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News and announcements
2009 Archives
Gulf of Maine Coastal Program hosts European conservationists
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Zoran Acimov, Romania.
Credit: Mao Teng Lin/USFWS |
December 8, 2009
Project Coordinator:
Stewart Fefer
Six conservation professionals from Southeast Europe visited the GOMCP office
as part of an international study tour organized by the Quebec-Labrador
Foundation (QLF) Center for the Environment. The objectives of the tour
were to give the participants an appreciation for the breadth and depth of protected
area management in the U.S., and to create opportunities for dialogue and cooperation.
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(L to R) Hajrush Kurtaj, Kosovo; Goran Sekulic,
Serbia; Milena Kapa and Katarina Vuksic, Montenegro.
Credit: Mao Teng Lin/USFWS |
GOMCP provided an open format for the meeting that facilitated a comfortable
exchange of ideas. The study group participants were primarily interested in
discussing how conservation-based organizations and agencies in the U.S. conserve
and protect land, sustainably manage forests, incorporate education into parks
and recreation management, engage local communities in land conservation and
stewardship, and balance conservation with politics and economic demands for
natural resources.
The participants traveled from Romania, Montenegro, Kosovo, and Serbia. In
addition, GOMCP project leader Stewart Fefer invited his staff and five land
managers from Maine to participate in the dialogue. "It's important
for conservation professionals in the U.S. and around the world to recognize
that many of the environmental issues we are tackling transcend political boundaries," commented
Fefer. "Meetings like these provide a basis for exchanging ideas, developing
partnerships, and opening up pathways for international environmental cooperation."
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Alin Moş, Romania.
Credit: Mao Teng Lin/USFWS |
The European visitors were Zoran Acimov, Director of Retezat National Park,
Romania; Milena Kapa, Head of the Department of Nature Protection and Environmental
Impact Assessment in the Ministry of Spatial Planning and Environment of
Montenegro; Hajrush Kurtaj, Chief of the Division for Management Forest Policies,
Wildlife, and Training in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Rural
Development of Kosovo; Alin Moş, Director of Apuseni Nature Park, Romania;
Goran Sekulic, Ornithologist for Institute for Nature Conservation of Serbia;
and Katarina Vuksic, Landscape Architect for Expeditio in Montenegro.
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Jane Arbuckle, MCHT.
Credit: Mao Teng Lin/USFWS |
The land managers from Maine were Jane Arbuckle, Director of Stewardship for Maine
Coast Heritage Trust; Paul Dest, Reserve Manager for Wells
National Estuarine Research Reserve; Beth Goettel, Project Leader for Maine
Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge; Charlie Jacobi, Resource Specialist
for Acadia
National Park; and Karrie Schwaab, Refuge Operations Specialist for Rachel
Carson National Wildlife Refuge.
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Brent Mitchell, QLF.
Credit: Mao Teng Lin/USFWS |
Brent Mitchell of QLF extended the invitation to GOMCP to host the Maine segment
of the tour. The group then continued on to other New England states. QLF is
a Not-for-Profit Organization in the U.S. and a Registered Charity in Canada.
QLF fosters long-term leadership development within individuals and communities
by supporting community-based conservation initiatives; developing models of
stewardship of natural and cultural resources; and aiding in community service,
economic development, and heritage preservation in rural regions.
More information and links to our partners' websites are available below.
Partners' Websites
Quebec-Labrador
Foundation
Acadia
National Park
Maine
Coast Heritage Trust
Maine Coastal Islands National
Wildlife Refuge
Rachel Carson National
Wildlife Refuge
Wells
National Estuarine Research Reserve
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| York River salt marsh. |
Credit: Doreen Macgillis/York Land Trust |
240 acres on York River protected as part of a large NAWCA grant
November 13, 2009
Project Coordinator:
Stewart Fefer
Four years ago the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Gulf of Maine Coastal Program
(GOMCP) helped York Land Trust and Mt. Agamenticus to the Sea conservation
partners put together a million dollar grant proposal through the North American
Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). Recently, those funds were used to purchase
240 acres of pristine salt marsh, shorelands, field and forested uplands
from the Davis family, one of York's founding families and long time supporters
of community conservation.
