July 2005, #27

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

JUNE ACTIVITIES  

6/3/05 - Biological Inventories Workshop

Dave Kellam attended this workshop offered by UNH Cooperative Extension that taught participants how to identify plants and animals on a biologically diverse conservation property, in this case Carl Wallman Conservation Property, in Northwood. Working in teams, experts from UNH conducted a preliminary inventory of flora and fauna and the groups discussed how the results affect stewardship practices. Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

6/4/05 - 5th Annual Alewife Festival Approximately 600 people attended the Exeter River Local Advisory Committee's 5th Annual Alewife Festival in Exeter. The event featured exhibits and educational displays by over three dozen organizations, including the NHEP, NH Coastal Program, NH Fish & Game, NH Department of Environmental Services, Great Bay Coast Watch, Exeter Public Works Department, Lamprey River Advisory Committee, and the Great Bay Resource Protection Partnership. Once again the NHEP booth featured the "Eel of Fortune", that included a large spinning wheel, a watershed map, and live eels. The eels are an excellent way to hold festival goers' attention while they learned about water quality, land protection, and the NHEP. The NHEP funded this year's printing of the festival posters, brochures, banners, and placement of newspaper advertisements promoting the event. Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

6/7/05 - Regional Wastewater Management Study Meeting

Jennifer Hunter attended the Great Bay Estuary Study Commission meeting held at Exeter Town Hall. The Commission heard an update from Metcalf & Eddy, the contractor conducting the wastewater management study, including information on three draft technical memoranda related to future population growth, wastewater and septage flows, and permit limits. The Commission discussed the plan for reviewing these documents, as well as plans for future meetings. Metcalf & Eddy will compile comments on the memoranda received by June 24 and distribute to Commission members in advance of the next meeting, tentatively scheduled for July 19, 2005. Jennifer Hunter submitted comments on the documents. Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

6/10/05 - Coastal Watershed Land Conservation Plan Kick-off Meeting

Jennifer Hunter attended this meeting led by The Nature Conservancy to discuss the process of developing a land protection plan for the 42-community coastal watershed. The resulting plan will identify important areas for conservation and protection activities. TNC, along with its team of project partners, Society for the Protection of NH Forests, Strafford Regional Planning Commission, and Rockingham Planning Commission, was chosen by the NHEP and NH Coastal Program to develop the coastal watershed plan. The plan will be completed by June 2006. Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

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6/13/05 - New Hampshire's Changing Landscape Panel Discussion

Jennifer Hunter participated as a panelist in this evening forum at Dover Town Hall to discuss the Forest Society’s recently released report, New Hampshire’s Changing Landscape 2005. The Forest Society presented detailed information from the report to highlight dramatic changes affecting natural resources as population, development, and land conversion continue to increase rapidly in southern New Hampshire. After the presentation, panelists discussed the implications of the data from the report and answered audience questions. Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

6/14/05 - Shellfish Harvesting Opportunities in Great Bay

The DES Shellfish Program and Great Bay Coast Watch hosted this seminar at the Urban Forestry Center. Chris Nash, Shellfish Program Director, gave a presentation on the status of shellfish areas in Great Bay, Little Bay and the Bellamy River. Candace Dolan, Great Bay Coast Watch Phytoplankton Project Coordinator, explained the current red tide event along the northeastern Atlantic coast and discussed how such events affect shellfish harvesting. Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

6/20/05 - National Ocean Policy Meeting

Jennifer Hunter met with Grant Bosse, who is Staff Director of the National Ocean Policy Study that is chaired by Senator Sununu. Grant Bosse met with a number of marine-related UNH programs during his initial visit to the coast. Jennifer discussed local issues related to the Ocean Commission Report and highlighted the role played by the NHEP in assisting communities and protecting estuarine resources. Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

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6/22/05 - NROC Quarterly Meeting

Discussion topics included the 2006 NROC community selection process, status of the 2005 communities, evaluation of NROC by Plymouth State, and an update on the NROC accomplishments booklet. Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

