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Project #94.4.3 Final Report Educational Programs on Coastal Resources for Public and Municipal Audiences Office of State Planning Grant No. NA 470ZO237 Seacoast Science Center and Audubon Society of New Hampshire Project Personnel Richard Cook,Wildlife & XVeflands Dept. Director, ASNH Diane TX-Iuca, Senior Biologist &, Ornithologist, ASNII Wendy hill, F", udw Dirroor, SSC (hoject Manage)) Sieve J. Miller, I'loglam Diw, [m SSC Bevei 1), Shadley, F'Incation Program Coonfinator, SSC John Skafidas, public Ptogmn@ & Volunwei Coordinator, SSC Madw %* Final ANN,- Report Educational Programs on Coastal Resources for,., Public and Municipal Audiences Office of State Planning- Grant No. NA 470ZO237 SeacoasL Science Center-and Audubon Society of New Hampshire - Project Personnel Richard Cook,Wildlife & Wetlands Dept. Director, ASNH Diane DeLuca, Senior Bioiogist & Ornithologist, ASNH Wendy Lull, Executive Director, SSC (Project Maiwger) Steve J. Miller, Program Director, SSC-- '0A. Beverly Shadley, Education Program Coordinator, SSC T J '-@ zz' John Skafidas, Public Program & Volunteer Coordinator, SSC Table of Contents Project Objective ..........................................................................................................1 Endangered Species Programs .................................I...............................; ................2 Endangered species slide show... ..I.................................................................2 Endangered species collateral materials ....................................................3 Informational packets & technicial support ...............................................3 The Great Bay Resource Programs ......................... 14 ..................................................4 The Great Bay Estuary presentatf6t`..,..,-.... ...................................................4 Technical Assistance: ........................ ............................................................4 Coastal Resource Programs ........................................................................................6 The Awcomin Marsh Tour ............................................................................6 Coastal Resource Comparison Wa@kina Tour ........................................ ..7 Revision of the Coastal Issues tbctuxe ........................................................8 Coastal Issues Evening Lecture/Discussion Series ..................................9 Project Analysis ............................................................................................................ 10 List of Appendices ........................................ ............................................. CIS' A Q66 Jd@ Final Report: Development of Educational Programs on Coastal Resources for Public and Municipal Audiences by the Seacoast Science Center and the Audubon Society of New Hampshire Project Objective The objective of this proposed project was to develop and conduct three series of programs with current information about the status of coastal endangered wildlife species and coastal resources, and to provide technical advice to towns on resource management as needed. The program series were: Endangered Species (slide show and collateral materials) Natural and Cultural History of the Great Bay (for three audiences) Coastal Resources Programs (walking tours, slide show, lecture series). The programs incorporated current wildlife research and resource management tools. The purpose of this program is to educate the general public and provide local municipal leaders with the information they need to make intelligent choices and decisions. As these programs were developed another purpose was recognized: significant improvements have been made in the quality of some coastal resources and difficult steps have been taken to protect others. This "good news" needs to be told to the public to dispel the sense of overwhelming environmental' damage people felt in the 1970s and maintain their enthusiasm for making environmentally sound choices by recognizing our improvements and successes. Ke'eping citizens aware of the current,status of their coastal resources, includingwhat they can do to support and maintain them,,,is' even more critical as-the federal government turns away from scientific-based environmental, policy and toward politically-based environmental decisions. The site for most of these programs was the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne Point State Park. Since opening in June, 1992, the Seacoast Science Center has had over 145,000 visitors. Most of these visitors come from coastal states; over 800 come from other countries including Asia, Tonga, Ireland and Poland. Visitors come to the Center throughout the year to view the habitat and history exhibits and to participate in programs. These visitors are made aware of the diversity of coastal habitats and resources through exhibits (five of which were funded in part by the New Hampshire Coastal Program, Office of State Planning, Department of Commerce and National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration). Final Report: Coastal Issues Prograrns Wildlife Department at the Audubon Society of New Hampshire (ASNH). This proven staff approach combines the wetland resource and wildlife research strength of the ASNH staff with the educational expertise of the Center staff. Endangered Species Programs Although many citizens are concerned about endangered species, few are aware of them in their own communities. The endangered species slide program and collateral informational materials incorporated general natural history about local endangered birds as well as historical data and current research results. Endangered species slide show This presentation highlighted the natural history of each of the following species: the common tern (state endangered), the upland sandpiper (state endangered), the bald eagle (state and federally endangered) the osprey (state threatened) and the northern harrier (state threatened). It combined the most current information resulting from over five years of monitoring. It focused on giving the audience a good understanding of the habitat use and needs of these species, as well as ways ,,,the audience can get involved in preservation and conservation efforts. The following individuals and organizations assisted in locating and/or providing slides: Bill Byrne, Massachusetts Fisheries and Wildlife Division; Dick Hughes, ASNH; Andrew Kendall, ASNH; Dr. Stephen Kress, National Audubon Society; Chris Martin, ASNH; Peter Wellenberger, Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve; and theNational Wildlife Federation. This program was presented to Seacoast Science Center staff and volunteers in March, 1995. Comments were incorporated into the script. The revised prpgram was also presented