ 2008-05-16
The Coastal Zone Management Act, under which the Wells Reserve receives its federal funding, provides for the periodic review of all estuarine research reserves. This week the Wells Reserve hosted four NOAA representatives who assessed operation and management of the Reserve for the period June 2004 to April 2008.
The Section 312 evaluation team will prepare a set of findings that identify successes and areas needing improvement. Early indications suggest the Reserve will receive a positive review. We will notify members when findings become available.
Envirothon regionals at Wells Reserve
Scott Richardson ~ 2008-04-30
Education Director Sarah Jolly-Ballantine reports that the Wells Reserve today is hosting the York County Soil and Water Conservation District’s Envirothon. This is the largest national science competition at the high school level and we are excited to have been chosen as the site to host the York and Cumberland county event.
About 60 high schoolers are out and about with 20+ teachers and lots of volunteers. Groups of students are taking “tests” at field stations located across the main campus and on the trails. Teams are tested for 30 minutes on soils, aquatics, forestry, wildlife, and a current issue (for 2008, it’s recreational impacts on natural resources).
The top three teams from today’s event will compete in State Finals in Unity on May 29. The state’s winning team will travel to Arizona for the national Envirothon this summer.
We’re proud to provide southern Maine teams with a great experience at our site while furthering our goal of being a resource to local science teachers and classes.
Have you had an Envirothon experience? Would you like to see more science competitions for students?
Help spread the word: Earth Day Celebration at Wells Reserve
Scott Richardson ~ 2008-04-02
Continuing a tradition that fits the mission, Wells Reserve and Laudholm Trust are holding a community celebration on the Saturday before Earth Day. The focus this year is on water and several special activities are planned.
- Trail Sign Dedication—10:30 am
- Water Tales with storyteller Debra Ballou—11:30 am to 12:30 pm
- Interpretive Nature Walk along Salt Marsh Loop—12:30 to 1:30 pm
- The Center for Wildlife presents, “Raptors, Reptiles, and Mammals, Oh My!”—1:30 to 2:30 pm
Please download our flier and post it where others will see it. We’d like a nice crowd to welcome spring with us.