April 2007, #48

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NEW NHEP PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS ANNOUNCEMENTS UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

MARCH ACTIVITIES  

3/1/07 - UNH Marine Communicators Meeting
Dave Kellam participated in this meeting of communication professionals who work with marine issues at the University of New Hampshire. Representatives from a variety of university programs, including NH Sea Grant, Coastal Ocean Observing Center, CICEET, and UNH Media Relations, shared communication initiatives occurring in their programs and discussed how to better work together on shared issues. The meetings are coordinated by the UNH Marine Program. Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

3/5/07 - Eye On Estuaries Published in Portsmouth Herald Smelt - a key to estuary health by Eric Aldrich, The Nature Conservancy Online Story or Adobe PDF

3/5/07-3/7/07 - National Estuary Program Meeting Jennifer Hunter attended the annual EPA meeting in Washington, DC, along with directors from the other 27 National Estuary Programs. EPA staff briefed the programs on the federal budget and on pending new EPA guidance that encourages the programs to spend federal funds faster. EPA also organized a session on new metrics for future implementation reviews, which are conducted every three years. Sessions also included presentations on climate change, sustainable development and changes in seagrass. While in Washington, Jennifer, along with directors of the NH Coastal Program, NH Sea Grant, CICEET, and Great Bay Estuarine Research Reserve, met with staff from the NH Congressional delegates’ offices. For more information, contact Jennifer Hunter.

3/22/07 - Senate Bill 68 Vote
The full Senate approved SB68, which would appropriate State funding to implement the NHEP Management Plan. The approved bill was sent to the Senate Finance Committee for review. For more information, contact Jennifer Hunter.

3/22/07 - NROC Quarterly Meeting
Jodi Castallo attended this meeting of the Natural Resources Outreach Coalition (NROC) team. Topics included program updates, evaluation of how NROC is doing with issues raised at the staff retreat, subcommittee updates, and 2007 wrap up events. Contact Jodi Castallo for more information.

3/30/07 - Support for Volunteer Water Quality Monitoring Groups
The NHEP is working with the NHDES Volunteer Rivers Assessment Program (VRAP) to provide water quality monitoring equipment to four coastal watershed groups participating in VRAP. The equipment, which includes conductivity, turbidity and pH meters, was purchased by the NHEP and will be provided to groups monitoring the Bellamy, Oyster, Lamprey, and Cocheco Rivers. The NHEP also is providing a number of pH meters to the Great Bay Coast Watch. For more information, contact Jennifer Hunter. Read Press Release

 

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NEW NHEP PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS  

Testing of Great Bay Oysters for Two Protozoan Pathogens in 2006 Testing done annually since 1995 documents that two protozoan pathogens, Haplosporidium nelsoni (MSX) and Perkinsus marinus (Dermo), are present in Great Bay oysters. Based on testing done by Rutgers University with funding from the New Hampshire Estuaries Project, the Marine Fisheries Division of New Hampshire Fish and Game Department assessed the presence and intensity of both disease conditions in oysters from the major beds, some open for harvest, within the Great Bay estuarine system. Severity of infection and prevalence varies from site to site and over time at a specific site. The year 2006 oyster tests show continued presence of MSX in Great Bay. Dermo was seen for the fifth successive year after a nearly five year absence in oysters. Also present but of unknown pathogenicity are ciliate produced xenomas in gill tissue. The report recommends: (1) This testing program should continue with samples from major oyster beds within the Great Bay system; (2) Movement of oysters from bed to bed within the Great Bay system should be carefully controlled; and (3) The effect of ciliate xenomas should be further studied. Read Report

Conservation Audit and Stewardship Plan
A Conservation Audit and Stewardship Plan for North Hampton was prepared by Chris Kane. In the audit portion, all references to Town lands that had appeared on any list as potentially held for conservation purposes were researched. Other sources of data regarding conservation lands were also investigated, including the GIS mapping Conservation Lands data layer administered by Complex Systems Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. All available records in the Town offices were searched, including tax card files, Conservation Commission property files, old plans, and lists of Town lands and conservation lands. A thorough search of the records at the Rockingham County Registry of Deeds provided much of the critical information and documents that the audit relied on. As the information on properties was gathered, they were entered into a database by Tax Map, Lot and Sub-lot number. Twenty fields of important data were recorded for each parcel. These include acreage, type of protection, book and page of recorded documents and plans, summary of the conservation restrictions, and recommendations for stewardship. Informed by the Conservation Audit, a Stewardship Plan was produced to help guide the Conservation Commission in its continuing efforts to carryout land conservation and stewardship of their Town-owned and easement lands. Read Report

NHEP Buffer Outreach Final Report In 2006, the NHEP completed a buffer protection presentation, NHEP buffer web page, and buffer brochure. The NHEP funded a buffer characterization mapping project; the GRANIT buffer data layer/mapper; Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission’s (SNHPC) buffer assistance in Candia and Deerfield; the development of a buffer ordinance in New Durham through the NHEP Community Technical Assistance Program; and buffer protection assistance through Rockingham Planning Commission and Strafford Regional Planning Commission. Read Report

Newmarket Open Space Conservation Plan
Ellen Synder, Ibis Wildlife Consulting, prepared an Open Space Conservation Plan for the town of Newmarket. The plan will guide the protection and management of Newmarket's open spaces. Read Report

New Durham-Buffer Protection Ordinance
The Town of New Durham, with assistance from Jeffery Taylor Associates, drafted a buffer ordinance that was approved in March 2007. Read Report

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Stormwater BMP Technology Demonstration Workshops for Municipalities For a limited time, the New Hampshire Estuaries Project (NHEP) is paying the enrollment fees for municipal staff, planning board members, and conservation commissioners from the 42 coastal watershed communities who attend a Stormwater BMP Technology Demonstration Workshop conducted by the UNH Stormwater Center. There are numerous workshops offered in 2007 that are eligible for this special offer from the NHEP. To take advantage of this deal, simply report your affliation with a coastal watershed community during registration. Your fee will be waived at that time. Online registration is now available at http://www.erg.unh.edu/cstevreg/register.asp. Registration questions can be directed to Maddy Wasiewski, Maddy.Wasiewski@unh.edu.

 

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UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS

5/2/07 - (POET) Meeting, 9:00-11:00am, Location TBD
Contact Dave Kellam for more information.

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