Management plan for the Seabrook dune area, Seabrook, New Hampshire

[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

Coastal Zone
Information
Cantor

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GB n
631
M36 NORMANDEAU ASSOCIATES, INC.
1985
A c.2 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENTISTS#
ENGINEERS & PLANNERS

COASTAL ZONE
INFORMATION CENTER

MANAGEMENT PLAN

FOR THE SEABROOK DUNE AREA,
SEABROOK, NEW HAMPSHIRE

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE NOAA
COASTAL SERVICES CENTER
2234 SOUTH HOBSON AVENUE
CHARLESTON, SC 29405-2413

Prepared for

THE SEABROOK CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Seabrook, NH

Prepared by

NORMANDEAU ASSOCIATES, INC.
25 Nashua Road
Bedford, NH 03102

The New Hampshire Coastal Program provided a grant
for the preparation of this report which was funded
in part by the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972
as amended, administered by the Office of Ocean
and Coastal Resource Management, NOAA.

March 21, 1985

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PAGE

1.0 INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2.0 PURCHASE OPTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

3.0 PREVENTION OF INCREASED HABITAT DESTRUCTION . . . . . 3

3.1 SOURCES OF DAMAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
3.2 PREVENTING FURTHER DAMAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

4.0 REDUCTION OF EXISTING DAMAGE . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

4.1 SLOW SAND MOVEMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
4.2 AUGMENT VEGETATIVE RECOVERY . . . . . . . . . . . 7

5.0 MANAGEMENT BY EDUCATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

5.1 MANAGEMENT BY NON-PROFIT CORPORATION . . . . . . 10
5.2 NATURE TRAIL DEVELOPMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

6.0 RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

6.1 PASSIVE RECREATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

7.0 MAINTENANCE PLAN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

7.1 OPERATIONS BY FRIENDS OF SEABROOK DUNES . . . . . 15
7.2 FUNDING SOURCES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
7.3 HABITAT MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
7.4 TRAIL MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

8.0 LITERATURE CITED . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this management plan is to preserve the re-
maining Seabrook dunes, while providing for public use of the area for
passive recreation and nature study. Two other documents accompany this
plan: the single page flyer describing the nature trail, and the Educa-
tional Brochure and Trail Guide. This plan is written to serve as a
general guide to managing the dune area, since several factors are
presently uncertain, including exact property bounds and the implementa-
tion date. Certain principles, based on the ecological processes, are
implicit in the practices, plans and prohibitions set forth herein:

1. The native dune plants are best suited for stabilizing
dune sand.

2. Foot and vehicular traffic irreparably damages dune
plants due to the yielding nature of the soil, the
scarcity of water, and the fragility of the plant roots.
Regrowth requires careful management.

3. Devegetated areas promote the movement of sand, further
loss of plant communities, and loss of fertile soil
currently held in place by the native plants.

4. Some of the native dune plants, now rare in New
Hampshire, deserve protection as a state resource.

5. Sand eroded by the wind is being lost to the area,
depleting a non-renewable resource.

These assumptions can best be understood by carefully reading
the Educational Brochure and Trail Guide prepared to accompany this
plan. The basis for each of the assumptions listed above is explained
fully in the brochure, along with many of the principles of managing a

loose sand environment.

It is also assumed that the level of effort needed to prevent
further habitat degradation by traffic in the dune area will depend on
the success of the initial recommendations. It is impossible to gage in
advance how effective each step will be in controlling damaging uses and
promoting revegetation.

2.0 PURCHASE OPTION

According to the valuation analysis undertaken in January
1984, the property owned by the late John Dondero, referred to therein
as Dondero/Seabrook Beach Homes, Inc., might encounter legal constraints
were it to be developed as house lots (Thibeault 1984). The New Hamp-
shire Wetlands Board regulations prohibit extensive development in this
area, but past cases involving permits in adjacent areas have been
allowed. Currently the Town of Seabrook is contending a permit issued
by the State Wetlands Board for the Ulaky Parcel, adjacent to the dunes
area. The outcome of the suit, as well as the performance of the
Wetlands Board in the future will determine how developable this parcel

is.

It has been the stated objective of the Town of Seabrook to
acquire this parcel outright, thereby gaining control over its preser-
vation and use. Cost has been a consideration, however, and the afore-

said suit may influence this process.

