CONTENTS
(click
on the topics below to get more information)
If
you would like to be removed from the NHEP “Estuaries Update” email
list, click
here.
NHEP
ACTIVITIES
7/9/03
– Natural Resources Outreach Coalition Somersworth Presentation
Dave
Kellam was a note-taker for the second meeting of the Natural Resources
Outreach Coalition’s Somersworth project.
The room full of Conservation Commissioners, municipal employees and
other interested citizens prioritized Somersworth’s natural resource
issues and formed several work groups to begin identifying projects that
could be funded by the NHEP.
7/15/03
- CLCA's Seacoast Land Protection Roundtable
Jennifer
Hunter attended the Center for Land Conservation Assistance's Seacoast Land
Conservation Roundtable in Newmarket. The
Roundtable was an opportunity for participants to learn how bond issues were
passed and will be spent in a number of Seacoast communities in 2003.
Jennifer provided information on some of NHEP's land conservation
activities, including the upcoming Shoreland
Protection RFP.
7/15/03
– State of the Estuaries Report Draft
The 2003 State of the Estuaries Report draft was emailed and mailed to Management and Technical Advisory Committee members. Final comments were due on July 31.
7/17/03
–OSPEP Acting Director Visits
MaryAnn
Manoogian, the Office of State Planning and Energy Programs Acting Director,
visited the Portsmouth office and met with NHEP and NH Coastal Program
staff. MaryAnn was a
Deputy Director in the Office of Energy and Community Services prior to the
merger of the two agencies.
7/16/03
- Land Protection RFP Released
Matt
Craig sent out a Land Protection Request for Proposals (RFP) to the NHEP
list of past and potential grantees and posted it on the NHEP website.
This grant is for organizations to conduct activities related to the
permanent protection of shoreland. To read the RFP click
here.
7/21/03
– Management Committee Structure Subcommittee Meeting
The
Management Committee Structure Subcommittee met at Portsmouth City Hall to
discuss the membership, structure, and operation of the Management
Committee. The group reviewed
the results of interviews conducted by Suzanne Orenstein (EPA/NEP-contracted
facilitator), analyzed other programs' bylaws, and identified policies and
procedures for the NHEP's Management Committee. Orenstein has since drafted
bylaws that will be reviewed at the subcommittee’s next meeting.
7/25/03
– Septic Outreach Project Done
Matt
Craig sent out the last of the septic system outreach packets that were
mailed to 876 addresses in our shoreland property owners database.
Addresses were filtered to extract those with septic systems based on
information from DES and municipal wastewater treatment departments.
7/30/03
- NEP Education and Outreach Quarterly Conference Call
Dave
Kellam participated in the National Estuary Program’s Education and
Outreach quarterly conference call that provides a forum for all NEPs to
collaborate with other outreach programs.
The call topics included the National “What’s
An Estuary? Now You Know” campaign, Estuaries
Live, National
Coastweek, and World
Water Monitoring Day. For
more information on any of these topics contact Dave
Kellam.
NEW
PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS
–
go to the publications
page of the NHEP website for complete listing
7/1/03
- Ambient Water Quality and Shellfish Tissue
Monitoring in New Hampshire Estuaries:
2001 and 2002
The
New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services conducted water
monitoring in tidal tributaries and estuarine waters and tissue monitoring
of mussels, clams and oysters with the overall purpose of improving the
understanding of water quality trends and the concentrations of toxic
contaminants in shellfish tissue. To receive the report, email the NHEP
Office.
7/1/03
- Water Quality Outreach: Stormdrain Stenciling
The
Town of Exeter implemented a storm drain stenciling project as part of an
education program for nonpoint source pollution.
The Town completed three stenciling activities, with 64 volunteers,
resulting in stenciled messages on 340 storm drains.
To receive the report, email the NHEP
Office.
7/2/03
- Storm Drain Stenciling To Build Stormwater Awareness
in NH's Estuarine Communities
University of New Hampshire Sea Grant completed a two year project that included 12 storm drain stenciling projects occurring in seven different communities in the coastal watershed. More than 600 volunteers contributed more than 700 hours to stencil approximately 1330 grates. To receive the report, email the NHEP Office.
7/16/03
- Technical Assistance and Outreach Program for
Landowners
The
Rockingham Land Trust (RLT) worked with Conservation Commissions and private
landowners in five communities in Rockingham County to increase awareness of
RLT’s services and to increase, over the long term, the amount of land
protected by conservation easements. The RLT met with interested
Conservation Commissioners and private landowners, held two workshops on
estate planning and land protection, produced educational materials to
increase awareness and understanding of the RLT, and worked with
organizations in the region involved in land protection to discuss
priorities and ways in which groups can work together to maximize land
protection efforts. To receive
the report, email the NHEP
Office.
7/17/03
- Exeter, A Special Place
A
subcommittee of the Exeter Conservation Committee developed the initiative,
“Exeter - A Special Place,” which involved a campaign focused on
educating citizens on the importance of open space protection and ultimately
conserving at least 800 acres in Exeter.