to the public at'the Center in June. It will be i'ncorpora'ted into regularly scheduled programs at both the Center and Audubon House in Concord, NH. A copy of the script and slides is in Appendix A. Evaluation and recommendations This program as been well received. A condensed version was presented at a series of four meetings with conservation commissions and other interested citizens from the coastal communities. It elicited positive feedback and responses. In addition to the incorporation of this program into regularly scheduled programs at both the Center and Audubon House, it should be presented to local municipalities to maximize its educational value. Final Report: Coastal Issues Programs 2 Endangered species collateral materials Public information brochures about the common tern and osprey were updated and reprinted (sample brochures are in Appendix B). The new brochures include information based on current research and the compilation of historical data. The brochures provide an up-to-date understanding of the life history, status in New Hampshire, and the efforts to monitor and protect threatened and endangered coastal bird species. They are included in the information packets described below. Evaluation and recommendations The inclusion of the brochures in the information packets maximizes the exposure of this information to coastal communities. The brochures will also be available to visitors at the Center and Audubon House. In addition, these brochures will be available to citizens throughout the state who call Natural History Services at ASNH. Further availability through the NHCP would also help ensure continued use and increased distribution. Informational packets & technical support Informational packets about New Hampshire's coastal endangered and threatened species were prepared for and distributed to coastal and Great Bay area towns where the birds are present. These packets included: a descriptive and explanatory cover letter, a map identifying the sites where endangered and threatened species are known to be present, information brochures about each species, and an'offer to provide technical assistance. A sample packet is in Appendix Combined, these materials identify areas of important habitat and will assist towns i@@etting priorities for habitat protection in the coastal zone. ASNH is committed to providing technical assistance on endan gered andit eatened species in the coastal regi6n. Any-requests for assistance'that-result from these packets after the grant period will be respon4ed.to-as f6sources permit. A condensed version of the endangered species slide show was developed and presented to four towns. Interest was generated to protect sites for threatened and .endangered species. Evalllation and Recommendations The systematic identification of areas important to endangered and threatened species is a critical step in the habitat protection process. The towns of Newington and Durham came forward with questions concerning the protection of open grassland areas for nesting bird species. We are optimistic that we may be able to work with these towns to assist managing their grassland bird habitats. Final Report: Coastal Issues Programs 3 In addition, we continue ongoing relationships with individual citizens and town officials in Durham, Newcastle, Newington and Stratham to protect known endangered and threatened species habitats. We are committed to responding to future requests for assistance as resources permit. The Great Bay Resource Programs The Great Bay Estuary presentation The presentation, The Great Bay Estuary, Its Cultural And Natural History, was developed to encourage the protection of Great Bay natural resources and the maintenance of its rural quality. The program includes a slide show and two fact sheets which illustrate the natural and cultural history of the Great Bay Estuary, and the impacts that development has had on its ecological integrity. The script, slides and bibliography for this program are in Appendix C. These products are the result of an extensive collection of information about the natural and cultural history of the Great Bay region. This effort benefited from the significant cooperation given ASNH staff by members of the following: Durham Historical Society University of New Hampshire (UNH) Sea Grant Jackson Estuarine Laboratory '-Gr eat Bay National Estuarine Reserve and Jack Adams, author of Drowned Valley. While conducting the research for this program, extant oral histories recordings by '@ th the Bay were discovered. After consultation with Steve people long associated wi Wallace of the New Hampshire Coastal Program (NHCP) it was decided not to proceed with this task, whichiwOuld hay-e@duplicated the recordings. Evaluation and Recommendations Based on audience feedback, The Great Bay Estuary, -Its CWtural And Natural History, does an excellent job of intertwining the cultural and natural histories of the Great Bay Estuary while explaining the environmental consequences of some of our past and present actions. This program should be shown throughout the region to maximize its educational value. It will be incorporated into the regular program offerings at ASNH's chapter meetings throughout the state, as well as at the Seacoast Science Center and Sandy Point Nature Center in the seacoast. The fact sheets produced for the presentation should be made available by NHCP and ASNH to ensure their continued use and distribution to coastal zone residents and visitors. Technical Assistance: Final Report: Coastal Issues Programs 4 In the fall Stephen Wallace coordinated a series of meetings with conservation commissio'ns and other interested citizens from the 17 coastal communities. At each of the four meetings representatives of ASNH, the Society of the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF), UNH Cooperative Extension, Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS), and the Great Bay Watch presented information about their work in the coastal zone. The ASNH Great Bay Resource team presented information on wetlands protection using the New Hampshire Method and the Coastal Method. They also offered technical assistance to those communities that wanted to undertake a wetland inventory and evaluation. Information was also presented on restoration of coastal habitats in conjunction with NRCS. Following the series of meetings with the conservation commissions, two towns contacted ASNH about providing technical support for wetland protection or enhancement. Durham was interested in evaluating freshwater wetlands in the Crommet Creek drainage. ASNH personnel recruited, trained and assisted five UNH Natural Resource seniors in the use of the New Hampshire Method. These students spent over 500 hours on the project and produced an excellent report that was presented to the Durham Conservation Commission on May 13, 1995. The