It is possible that the effective implementation of this plan
can proceed without the Town's actually purchasing the fifty plus acre
parcel, through the use of agreements or easements. At the time of
writing, town money has already been allocated for the purchase, and
negotiation is underway with the present owners.

This management plan is written with the assumption that
complete control of this parcel is transferred to the Town of Seabrook
in the near future, and that the cooperation of abutter and citizens
prevails, through the combination of education and leadership which have
thus far characterized this project.

3.0 PREVENTION OF INCREASED HABITAT DAMAGE

3.1 SOURCES OF DAMAGE

Many past and present causes have contributed to the loss of
plant communities now visible in the dune area. By far the most dam-
aging continues to be motor vehicles illegally operated off roadways.
Most of the damage to the sand road areas is caused by passenger cars,
four-wheel drive automobiles, Off Road Vehicles (ORVs), and trail

motorcycles.

The highest priority in-the management of the dunes as a
conservation area is the prevention of further vehicular damage. Sandy
pathways which presently invite daring drivers into the area must be
posted and blockaded from illegal entry. In all probability, ninety
percent of the vehicular usage will be stopped by these measures, but
some drivers will undoubtedly circumvent the blocks and gain access
though presently vegetated land, actually creating damage to new areas.
Therefore, patrolling and local cooperation are essential to prevent
further degradation. Abutters need to be included in this planning, and
helped to realize that the inevitable sand loss without plants is to
everyone's disadvantage.

Access from Cross Beach Road, hidden from much of the highway,
may prove to be particularly difficult to control. The Town of Seabrook
will have to establish enforcement measures and priorities depending on
the degree of violations encountered once the area is owned and secured.

The Town of Seabrook intends to replace the sand path with a
graded and paved road. This raises the difficult issue: several of the
rarest plant species occur along this tidal salt marsh line. Construc-
tion of an improved road will directly impact this sensitive area; it
may alter the tidal hydrology of much of the northern edge of the dunes
area, and invite increased vehicular use of the area at all seasons and
all tides. This might have a large negative impact on efforts to
preserve the native flora unless handled with the advice and cooperation

of knowledgeable ecologists and botanists, such as those who prepared the
study of the flora and vegetation for the Office of State Planning.

Vandalism and negligence have affected the dune plants as well
as the appearance of the area to visitors. Bottles and rubbish are
commonplace. Adjacent to Station 15 on the proposed nature trail is an
immense pile of rubble. Much of this trash presently sends signals to
visitors that no one cares about the land. The area is frequently used
for target practice, and while the sand dunes provide ideal backstops
for stray bullets, the effect of the noise alone on wildlife and
abutters may be quite large. The litter of broken target objects is
also incompatible with the use by nature-oriented passive recreators.

Recent use of the area by hikers and beach plum pickers is
also not without lasting impacts. Human footprints especially among
beach heather and dune grass are sufficient to permanently disrupt this
community, leading to rapid soil loss with wind erosion.

It is important to foster the growth of the idea that this
conservation area is for observation, photography, and educational
interest; disruptive uses must cease and plants and animals must be
protected, possibly to a degree with which the public is unfamiliar.

3.2 PREVENTING FURTHER DAMAGE

Effective control of damage must begin with an accurate list
of recent misuses. In collecting this list, it is important to note
what abutters feel are recent abridgements of their property rights.
Also suggestions must be obtained for correcting these problems. To
accomplish these tasks, we recommend that an abutters meeting be held
immediately after the purchase of the land has been made.

Heavily used roadways, trails, and vehicular access points
will probably require more than prominent posting. Allowance should be
made for at least one posting every 50 feet of frontage along Route 1A

and Cross Beach Road, or sixty-five (65) signs. Many of these will be
lost to vandalism within the first few months, so approximately twice
that many should be on hand initially to cope with illegal access.