This NHEP-funded initiative significantly contributed to that passage
of a $3 million bond for open space protection that had the support of 73%
of the voters. To receive the
report, email the NHEP
Office.
7/17/03
- Newfields Open Space
Committee
The project involved activities to educate citizens on conservation options, estate planning, and natural resource prioritization of critical areas in the town. The Open Space Committee initiated 3 conservation easements totaling 118 acres of land. To receive the report, email the NHEP Office.
7/17/03
- Stratham Ad Hoc Conservation Bond Subcommittee
The
project involved citizen education activities about conservation options,
estate planning and natural resource prioritization of critical areas in the
town. In addition to education
the grant supported project management and grant writing.
As a result, the Ad Hoc Committee protected 47 acres through
conservation easements. To
receive the report, email the NHEP
Office.
7/17/03
- Stratham Well Survey
The
Stratham Water Commission collected and analyzed information on existing
wells in Stratham to determine the approximate daily water demand for the
Town and forecast future water needs. To
receive the report, email the NHEP
Office.
7/21/03
- Pilot Conservation Commission Circuit Rider Program
This pilot project enabled Rockingham Planning Commission staff to facilitate the implementation of short- and long-term natural resource protection projects by the Kensington, Kingston, and Sandown Conservation Commissions. To receive the report, email the NHEP Office.
7/24/03
- UNH Great Bay Coast Watch Involvement in the NHEP
The
Great Bay Coast Watch facilitated the contribution of over 600 volunteer
hours to the NHDES Shellfish Program for mussel collection, water quality
sampling and other support activities.
To receive the report, email the NHEP
Office.
7/29/03
- Characterization of
Groundwater Discharge to Hampton Harbor
The University of New Hampshire completed this study of intertidal groundwater discharge zones and the findings suggest that intertidal groundwater discharge is extremely limited in Hampton Harbor due to the presence of a large impermeable salt marsh. Hampton Harbor is characterized by shallow glacial deposits akin to a barrier system coastal feature and has over 5,000 acres of contiguous salt marsh. A review of land use and land cover for both of these settings showed a nearly complete correlation between the salt marsh and absence of groundwater discharge zones and a positive correlation with the residential/commercial land cover classification. To receive the report, email the NHEP Office.
NHEP
UPCOMING EVENTS
–
go to the Events
page
of the NHEP website for complete listing
Technical
Advisory Committee Meeting – August 18, 1:00 pm, NH Fish and Game, Durham
Contact
Phil
Trowbridge for details.
The
Voices of Communities Experiencing Rapid Change: A CIRPS Symposium
- September 6, 2003, Elliot Alumni Center, Durham, NH
This
day-long symposium explores community needs for reducing the impacts of
rapid growth and development and offers resources for meeting these needs.
Issues to be explored include minimum impact development,
biodiversity, conservation planning, water resources, and environmental
education and outreach.
Estuarine
Research Federation’s
17th Biennial Conference – Seattle, WA, September 14-18, 2003
Click
here for conference details
The
theme of ERF 2003 is the convergence of ocean forces, influences of the
land, and human activities and cultures. The scientific program will feature
key estuarine themes such as nutrient cycling, fisheries habitat,
non-indigenous species and ecology and management of submerged aquatic
vegetation.
Association
of National Estuary Programs
/ National
Estuary Programs Biennial Meeting – Seattle, WA, September 17
– 19, 2003
Click
here for conference details
The
Association of National Estuary Programs (ANEP) is working with the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to plan and coordinate a Fall '03
meeting. It will be held at the Renaissance Madison Hotel in Seattle,
Washington. This meeting will be of interest to coastal program managers,
NEP managers, scientists, education and outreach coordinators, citizens, and
others.
Management
Committee Meeting – September 24, 9:00am – Noon, Urban Forestry Center,
Portsmouth
Contact
Jennifer
Hunter for details.
Estuaries
Month – September 27 – October 25, 2003
In
June applications were sent out for this annual program, which grants $200
to organizations to conduct estuarine outreach activities in the Coastal
Watershed. Interested
applicants are encouraged to review the program description at the NHEP
website or contact Matt
Craig for more information.
Estuaries
Expo –
Saturday, October 18, 10:00 am - 3:00 pm, Urban Forestry Center
How
healthy are New Hampshire’s estuaries?
This question will be answered during the NH Estuaries Expo:
a free public event that features estuarine scientists explaining the
environmental status of the State’s bays and related resources.
In addition to learning about current research, participants can also
enjoy a free lunch and a variety of brief presentations, such as a shellfish
cooking demonstration, a nature walk along Sagamore Creek, and an up-close
look at a live bald eagle! This event is a great way to learn how to become
involved in the community-based effort to improve the health of our
estuaries.
2003 State of the Estuaries Conference – Monday and Tuesday, October 20 & 21, Yoken’s Conference Center
This
technical conference examines key environmental health indicators of New
Hampshire’s estuarine systems. It
is a joint effort between the NHEP and the Great Bay National Estuarine
Research Reserve. Conference
registration forms will be available in August.
