June 2004, #14 

CONTENTS (click on the topics below to get more information)

NHEP ACTIVITIES

5/10/04 - Public Forum on the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Preliminary Report

Jennifer Hunter was a panelist at a Sea Grant sponsored forum entitled "New Hampshire and the Sea: What Will the Ocean Commission Report Mean for Us?” The free event on the UNH campus highlighted the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy Preliminary Report which recommends sweeping changes in the way marine resources are studied and managed, citing habitat loss, commercial fishing, polluted runoff, and invasive species as pressing issues threatening the coastal areas where half the nation's population now lives. Jennifer explained how the NHEP's Management Plan and priorities related the report's recommendations. Contact Jennifer Hunter for details.

5/11/04 - Sea Grant Policy Advisory Committee

Jennifer Hunter recently joined the Policy Advisory Committee (PAC) for the NH Sea Grant College Program and attended her first PAC meeting on May 11. The PAC provided input on developing regional research priorities, Sea Grant's response the the Ocean Commission Report, and developing future public forums on coastal issues.  Contact Jennifer Hunter for details.

5/17/04 - Impervious Surface Outreach Meeting

Phil Trowbridge led this meeting which was convened to develop an outreach strategy for distributing customized impervious surface maps and related information to the 42 towns of the coastal watershed.   The final product will be a fact sheet that will be mailed to planning boards, conservation commissions and town planners.  The group discussed goals of the project, partners to help distribute the final product, and evaluation strategies.  The fact sheets will be distributed this fall.   Contact Phil Trowbridge for details.

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5/20/04 - Public Outreach and Education Team (POET) Meeting

An update was given on the “Eye on Our Estuaries” article for the Seacoast Newspapers. The article was in draft form and would be sent to the paper within a week. A discussion occurred about the municipal coastal decision-makers survey, which will determine knowledge and attitudes toward NHEP of planning board members, conservation commissioners, town planners and selectmen/councilors. POET suggested the UNH Survey Center be contracted to assist. Estuaries Month was discussed and the POET determined that the approach should be changed this year to focus on fewer events targeted to municipal coastal decision- makers. Lastly, POET discussed assisting the Shellfish and Living Resources team with their outreach action plans.  Contact Dave Kellam for details.

5/27/04 - Shellfish and Living Resources Team Meeting

The team discussed proposals for projects occurring in 2005-2006 and established a selection process that would result in submission of a work plan to the NHEP Director. The topics of project proposals discussed at the meeting included monitoring horseshoe crab abundance, monitoring lobster shell disease, digitizing clam flat boundaries, studying the impacts of salt marsh restoration activities on surface water quality, Gulfwatch sampling activities, Great Bay Estuarine Restoration Compendium, shellfish restoration, and coastal dam fish passage enhancement.  Contact Phil Trowbridge for details.

5/27/04 - UNH Survey Center Meeting 

Andrew Smith, Director of the UNH Survey Center, offered advice on surveying planning board members, conservation commissioners, town planners, and selectmen/councilors about their perceptions of the NHEP.  Further data may be collected via the Center's quarterly poll of New Hampshire residents.   Contact Dave Kellam for details.

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NEW PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS  All publications can be viewed at the NHEP website

5/12/04 - Protecting Hampton Harbor Watershed Project 

This project enabled Rockingham County Conservation District to sustain technical and communication assistance to the Hampton and Hampton Falls conservation commissions and helped advance the implementation of two significant land and resource protection projects within the Hampton Harbor Watershed. Assistance was provided in the following topic areas: land protection, conservation options, resource prioritization, funding opportunities, and public relations.  The project significantly contributed to the passage of two local open space bonds.  Read Report (.pdf/62KB)

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 Projects Starting   

5/01/04 - Fish and Game Oyster Disease Monitoring 

NHF&G will monitor the oyster disease organisms MSX and DERMO at selected beds. Twenty-five oysters from the two major oyster beds in Great Bay (i.e., Adams Point, Nannie Island/Woodman Point) will be collected in the fall of 2004 and sent to appropriate laboratories for testing.  

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NHEP UPCOMING EVENTS

6/24/04 - UNH Survey Center Meeting
11 - Noon, UNH Survey Center Office, Durham
Planning for fall survey of coastal watershed planning board members, conservation commissioners, town planners and selectmen/councilors.  Contact Dave Kellam for details.

6/25/04 - Coastal Training Program Advisory Committee Meeting
9 - 10:30am, Sandy Point Discovery Center, Greenland 
Contact Dave Kellam for details.

6/26/04 - Wetlands and Conservation Options
3 - 4:30pm, Rye Public Library, Rye 
This talk will focus on freshwater wetland ecology and the variety of options available to land planners for stewardship and conservation. Tracy Tarr of NH Soil Consultants will present a slide show illustrating the major ecosystem functions of wetlands and some practical management suggestions for wetland conservation and protection. This talk is ideal for land owners, land planners, and conservation commission members.  Funded by the NHEP local grants program.  Contact Dave Kellam for details.

6/30/04 - Conservation Commission Roundtable
6:30 - 8:30pm, Rye Public Library, Rye
Leonard Lord, President of Carex Ecosciences, LLC, will give a presentation on the recently released "Freshwater Wetland Mitigation Inventory for Nineteen Coastal Communities" at the Rockingham Planning Commission's quarterly roundtable meeting for conservation commissions.  Contact Dave Kellam for details.

7/21/04  - Public Outreach and Education Team (POET) Meeting
9 - 11am, Kingman Farm, Madbury 
Contact Dave Kellam for details.

7/27/04 - Wetlands Inventory Presentation at Hampton Conservation Commission Meeting
7- 9pm, Town Hall, Hampton 
Mark West, President of West Environmental, will give a presentation on the recently released "Freshwater Wetland Mitigation Inventory for Nineteen Coastal Communities".  Contact Dave Kellam for details.

7/31/04 - Exploring the Rocky Intertidal Zone
3 - 4:30pm, Ft. Stark, New Castle 
The rocky intertidal habitat provides firm anchorage for seaweeds, barnacles, and blue mussels. Many other organisms also inhabit this critical shoreland area between the ocean and upland. Dr. Megan Tyrrell, marine biologist, will share her expertise of the native and exotic fauna and flora as well as food webs and community dynamics. Funded by the NHEP local grants program.  Contact Dave Kellam for details.

 

 

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