The signs should make clear the penalty for vehicular traffic
anywhere on the parcel, as decided by the Town of Seabrook, and make

clear to all that foot traffic is confined to trails marked with edu-

cational signs. However, utility pole barriers may be needed to stop
vehicles from using the property. Installation costs may be burdensome
on the town. Possibly the state could provide road barriers for the
purpose at low cost. Some potential exists for moving some of the
onsite refuse into piles at existing entryways, effectively blockading
these ways to cars and ORVs. Some barriers will be needed at the
following locations:
The southern tip of the parcel
To the north of "Poore Steve's"
Across the back of the Ulaky parcel
At three locations along Cross Beach Road

Many towns have found that "protecting plants" has little
emotional appeal as compared with protecting breeding birds. Thus "Bird
Sanctuary" signs may succeed in gaining the respect of passersby where
more threatening signs will be less effective.

Snowmobiles and trail motorcycles may prove pernicious;
scofflaws will be able to enter the property at will on these "bikes"
night or day despite any blockade efforts. Patrolling and abutter
cooperation are essentially to control these disrupting machines,
capable of permanently destroying between ten and forty square feet of
dune vegetation per second. Appalling as this seems to many of us,
interviews with operators often reveal that they, like hikers, identify
themselves as harmless adventurers. They enjoy the "woods" and do not
really see themselves as despoilers.

4.0 REDUCTION OF EXISTING DAMAGE

4.1 SLOWING SAND MOVEMENT

Although some sand is eroded by flowing water, most of the
gullies and large scale sand movement is produced by the highest winds
each year. Erosion control, once vehicular traffic has been reduced,
follows three simple steps:

1. Break the wind speed (as with snow fences)

2. Revegetate the bare sand surfaces

3. Monitor sand movement and revise the erosion
control plan accordingly.

Moving sand is effectively trapped by any object within three
feet of the ground that slows the wind down. Old Christmas trees have
been used on Cape Cod, staked to the ground or tied in a line with
ropes. Snow fences, hay bales, or any line of objects that will remain
stationary in a high wind will serve as a windbreak.

The result is that sand is deposited on the upwind and down-
wind sides of the windbreak. The slowing of the wind speed prevents the
sand from being carried offsite. A blowout, for example, can be turned
back into a dune by a crossed pair of drift fences forming an "X" in its
center. The problem with using only a single drift fence is in knowing
from which direction the next strong wind will come. If it blows
perpendicular to the fence, such as a northwest wind approaching a fence
oriented NE to SW, local deposition near the fence will occur. If it
blows from the southeast, however, the fence will be ineffective and
sand will move through the area and beyond. Thus the crossed form

serves to abate wind from all directions.

In an eroded gully, such as that near the large dune to the
southwestern side of the conservation area, fences should be placed

across the gully from side to side, since the erosion is caused mainly
by winds which blow along the length of the gully.

4.2 AUGMENT VEGETATIVE RECOVERY

Each drift fence, whether it consists of an actual fence or
other wind-reducing line of objects, will, in time, bury itself in
deposited sand. At this point revegetation will begin naturally or may
be promoted artificially. Planting begins with dune grass, (Ammophil
breviligulat ). As detailed in the educational brochure, this species
is rare in New Hampshire although common in the Seabrook Dunes, grows
very rapidly and takes over the job of depositing sand by itself, once
established. Unlike the drift fences which bury themselves and need to
be replaced by higher structures, the dune grass continually grows
upward through the descending sand. In areas of rapid sand erosion,
dunes of several feet can be built by dune grass alone in one year.

Revegetation can be augmented by the strategic addition of
fertilizers (10-10-10 mix) to the sand surface. Ideally fertilizer can
be broadcast in March through April by hand (or from an airplane for
large areas) early in the morning while the sand surface is wet from
rain or just before a rainfall. The combination of water and nutrients
penetrates the ground and releases the growth potential of the dune
grass, which sends long runners to enter areas devoid of plants.

Fertilizers must always be combined with available fresh
water, since the latter is in very short supply in hot weather in open
sandy areas. The presence of dry conditions should preclude the appli-
cation of fertilizers, since the latter can worsen the effects of a

drought upon sand dune vegetation.

The use of fertilizers during wet weather will encourage a
lush growth, allowing even roadside weeds to temporarily flourish.
During the initial stages of revegetation, this is a desirable situation

to reduce the offsite migration of windblown sand. Fertilizer should
never be placed where it will leach into wet swales, however, since the
sudden increase in nutrients will favor an entirely different set of
wetland plants and may destroy the native communities.