6/23/05 - Management Committee Meeting

The meeting started with introductions that included Jodi Castallo, the new NHEP Project Coordinator. Jodi's official starting date is July 11. Other guests on hand for the meeting were Jon Pennock (UNH Marine Program Director), Paul Currier (NHDES Watershed Bureau Director), Chris Nash (NH DES Shellfish Program Director), Frank Mitchell and Mark West (representing Bear-Paw Regional Greenways). Jon Pennock welcomed the NHEP to the Marine Program and answered questions from the committee. Chris Nash then gave a presentation about Shellfish Program funding trends and the implications on monitoring effort. Reduction in funding is expected to jeopardize the classification of shellfish areas, resulting in more closures. It was clear that both recreational shellfishers and aquaculturalists would be impacted if monitoring efforts were scaled back. The Management Committee discussed ways the Shellfish Program could secure more funding and a subcommittee was formed to examine this issue, with a focus on the economic impact of reduction of the Shellfish Program monitoring efforts. The next issue discussed was a Land Protection Project in Nottingham proposed by Bear-Paw Regional Greenways. After learning more about the project from Frank Mitchell and Mark West, the Management Committee agreed to pursue the project. Other topics discussed included the Regional Wastewater Management Study, the Year 10 Work Plan, and NHEP officers. Peter Britz accepted another two year term as Management Committee Chair. The meeting concluded with a tour of the new NHEP office in Hewitt Annex on the UNH campus. Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

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NEW NHEP PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS  

6/15/05 - NHEP Overview

This one-page document provides a succinct description of the NHEP, the Management Plan, the study area, the monitoring program, and the how the NHEP assists communities. This is a good piece to hand out to stakeholders unfamiliar with the program. Read the Overview (.pdf/900KB)

6/30/05 - 2005 Exeter River Alewife Festival

On June 4, 2005, the Exeter River Local Advisory Committee (ERLAC) held the 5th Annual Exeter River Alewife Festival along the banks of the Squamscott River in downtown Exeter. Over three dozen organizations exhibited at the Festival and event organizers estimate approximately 600 people, including many children, attended the event. The purpose of the Festival was to increase awareness of the Exeter River watershed and the role it plays in the Great Bay ecosystem, as well as its role in providing drinking water, wildlife habitat, and scenic, historic and recreational resources for residents in the ten watershed towns. Funding provided by the New Hampshire Estuaries Project enabled ERLAC to print posters, banners, and newspaper advertisements announcing the event, and update the Committee’s brochure. Read the Report (.pdf/4.2MB)

 

 

 

NHEP Projects Starting 

6/22/05 MOA with NHDES

A memorandum of agreement between the NHEP and the NH Department of Environmental Services was signed by the Governor and Council to implement the NHEP Coastal Scientist functions for the NHEP, manage community grants for illicit discharge elimination and municipal storm sewer mapping and monitoring, complete sanitary surveys for the Shellfish Program, manage the NH Gulfwatch program, monitor ambient water quality in Great Bay tributaries, and maintain a stream gage on the Salmon Falls River. Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Recommendations for Nutrient Criteria for NH Estuaries

The NHEP Technical Advisory Committee will serve as the forum for developing recommendations for nutrient criteria for New Hampshire estuaries. Anyone interested in these discussions should contact Phil Trowbridge, NHEP Coastal Scientist, who is coordinating this effort along with Steve Jones (UNH), Chair of the NHEP Technical Advisory Committee. An initial meeting will be scheduled in the fall.

 

UPCOMING EVENTS

7/16/05 - Gundalow at Exeter Revolutionary War Festival, 10am - dusk, Exeter This is the first year the historic gundalow will sail up the Squamscott River to Exeter. Funded by the NHEP, the gundalow's visit to the Exeter Revolutionary War Festival will give festival goers the chance to see and climb aboard the wide, flat sailing boat and learn about the history of these important working vessels, as well as the natural history of the Great Bay Estuary. Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

8/27/05 - Annual Trail Day at Branch Hill Farm, 10am - 4pm, Branch Hill Farms, Milton Mills Organized by Moose Mountains Regional Greenways, this event features a live owl demonstration, a tour of a certified Tree Farm and an introduction to the creatures that make their homes along the edge of the Salmon Falls River. NHEP's Dave Kellam will be a presenter at the event that features nature walks, hay rides, kids' crafts, live music and more! Trail Day is held at Branch Hill Farm, a 3,000-acre farm in Milton Mills, NH where The Forest Society holds a conservation easement. For more information, call MMRG (603) 817-8260 or go to their web site, www.mmrg.info.

9/7/05 - POET Meeting, 9-11am, NH DES Coastal Office, 50 International Dr, Pease Tradeport
Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

9/13/05 - TAC Meeting, 1-3pm, Durham, (location TBD)
Contact Phil Trowbridge for more information.

9/20/05 - NROC Quarterly Meeting, 9:30-noon, Kingman Farm, Madbury
Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

12/6/05 - NROC Quarterly Meeting, 9:30-noon, Kingman Farm, Madbury
Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

 

 

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