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CONTENTS
(click on the topics below to
get more information)
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you would like to be removed from the NHEP “Estuaries Update” email
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NHEP
ACTIVITIES
8/3/03
- Northeast Rapid Assessment Survey
NHEP
Staff helped coordinate the activities of 20 researchers who combed the
docks and piers at the US Coast Guard Station in New Castle and the State
Pier in Hampton Harbor looking for invasive species.
The New Hampshire sites were 2 of 20 surveyed by the scientists as
they traveled from Casco Bay in Maine to New York-New Jersey Harbor.
The story was covered in three newspapers: Portsmouth
Herald, Portsmouth Times and Fosters
Democrat. Results from the survey will be available to the NHEP
later this year.
8/4/03
- Coastal Education Initiative (CEI) meeting
Dave
Kellam attended the CEI meeting that was chaired by Verna DeLauer (NH
Coastal Program) and attended by Perrin Cothran (Seacoast Science Center),
Kalle Matso (CICEET), Jen Kennedy (Blue Ocean Society) and Barbara McMillan
(NHDES). The meeting gave the
opportunity for participating organizations to share programming plans and
coordinate outreach efforts whenever possible.
8/11/03
- NHEP Management Committee Structure Subcommittee meeting
The group met at Portsmouth City Hall to review and finalize Draft Bylaws that had been developed with input received at the first meeting. The subcommittee came to agreement on the Draft Bylaws, which will be distributed and discussed at the September Management Committee meeting. The subcommittee's efforts were greatly aided by Suzanne Orenstein who facilitated discussion and development of the bylaws.
8/14/03
- Regional Outfall Study Commission Meeting
Jennifer
Hunter, the designee for the Office of State Planning and Energy Programs,
participated in the first meeting of the Study Commission, whose task is to
study and make recommendations on the feasibility of developing a regional
wastewater outfall to discharge effluent outside the estuary.
The first meeting was spent discussing the mission of the Commission
and the process and criteria for selecting a contractor to conduct a
feasibility assessment. NHEP
Management Committee members Tom Gillick and Dean Peschel are also on the
Study Commission.
8/27/03
- Shellfish RFP Released
The
NHEP released a Shellfish Enhancement/Restoration Request for Proposals to
solicit projects that address oysters and soft-shell clams in NH's
estuaries. Proposals are due on
October 15. For more details,
see the Shellfish
RFP on the NHEP website.
8/29/03
- Print-ready Copy of the 2003 State of the Estuaries Report Delivered
Dave
Kellam picked up the final copy of the 2003 State of the Estuaries Report
from Idea Outfitters, the design firm that did the layout for the report.
The review and edit process went well and kudos to all of the folks
who participated. The printer
will produce a proof and then a final copy by the end of September.
NEW
PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS
–
go to the publications
page of the NHEP website to view past reports
8/01/03
- An Education & Monitoring Program for an Ongoing Estuarine Habitat
Restoration Project
During the spring of 2003 approximately 160 Portsmouth Middle School sixth grade students working in teams monitored bird occurrences and behavior at South Mill Pond in Portsmouth, NH as part of the community-wide program to restore the pond. To prepare for the monitoring, teachers and guest lecturers gave students instruction on the ecology of coastal waters, scientific method, and common birds of the area. A total of 1,079 birds were observed in or near South Mill Pond during the 3-month project and about 30 different species were recorded. The project utilized 470 adult volunteer hours. The coordinating teachers developed a unique curriculum that included hands-on data collection, student journaling and the creation of a South Mill Pond Ecology student handbook. To receive the report, email the NHEP Office.
8/11/03 - 2001 Storm Drain Monitoring and Municipal Training Project, 2001 Coastal Municipal Stormwater Infrastructure Mapping Project, and 2001 Coastal Illicit Connection Identification and Elimination Grant Program
The
NHDES submitted 3 reports for projects that involved municipal training and
grants to communities to map stormwater infrastructure and to identify and
eliminate illicit discharges to storm sewers.
Through the 2001 grant program, Exeter, Dover, and Somersworth
completed projects to eliminate numerous illicit connections.
The towns of Exeter, Hampton, Newmarket, Seabrook, and Somersworth
completed mapping projects. To receive
the report(s), email the NHEP
Office.
NHEP
UPCOMING EVENTS –
go to the
Events
page
of the NHEP website for complete listing
Second
meeting of the Regional Outfall Study Commission, September 11, 2003
Association
of National Estuary Programs / National Estuary Programs Biennial
Meeting – Seattle, WA, September 17 – 19, 2003
Click
here for conference details
Jennifer
Hunter will be attending this national conference of the Association
of National Estuary Programs (ANEP) and the National
Estuary Programs. 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 through October 25, 2003
Matt
Craig, coordinator of the 2003 Estuaries Month, announced the selection of
eleven projects to be funded this year, however, a few more projects may
still be considered for funding.
Currently, 2003 Estuaries Month events are:
9/11
- Hilton Park Clean Up (Great
Bay Coast Watch), 9am at Hilton Park in Dover
9/19
to 9/21 - Heritage Festival Education Booth
(Town of Newmarket’s Conservation Commission) at Town Landing on Water
Street, Newmarket
9/20
- Lamprey Riverfront Property Cleanup
(Lamprey River Local Advisory Committee), 10am-12pm at Suke Property in
Epping
9/21
- Oyster River Cleanup
(The UNH Office of Sustainability Programs) 9am-1pm at Durham Town Landing,
Durham
9/27
- Paddle on the Pond
(Advocates for the North Mill Pond), 10am-12pm at North Mill Pond,
Portsmouth
10/2
- Winnicut River Clean-up
(Seacoast Family YMCA), 9am-2pm at Camp Gundalow, Greenland
10/2
- Community Child Care Center Environmental Education Event with Blue Ocean
Society
(Community Child Care Center), 12pm-3pm at Community Child Care Center,
Portsmouth
10/4
- Clam Digging for Dummies Workshop
(The Aquaculture Education and Research Center), 9am-1pm at Hampton
Beach/Hampton Harbor
10/4
- Cocheco River Cleanup
(The Cocheco River Watershed Coalition), 8:30am-11pm in Downtown Rochester
10/17
- UNH Sustainability Fair Education Booth
(LifeWise Community Projects, Inc) 10am-2pm, Memorial Union Building Durham
10/25
– Wildlife Tracking Program
(Bear-Paw Regional Greenways) at Nottingham School, Nottingham
Full
event descriptions are posted on the NHEP
website. For further information
contact Matt
Craig.
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 variety of presentations, such as a shellfish identification
demonstration, a nature walk along Sagamore Creek, and a local seafood
session featuring local seafood resources and chefs preparing food for
education. 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. A conference
registration form is available on the NHEP
website.