Wherever planting is attempted, it should be limited to areas
already accreting (gaining) sand from passing wind. The combination of

moisture and low levels of fertilizer are also essential, otherwise the
new plants will be robbed of sand by each new wind, or will lack the
ability to grow rapidly into the new sand.

For additional information on sand management or planting

contact:

Mr. Peter Carlson, Sr. Forest & Parks Supervisor
Salisbury Beach State Reservation
P. 0. Box 303
Salisbury, MA 01950
(617) 462-4481

Species ideal for planting to stabilize dunes are listed
below; do not use commercial lawn mixtures or ornamental shrubs!

Dune grass (Ammophila breviligulata) is ideal for open sand.
Hand-planting of sprigs (culms) should begin early in May in areas
protected from all traffic and from wind. This species has been
successfully used to stabilize moving sand since approximately 1895,
when the Town of Provincetown, Massachusetts, used it to remedy a major
sand dune movement. Once rooted it grows rapidly and reduces the sand
movement to a moderate level wherever it flourishes. It is routinely
used at Parker River Refuge and Salisbury Beach Reserve to replace
vegetation following vehicle damage, and is planted one culm every 112
feet, or about one culm per 0.45 square feet. It is available from:
Mr. Edwin Springer
Springer Environmental Services, Inc.
245 Keene Road
Acushnet, MA 02743
(617) 763-2152

Bayberry (Myric pensylvanica) cannot alone pioneer revege-
tation in moving sand, but should be rooted after dune grass has begun
the process. Moisture but not high fertilizer levels will aid the
initial foothold of hand-planted cuttings.

Pitch pine (Pinus rigid ) is extremely hardy in the dry windy
conditions of vegetated dunes. Cuttings should be planted where soils
are stable, following the bayberry. This species needs no special care
and can withstand even periodic fires. It has three needles per bundle
and very prickly cones. Its vine-like branches near the ground are able
to establish new trees at some distance from the original trunk. These
drought resistant plants are year-round cover for birds and provide
conditions which begin building deeper soils. Sometimes called the
scrub pine, this species should not be confused with the widely planted
red pine (Pinus resinosa) which is not suited to dune planting.

5.0 MANAGEMENT BY EDUCATION

At this point in reading this document, you should have a fair
grasp of the tasks of managing blowing sand and dune plants, and why
traffic control is the key to preserving soil, plants and wildlife.

The plan is to share these concepts and a sense of urgency
with as many Seabrook citizens as possible. If the vehicular traffic
continues unchecked, sand in the parcel will begin moving as much larger
walking dunes than are visible in 1985. These, in turn, will inundate
and kill the remaining forests and shrubs, and abutters who today are
merely annoyed by blowing sand in their yard will learn to dread every
windstorm that passes. Moving sand on this scale is no joke. Roads are
drifted shut, houses and plantings are sandblasted. Year-round resi-

dents would be hardest hit.

The long-term interests of dune conservationists and abutting
homeowners are actually closely parallel in the management of this area,
and vehicular traffic control is essential to allow the vegetation to
slow the wind erosion to its original level. Coordinating the manage-
ment and education processes is important to achieve these goals.

5.1 MANAGEMENT BY NON-PROFIT CORPORATION

Establishing a volunteer group, possibly named Friends of
Seabrook Dunes (FOSD), to work for the protection and management of the
dune area has many advantages. Such a volunteer group can provide the
catalyst for grass roots support of the dunes area and mobilizing
manpower for maintenance or improvement projects. Without the restric-
tions of municipal budget laws or an annual budget process, this volun-
teer group also would have considerably more flexibility in raising and
spending money to keep pace with the management needs of the area.

Choosing to register as a nonprofit, charitable organization
with the N.H. Charitable Trusts Division in the State Attorney General's

Office permits the group to file for tax exempt status, accept tax-
deductible donations, qualify for special bulk mailing rates, and apply
for grant monies that are unavailable to governmental entities.

The N.H. Office of State Planning has published a detailed
booklet describing the process and legal requirements for establishing a
volunteer support group, entitled: Friends of Recreation: getting
started. A copy is being forwarded to the Town of Seabrook with this

report.