"Our family settled this land in the 1600s and lived on it continuously
until 1963, when our great aunt Alice R. McIntire died and our mother Mary McIntire
Davis inherited the land. Before her death, it was our mother's fondest
wish that the land remain undeveloped and in its natural state in-perpetuity.
We believe conveying the land to the good stewards of the York Land Trust will
ensure our mother's legacy and provide for the enjoyment of the citizens
and visitors of York. My brothers, Dan and Jim, and I are pleased to be able
to continue our family's affiliation with the York Land Trust," said
Mal Davis.
"We are grateful to the Davis Family for working with us to protect
this spectacular property and for their generosity in selling the land for less
than its market value, as a donation to the York Land Trust. The success of
the project was due in part to this important gift," said Doreen MacGillis,
Executive Director of York Land Trust. "In addition, the value of a partially
donated conservation easement to Maine Coast Heritage Trust by the Delano family
on a 390-acre parcel on Gerrish Island in Kittery last year provided critical
match necessary to secure the federal NAWCA grant."
Developing the NAWCA grant proposal was a rigorous process that focused national
attention on the York River System. GOMCP played an active role in working with
land trust partners, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, Ducks
Unlimited and NAWCA staff to develop a compelling land protection plan for the
funds. GOMCP researched and wrote the biological components of the grant, reviewed,
edited and corrected other sections of the proposal, calculated wetland acreages
and produced multiple maps in support of the grant proposal. GOMCP also provided
and interpreted biological data to partners, answered multiple questions and
provided technical support in multiple details regarding the grant process and
strategy, and coordinated site visit planning. GOMCP served as Project Administrator
for this grant.
Project leader Stewart Fefer with GOMCP said, "This York River project
protects forever a diversity of nationally significant coastal wetland habitats
for fish, wildlife and people. We are delighted to have been able to assist
in this important conservation partnership."
Conservation biologists have long recognized the exceptional habitat values
for water-dependent species in this area. According to aquatic biologist Michele
Dionne of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, "The ecology
of the River is directly connected to the ecology of its surrounding landscape.
If the shorelands lose their natural functions, so do the brooks, streams, creeks
and channels of the watershed and estuary." Extensive salt marshes and
upland buffer provide habitat for nearly every waterbird species in the Atlantic
Flyway. Conserving the lands connected to the River and its source wetlands
and streams protects habitat for sharp-tailed sparrows and other wildlife including
rare turtles, amphibians, invertebrates, mammals, and diadromous fish.
Areas protected as part of the York River NAWCA project are within the approved
boundary of Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge and help further the refuge's
land protection goals.
More information and links to press coverage and our partners' websites are
available below.
Maps
Greater
York River Project Area - NAWCA grant map (JPG 574 KB)
Davis
Tract Christina Epperson/Maine Coast Heritage Trust (JPG 88 KB)
Mt. Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation
Initiative (PDF 3.37 MB)
Press Coverage
Land
Trust Alliance
Land
trust acquires 240 acres on York River (Seacoastonline.com)
York
River farm parcel saved from development (Portland Press Herald)
Partners' Websites
York
Land Trust
Mt.
Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative
Maine
Coast Heritage Trust
Maine
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Maine
Ducks Unlimited
Rachel Carson National
Wildlife Refuge
Wells
National Estuarine Research Reserve
Related Stories
One Million Dollar NAWCA Grant Awarded to Protect
York River, ME
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Dam removal opens Little River to fish
September 24, 2009
Project Coordinator:
Sandra Lary
207-781-8364 x19
sandra_lary@fws.gov
Gulf of Maine Coastal Program coordinated the removal of a dam from the Little
River, a tributary in the Androscoggin River watershed, opening up 43 miles
of historic habitat for Atlantic salmon, American eel, and sea lamprey. As
a lead partner with the Atlantic Salmon Federation, Maine Department of Marine
Resources, and Natural Resources Conservation Service to plan and implement
the dam removal, GOMCP assessed habitat, provided funding, reviewed designs,
wrote permits, and oversaw construction.
