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March 23, 2006
Project Coordinator Contact:
Stewart Fefer
(stewart_fefer@fws.gov;
207-781-8364 x17)
Pleasant Bay Phase I Large NAWCA Grant Acquisitions Completed
The Pleasant Bay Phase I Large NAWCA grant acquisitions have been completed this month. Conservation partners have used the $650,000 NAWCA grant to permanently protect 889 acres, including 511 acres of coastal wetlands. (This exceeded our grant proposal commitment to use the NAWCA funds to acquire and protect 762 acres). Gulf of Maine Coastal Program worked closely with conservation partners at Maine Coast Heritage Trust and Great Auk Region Land Trust and Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to develop and implement the grant. Gulf of Maine Coastal Program gathered and analyzed biological data, wrote the biological components of the grant proposal, reviewed and edited the budgetary section of the proposal, calculated wetland acreages and created maps, developed GIS maps to track conservation land ownership, coordinated site visits, and is currently administering the grant on behalf of our conservation partners. Four islands and one coastal wetland property were provided as non-federal match, and the following biologically important island and coastal wetland properties were acquired with NAWCA funds:
- Sawyer Marsh: 100 acres, $24,000 NAWCA funds, fee ownership to Maine Coastal Islands NWR
- Harper property, West Carrying Place Cove : 143 acres, $95,000 NAWCA funds, fee ownership to Great Auk Region Land Trust
- Back Bay Farm, Beaver Meadow Brook: 19 acres, $17,000 NAWCA funds, fee ownership to Great Auk Region Land Trust
- Pinkham Island: 272 acres, $504,000 NAWCA funds, fee ownership to Maine Coast Heritage Trust.
Conservation biologists have long recognized the exceptional habitat values for wetland-dependent species in the Pleasant Bay region. The high biological productivity, the extensive intertidal mudflats, fringing salt marshes and the relatively pristine nature of the shoreline provide outstanding habitat for large concentrations of wintering and migrating black ducks, other waterfowl and migratory shorebirds. Many nesting islands in the region provide important habitat for bald eagles and seabirds, including some seabirds that nest in no other states in the United States. Although there has been significant habitat protection work accomplished in the region, very little of the habitat with highest value for wintering and migratory waterfowl and shorebirds, concentrated in the long, narrow tidal embayments has been permanently protected. In addition, nearly half of the 48 nationally significant nesting islands in the area were not permanently protected. Moreover, key shorefront parcels are now being discovered by developers and sold for second homes – often with negative impact on abutting wetlands and waterbird habitat. Therefore, Large NAWCA grants are playing an important role in catalyzing significant conservation work in the Pleasant Bay region. Gulf of Maine Coastal Program continues to finalize administrative requirements in completing the Phase I grant and has recently submitted a Phase II Large NAWCA proposal to continue habitat protection work in this important region.