The Town of Seabrook already has a similar volunteer support
group, Friends of Recreation Seabrook (FORS), as described in Friends of
Recreation, page A-6. The Conservation Commission probably should
contact FORS to determine if the concerns of the dune conservation plan
could be incorporated into the purposes of the existing organization, or
whether FORS could provide suggestions for the formation of a new group.

The FOSD group could assume any roles required by the imple-
mentation of the conservation plan. Many suggestions are included below
(see Section 7). Annual dues, as well as publication of the educational
brochure for sale would be advantageous to the educational process as
well as being an immediate source of funds.

5.2 NATURE TRAIL DEVELOPMENT

As described in the Educational Brochure, a nature trail has
been laid out from the parking area on Cross Beach Road, southward in a
figure eight pattern. This provides fifteen numbered stations, with
educational descriptions of history, sand erosion, and ecology.

Steps to develop the trail should include;

1. Placement of signs indicating start and end points, and
station numbers which correspond to those presented on
the flyer maps and in the brochure. Any possible
confusion about the course of the trail should be clearly
marked to prevent users from taking wrong courses and
possibly damaging the vegetation.

2. The publication of flyers from the camera ready copy
accompanying this management plan. These are intended
for distribution at the parking area from a small,
waterproof dispenser.

3. The early distribution of copies of this flyer to
abutters at the abutters meeting. Distribution to
junior-high and high school science teachers may be
handled at the Town of Seabrook's discretion. Generally,
the more citizens in a position to understand the inter-
actions of plants and sand, the more support for the area
that will be forthcoming. Volunteer organizers can help
establish a Friends of Seabrook Dunes, perhaps in time to
begin establishing windbreaks and planting dune grass in
the spring of 1985.

4. The publication of the educational brochure, for sale at
a price to be determined by the conservation commission
or FOSD, to help raise money for setting up the nature
trail. Possibly, free copies should be made available to
teachers abutters, and other strategic parties, to aid
in implementing the educational process.

5. Use of the area as described in this report, to establish
those critical areas around the conservation area which
need signs, blockades, wind break control, etc.

Ideally, the leaders in the FOSD should combine an under-
standing of the ecological and educational goals of the dunes area, with
sufficient free time to accomplish the many small tasks and connections
needed to make a timely success of the venture.

6.0 RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

6.1 PASSIVE RECREATION

The emphasis of the public educational meetings should be away
from consumptive and disruptive types of recreation and direct physical
involvement with the environment, such as occurs on game fields or
swimming pools, to the enjoyment which comes from being able to identify
natural organisms or to understand the more subtle interactions between
time, temperature, weather, season, and plants and animals. The public
is clearly becoming more and more interested in this type of passive
recreation, with photography and nature study rising in popularity.

Children are naturally curious, much to the consternation of
many adults. Children have to be repeatedly discouraged to remove this
sense of curiosity. Passive recreation channels the curiosity, and
helps children gain the skills to answer questions for themselves,
rather than bother authorities or depend solely on books or TV.

Imaginative projects can be fostered, especially with the
cooperation of local citizens. School projects could, for example,
include following the plants through the seasons, photographing or
preserving animal tracks in the sand or snow, and measuring the erosion-
al processes from week to week, to establish the rates of vegetative
recovery or progressive wind damage. Camera stores can sponsor photo-

graphic contests of the dune area, with space in the windows for the
prize-winners. (Of course, this will sell more film!). Book stores can
display some of the field guides most useful for this type of study,
some of which are listed in Section 8.0. Imaginative projects can spark

the combination of interest and action which will sustain the success of

this project for years to come.

The possibilities for biology projects are almost limitless.
A student living within walking distance of the nature trail could
obtain permission to collect, press and study limited samples, such as

the rushes, grasses and sedges that grow in profusion in the high salt
marsh. Local botanists, or those at the University of New Hampshire or
at Normandeau Associates, could provide some suggestions of methods and
projects involving the commoner dune plants, their growth rates, etc.

7.0 MAINTENANCE PLAN

7.1 OPERATIONS BY FRIENDS OF SEABROOK DUNES

A volunteer organization, such as the proposed Friends of
Seabrook Dunes, could proceed on several fronts to manage the parcel
after the initial work is complete:

1. Organize citizen workparties to remove litter, create
wind barriers, plant dune vegetation, construct
boardwalks where needed to allow sand and plants to
recover from foot traffic, construct or repair barriers
for vehicle control, etc.