Restoring river connectivity and function provides numerous benefits to fish,
birds, and marine mammals in the Gulf of Maine. GOMCP fishery biologist Sandra
Lary supervised the project. “It helps improve the health of the entire ecosystem,”
she said. “Taking out dams or putting in fish ladders improves the health
of the watershed and the health of the communities that are connected to
the Gulf of Maine through those rivers.”
But there is still more work to do. John Burrows of the Atlantic Salmon Federation
said of the lower Androscoggin River, “...pretty much all of the tributaries
are blocked with dams.” He added, “You are not going to rebuild the Androscoggin
and the Androscoggin salmon population just by opening up this river...
but this is certainly a really important first step.”
Neil Ward of the Androscoggin River Alliance offered a socioeconomic perspective:
“All of the communities along the river see the potential that this river
has for them, and that includes recreation, fishing - things that we have
never thought about along the Androscoggin because of its polluted state.
You look at the downtown areas of Lewiston and Auburn, even Brunswick and
Topsham, the buildings didn’t face the river and that was because nobody
wanted to look at that and realize what the condition of the river was.”
The Little River dam had been in place for nearly one hundred years but had
not been used in decades. It was originally built to hold water that was
pumped to a nearby mill.
Press Coverage
Dam
Removal Opens Little River to Fish (WCSH-6) |
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Little River dam on the lower Androscoggin
River before demolition.
Credit: Mao Teng Lin/USFWS |
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Removing the dam.
Credit: Mao Teng Lin/USFWS |
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Cofferdam for erosion control.
Credit: Samuel Manders/USFWS |
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Rescuing mussels after dewatering the river.
Credit: Sandra Lary/USFWS |
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Little River after dam removal.
Credit: Sandra Lary/USFWS |
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The U.S. Attorney for Maine and the U.S. Coast Guard presenting a check to the grant recipients.
Credit: Mao Teng Lin/USFWS |
New grants spur more than $5M in conservation action
September 22, 2009
Project Coordinator:
Stewart Fefer
Nearly $2 million in grants, bolstered by $3.4 million raised by grant recipients,
will support 14 coastal and marine conservation projects in Maine. Funding for
the grants came from the settlement of a criminal enforcement action by the
U.S. Attorney for Maine and the U.S. Coast Guard with the Overseas Shipholding
Group, Inc. associated with discharges and disposals of oil residue and oily
mixtures in coastal waters of Maine.
The settlement and disbursement of funds resulted from a partnership effort
of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), U.S. Attorney for Maine,
U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Officials from the Service
worked with the U.S. Attorneys Office in Maine to make them aware of the possible
use of Community Services Payments (CSP) to assist in rectifying the damage
from the oil discharges. The U.S. Attorney for Maine became interested in the
CSP and contacted the Service for information and assistance. The Service then
worked with NFWF and the Office of the U.S. Attorney to develop criteria and
implement the program. Because of the great interest in these funds expressed
by agencies and non-government organizations in Maine when the CSP was announced
in the media, NFWF developed a request for proposals. Numerous excellent proposals
were received and Service staff at Gulf of Maine Coastal Program and NFWF staff
evaluated and ranked the proposals.
Two of the funded projects will directly benefit National Wildlife Refuges
in Maine. Rachel Carson NWR will receive funds to assist in purchasing Timber
Point in partnership with Land and Water Conservation Fund. Maine Coastal Islands
NWR will receive nationally significant Compass Island (seabird nesting colony)
from Maine Coast Heritage Trust as a donation.
All of the projects awarded benefit coastal fish and wildlife resources in
Maine and greatly assist the FWS in meeting its goals.
USFWS
news
release (including a list of funded projects)
The story was covered by The Associated Press and picked up by several major
media outlets including The Washington Examiner, Forbes, CNBC, and MSN Money.
Some of the media coverage for the announcement are linked below.
Portland
Press Herald
MPBN
News
Seacoastonline.com
(AP)
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