January 2006, #33

DECEMBER ACTIVITIES  

12/6/05 - NROC Meeting
Natural Resources Outreach Coalition (NROC) members met to select 2006 NROC communities and discuss program updates including the Plymouth State evaluation of the NROC program, the NROC accomplishment booklet, and the NHDES 319 program grant to support development of a water resources workshop. Contact Jodi Castallo for more information.

12/19/05 - CELCP Program Review
Jennifer Hunter attended a meeting coordinated by the NH Coastal Program (NHCP) to discuss and review proposals submitted for the Coastal and Estuarine Land Conservation Program (CELCP) funding for FFY07. Thirteen land protection projects were submitted for consideration, however, New Hampshire can submit only three for consideration at the national level. The NHCP used the national criteria for CELCP funding to evaluate projects and identify the top three. For subsequent years, projects to be submitted for CELCP funding will be evaluated based on criteria and priorities identified in the Coastal Watershed Land Conservation Plan being developed by The Nature Conservancy, Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests, and Strafford and Rockingham Planning Commissions with funding from the NHEP, NHCP, and NH Charitable Foundation. Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

12/21/05 - NHEP Management Committee Meeting
This meeting began with an orientation session for the eight new members of the NHEP Management Committee. The main part of the meeting included project updates, budget allocation for FFY06/ Year 11 Work Plan, the proposed legislation for NHDES Shellfish Program funding, a presentation on the NHEP Planning Board/Conservation Commission survey, and the 2006 EPA Implementation Review. Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

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NEW NHEP PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS  

12/20/05 - Comte Property Easement Purchase The New Hampshire Estuaries Project (NHEP) contributed $50,000 to Bear Paw Regional Greenways' successful effort to purchase 134 acre parcel of land in Nottingham owned by the Comte family. The total easement purchase price was $210,000. The Comte property is located on Cooper Hill Road, with public access from Route 4 in Nottingham. The property is one of the highest points in Nottingham and is in the uppermost reaches of the Little River watershed. Most of this section of the watershed is a large unfragmented block approximately eleven square miles in size. An interesting aspect of this property is a five acre black gum/red maple basin swamp that includes three black gum trees estimated to be over 500 years old. Read the Report (.pdf/12KB)

12/31/05 - Shellfish Spotlight This brochure was created by the NHEP and includes a summary of New Hampshire clam and oyster populations, as well as articles on oyster reef reconstruction, illegal clamming, clam research in Hampton-Seabrook Harbor, oyster predators, the NHDES Shellfish Program, and the recent opening of the Bellamy River harvesting area. The large format, tri-fold brochure was mailed to all shellfish license holders who allowed additional mailings to be sent to their homes (732), as well as all state legislators, coastal license vendors, NHEP team members, and key distribution areas such as Seacoast Science Center and NH Fish and Game office. This publication addresses outreach activities of four Action Plans from the NHEP Management Plan. Read Brochure (.pdf/1MB). Contact Dave Kellam for paper copies.

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

1/10/06 - Seabrook Station Contribution
FPL Energy Seabrook Station donated $24,000 to the New Hampshire Estuaries Project (NHEP) to support the NHEP’s activities to protect, enhance, and monitor the environmental quality of the state’s estuaries over the next two years. This is the eighth year that Seabrook Station, located adjacent to the Hampton-Seabrook Estuary, has contributed to the Project. The NHEP supports a number of environmental monitoring and stewardship activities in the state’s coastal watershed, which encompasses 42 New Hampshire communities in Strafford and Rockingham counties. Read Press Release (.pdf/29KB)

Funding Opportunity

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UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

1/25/06 - NHEP Water Quality Team Meeting, 10:00am-Noon, Kingman Farm, Madbury
Contact Natalie Landry at 603- 559-1507 for more information.

1/25/06 - NHEP Technical Advisory Committee Meeting, 1:30-3:30pm, NH Fish and Game Office, Durham
Contact Phil Trowbridge for more information.

1/31/06 - NH DES Shellfish Funding Bill Hearing, 11:30am-Noon, Rm 307, Legislative Office Building, Concord
Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

2/1/06 - NHEP Finance Subcommittee Meeting, 2:00pm, Dimond Library, UNH Campus, Durham
Contact Jodi Castallo for more information.

3/6 - 3/10/06 -  Annual Meeting of National Estuary Programs, Washington, DC
Contact Jennifer Hunter for more information.

3/22/06 - NHEP POET Meeting, 9:00am-Noon, Sandy Point Discovery Center, Stratham
Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

10/27/06 - 2006 State of the Estuaries Conference, Sheraton Harborside, Portsmouth
Contact Jodi Castallo for more information.

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