2. Conduct fund-raiser or promotional events.

3. Provide training or educational sessions for group
members on topics related to the management of the dunes;

4. Form a speaker's bureau of experts available to speak to
school or community groups about dunes;

5. Conduct educational tours of the dunes, bird census
efforts, and promote the use of the area for research
based in a nearby college or university;

6. Serve as advisors to the Conservation Commission on
dune-related matters;

7. Apply for grants to support dunes projects;

8. Serve as an advocacy group.

7.2 FUNDING SOURCES

Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF)

The LWCF provides federal grants to communities on a 50/50
reimbursable basis. The grants may be used either for land acquisition
or the development of an outdoor recreation site, or a combination of

both.

Due dates for grant applications are April or May annually.
In addition, State Law requires clear and project-specific legal author-
ity to apply for each grant, Town budget item or Town warrant article
action is usually required. It is therefore likely that the LWCF will
not be a funding option for the dune area until at least 1986. A
descriptive brochure is being forwarded to the Town of Seabrook with the
final draft of this report.

For additional information or application assistance contact:

Office of Recreation Services
Division of Parks and Recreation
N.H. Dept. of Resources & Economic Development
Box 856
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-3627

N. H. Charitable Fund and Affiliated Trusts (NHCF)

N. H. Charitable Fund grants are limited to incorporated
non-profit tax-exempt organizations (such as a Friends of Seabrook
Dunes) or public agencies in the State of New Hampshire. Generally,
grants are not made for capital projects such as the acquisition of land
or construction of facilities. It is the purpose of the fund to enhance
the quality of life and to make New Hampshire communities more humane,
just, and enjoyable places to live. Most grants awarded range between $
500 and $ 5000.

Since the Charitable Fund has a particular interest in assis-
ting grass-roots organizations which are addressing community concerns,
an application from a Friends of Seabrook Dunes group could be well
received. Grant application for the dunes might be made for improve-
ments needed to stop erosion or control destruction, to develop and
implement educational programs or materials, or to implement other
elements of this management plan.

The staff at the NHCF will discuss project ideas by phone or
personal interview before a formal application is submitted. They will
also help in identifying other possible sources of funding. A descrip-
tive brochure is being forwarded to the Town of Seabrook with the final
draft of this report.

For additional information or application assistance contact:

N. H. Charitable Fund
1 South St.
P. 0. Box 1335
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 225-6641

7.3 HABITAT MAINTENANCE

Once vegetated recovery is implemented in loose sand areas,
such as much of the northern edge of the project, checks by regular
users will be essential in correcting problems before too much time and
damage have passed. A system of damage reporting could be instituted
within the managing entity, such as FOSD, however, vandalism and volun-

teers are a difficult mixture at best.

Care will be needed to distinguish problems which actually
threaten the sand environment from problems which are merely unsightly
or inconvenient. Small footprints through a dune saddle which break
unseen roots and begin the blow-out process are harder to see than
several unsightly beer bottles, yet of far more urgent importance to the

habitat maintenance than is litter.

It is impossible to assess before the signs and barriers are
erected, how recalcitrant the worst despoilers may become and therefore
the remedial measures that may be required by the Conservation Commis-
sion or the FOSD. It is usually easier to sow mutual respect and
cooperation before large issues arise than to patch up relations after
parties have heatedly disagreed. Vandalism has a way of getting blamed
on whomever you don't like, and the net injustice raises self-righteous

indignation on both sides. Need more be said about the importance of
abutters meetings?

Frequent advice from botanists and wildlife biologists famil-
iar with the dunes in Seabrook is most needed, especially as relates to
trail and off-trail impacts and maintenance. The occasional picking of
herbaceous plants found abundantly on the site should be discouraged but
is not serious. Removal of seeds, fruit or leaves in moderation also is
low in impact on the scale of importance to dune ecology. Walking
through new revegetation is very serious.

7.4 TRAIL MAINTENANCE

The nature trail has been laid out following vehicular and
foot paths. In moist areas, such as from the start to station three,
along the high salt marsh edge, sand is fairly stable, being mixed with
organic material, roots, and moisture. These portions of the trail can
be expected to take foot travel well, requiring little maintenance.

The portions of the trail passing between dunes, or across
dunes, such as the portion from station four to station nine, may
require observation and maintenance if the usage becomes too heavy.
Boardwalks can be constructed using pilings driven into the sand,
supports bolted between the pilings, and planks (eg. rough cut 2 x 8

inch boards) placed between pilings and across the supports. Details
will not be included here owing to the present availability of con-
struction expertise to the' Seabrook Conservation Commission.

The brink of the wet swale, station ten, will probably soon
require some boardwalk protection, because walking on the dune grass to
the edge and looking into the swale bottom proves to be irresistible for
the naturally curious. Whoever assumes leadership in implementing this
plan will have to watch this area carefully for foot traffic damage.

As described in section 7.3, the two areas of rapid sand
erosion must be treated quickly to reduce sand loss. One is the gully
northwest of station 4; the other is the erosion of the blowout at
station fifteen, and much of the area across the north end of the
project, which will require fencing or wind breaks of some kind. Cross-
shaped fences could be arranged near station fifteen which would direct
foot traffic, impede illegal vehicular traffic, and still allow the
nature trail to proceed from station fourteen west to rejoin the parking
lot trail. This area requires the greatest habitat maintenance and the
most careful trail planning as well.

8.0 LITERATURE CITED

Valuation Analysis:

Thibeault, R. W. 1984. Seabrook Dunes valuation analysis. Unpubl.
report by Applied Economic Research, P.O.Box 1250, Laconia, NH
commissioned by the Town of Seabrook.

Educational Texts & Guides:

A. N. Strahler 1966. A Geologist's view of Cape Co . Natural History
Press, Garden City, NY. 115 pp.

C. H. J. Breeding, F. D. Richardson, and S. A. L. Pilgrim 1974.
A soil survey of New Hampshire tidal marshes. Report # 40.
N.H. Agricultural Experiment Station, Univ. of New Hampshire
Durham, NH in coop. with U. S. D. A. Soil Conservation Service.

W. Bascom Waves and Beaches. Science Study Series. Anchor Books,
Doubleday and Company, Inc., Garden City, NY.

Pirie, R. Gordon, ed. 1973. Oceanography; contemporary readings i
ocean sciences. Oxford University Press, NY. 530 pp.

K. L. Gosner 1978. A field guide to the Atlantic Seashore.
The Peterson Field Guide Series #24. Houghton Mifflin Go.,
Boston, MA. 327 pp.

J. Teal & M. Teal 1969. Life and death of the salt marsh. National
Audubon Society and Ballantine Books, NY. 274 pp.

J. D. Fogg 1983. Recollections of a salt marsh farmer. Publ. by the
Historical Society of Seabrook, NH

D. A. Dunlop, G. E. Crow, and T. J. Bertrand 1983. Coastal Endangere
Plant Inventory, a report on the Seabrook Dunes, its vegetation
and flora. C.Z.M.A. funded, Unpublished report, 35 pp.

L. C. Petry & M. G. Norman 1968. A beachcomber's botany. The Chatham
Conservation Foundation, Inc. Chatham, MA 02633. 158 pp.

M. L. Fernald 1950. Gray's Manual of Botany, 8th edition. Corrected
printing 1970. D. Van Nostrand Co., NY. 1632 pp.

G. W. D. Symonds and A. W. Merwin 1963. The shrub identification
book. Wm. Morrow & Co., NY. 379 pp + photographs

G. W. D. Symonds and S. V. Chelminski 1958. The tree identification
book. Wm. Morrow & Co., NY. 272 pp + photographs

R. T. Peterson and M. McKenny 1968 A field guide to wildflowers of
northeastern and northcentral North America. The Peterson Field
Guide Series #17. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA.

T. J. Bertrand 1983. Coastal Bird inventory, a report on the birds
and avian habitat of the coastal zone of New Hampshire. Unpublished
report prepared for the Office of State Planning. 41 pp + maps.

R. T. Peterson, 1980. A field guide to birds east of the Rockies,
4th Edition. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA. 384 pp. + illus.

R. Conant 1975 A field guide to reptiles and amphibians of eastern
and central north america, 2nd edition. The Peterson Field Guide
Series # 12. Houghton Mifflin Co.v Boston. 429 pp.

J. D. Lazell, Jr. and M.C. Michener, 1976. This Broken Archipelago.
Reptiles and Amphibians of Cape Co . Quadrangle/The New York
Times Book Company, New York, NY. 160 pp. + 105 photographs.

S. Katona, D. Richardson & R. Hazard 1977. A field guide to the
whales and seals of the Gulf of Maine, 2nd edition. College of
the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Maine, 04609 99 pp. + illustr.

D. J. Borror and R. E. White 1970. A field guide to the insects of
America north of Mexico. The Peterson Field Guide Series # 19.
Houghton Mifflin Co.v Boston. 404 pp.

0. Murie 1974. A field guide to animal tracks. The Peterson Field
Guide Series # 6. Houghton Mifflin Co.v Boston. 375 pp.

Recreation and Management Sources:

New Hampshire Office of State Planning 1984. Friends of Recreation:
Getting Started. Report publ in cooperation with the N H Office
of Recreation Services, Dept. of Resource & Economic Development.

N. H. Charitable Fund (undated) New Hampshire Charitable Fund &
Affiliated Trusts guidelines for grant application. Undated
Brochure.

N. H. Office of State Planning (undated) The Land and Water Conservation
Fund. Undated brochure.

Jubenville, A. 1978. Outdoor recreation management W.B. Saunders,
Phila., PA. pp 290.

Lieber, S.R. and D.R. Fesenmaier 1983. Recreation planning and manage-
ment Venture Public., State College, PA. pp 393.

McCurdy, D.R 1985. Park management. S. Ill. Univ. Press,
Carbondale, IL.

The Seabrook Dune Area
Public opinion Survey

The Seabrook Dune Area, located on the Western side of Raute
IA, is a unique natural resource in the State of New Hampshire.
Not only is it the only remaining representation of a sand
dune formation in the State, but it also harbors several rare
and endangered plant species. This unique area is rapidly being
destroyed because of some of the destructive uses of the dunes.
The Town of Seabrook Conservation Commission is seeking your
input in the process of developing a management plan which will
help-preserve the dunes while still allowing meaningful access
to and enjoyment of the area. Please take a few minutes to let
the Conservation Commission know how you feel about this
important resource.

1. The dunes are built and sustained by wind-blown sand which
is trapped by plants. Many dune plants are very sensitive
to foot and vehicle traffic. Without the plants, the wind
will rapidly erode the dunes. How important do you think
it is to preserve the dunes by taking measures to protect
the dune plants:
Check onet
very important
somewhat important
not particularly important
no opinion at this time

2. Following is a list of potential uses of the dune area.
Next to EACH type of use or activity, please print the
number corresponding to how you feel about whether or
not the use should occur in the dune areat

0 = use/activity should be prohibited
1 = use/activity could be allowed but not promoted
2 = use/activity is important and should be promoted

beach plum picking recreation vehicle access
nature trails -plant identification markers
hunting picnicking
board walk-ways nature study
bird watching,study school or recreation department
programs
3. Please write-in any other uses or activities you feel
should or should not be allowed to occur in the dune area%

Following is a list of problems related to the Seabrook
Dune Area which have been reported to the Conservation
Commission. Next to EACH problem, please print the
number corresponding to the extent to which you see it
as*a problem which needs to be addressed:
0 = don't think it is a problem
I = it may not be good, but it's not a real problem
2 = it's an important problem to try to resolve
erosion of sand

litter
vehicles cutting through dune to avoid highway traffic
destruction of rare and endangered plant species
noise and destruction created by recreational use
of vehicles in the dunes

Please write-in any other problems or issues related to
the dune area that you think the Conservation Commission
should be aware of:

To preserve the dune area, the Town of Seabrook must
purchase the property so that a management plan can be
implemented. Do you feel that the Town's Budget
Committee should view expenditures for this purpose
as a:-

Check one:
very high priority budget item
high priority budget item
about average in priority
low priority budget item
no opinion at this time

If you might be interested in assisting the Conservation
Commission in its effort to protect the Seabrook Dune Area,
please print your name, address, and phone number below
or write a note to the Commission to express your interests

GAYLORDINo. 2333 1 PRINTEDINUSA

3 6668 14108 1424