report includes the results of the evaluation of 13 wetlands in the Crommet Creek drainage and future action recommendations for Durham's consideration. North Hampton requested that Alan Ammann from NRCS and ASNH personnel attend a meeting to discuss restoration of the Little River marsh. At the January meeting of the Conservation Commission, options were discussed and a strategy was developed to work towards restoration. Other commitments prevented the Conservation Commission from following througl@ with this project during the grant period. However, the community is still interested in working on this project and ASNH personnel will continue to provide assistance. In addition to these two communities, Newmarket approached ASNH expressing interest in undertaking a Coastal Method project. However, there was not enough time to provide assistance in the grant period. Evaluation and Recommendations The technical assistance provided to Durham allowed the town to undertake a wetlands protection project in an area of town that has regional wildlife habitat significance. The NHCP grant program provides an opportunity for any coastal community to get the assistance it may require to undertake such'projects. Many conservation commissions are interested in conducting wetland inventories and evaluations, but do not have the required time and/or manpower. NHCP should encourage communities to form partnerships with environmental organizations Final Report: Coastal Issues Progranis 5 and regional planning agencies to provide the resources they need. The NCHP grant program can provide the impetus needed to implement these partnerships. Several of the conservation commissions from coastal communities did not attend any of the meetings held for their benefit or make use of the available technical assistance. Limited funds and time did not allow ASNH personnel to continue to try to develop program interest in these towns. In the future activities could be targeted toward these towns to identify individuals within the community who are interested in resource conservation and committed enough to act. Coastal Resource Programs Three programs were developed, and one revised as part of this grant module. The three new programs were two walking tours and a lecture series; the Coastal Issues Curriculum was revised. Copies of publicity materials for all of these programs is in Appendix D. The two walking tours were developed for the general public. The first, the Awcomin Marsh Tour, taught about marsh ecology, values, restoration techniques, -and included a guided walk through a marsh being restored and a marsh in an undisturbed state. The second, the Coastal Resources Walk, gave the public current information about the many coastal resources that can be appreciated from the shore. These programs are discussed below. The Awcomin Marsh Tour This program was designed to educate the general public about the status of marshes and their ecology, how coastal human development and use can damage the marsh, and current restoration techniques. Participants traveled by van to Awcomin Marsh where a significant restoration project is being done. Here they were given an overview of marsh ecology and values, sources, of marsh dar@age, and marsh restoration techniques. They then returned to Odiorne Point State Park to view a relatively undisturbed marsh. Comparisons between the two marsh systems were made and discussed. Discussions included the physical state of the two marshes, as well as the flora and fauna found in each. The outline for the program is in Appendix E. The Awcomin Marsh Tour was conducted 16 times for 109 participants in August and September, 1994. Based on participan 't and program leader feedback, revisions were made to the program. The program was been offered once in June for 2 participants. The program will continue to offered at SSC throughout the summer and fall of 1995. Publicity for the program included articles in local newspapers, as well as listings in the Center newsletter, the Seacoast Sun, and the Center's in-house program flier. Final Report: Coastal Issues Programs 6 The Sun is mailed to over 1,500 households (the list includes over 1,000 SSC members, as well as 15 media contacts). The fliers were distributed at the Center's visitor station. In August and September, 1994 13,910 people visited the Center; in June, 1995 approximately 21, 000 people visited (this breaks the previous monthly visitation record of 20,880 in June, 1992). Evaluation and Recommendations The Awcomin Marsh Tours were very successful. The informal tone of these public programs was an excellent way to reach an interested and concerned public. The walk format was an excellent way to be able to discuss the issues and answer questions. Although walks limit the number of people who can participant on each, the high participant to leader ratio makes it the best way to answer individuals' questions. The need to have specific questions answered is why many people went on the walks. This format is recommended to fill the information void between general public awareness and the specifics of each environmental issue. In general the attendees were very interested in learning about marshes. Most of the participants seemed to have a high awareness of environmental issues and were concerned about coastal marshes, but lacked or wanted more detailed information to help them understand the specifics of the issues. Because many tours were offered, more people learned about marsh systems than originally planned. Many participants lived near coastal marshes and wanted to learn more about the . marshes. They were aware that marshes were under pressure from human use and they wanted to learn more specific information and find out how they could help. Coastal Resource Comparison Walking Tour This program discusses the wildlife and ecology of three important coastal resource habitats: rocky shore, Gulf of Maine, and salt marsh. Designed for the general public, this walk includ&d topics such as endangered species, use of these habitats by wildlife, ecosystem ecology, and coastal stewardship. Discussion of coastal issues such as fisheries, resource management, salt marsh assessment, and resource utilization were included, prompted by the waters off the Point which are always busy; lobster and fishing boats as well as commercial and pleasure craft are abundant during the summer months. Visitors are always curious about what the different boats are and how related activities affect the marine environment. Perhaps more important, however, is Odiorne's history of coastal resource utilization. American Indians fished here in summers and it is the site of the first European settlement in New Hampshire in 1623, chosen because of the extensive salt marshes, coastal resources, the harbor, and river. Throughout the following 371 years, Odiorne Point has been the site of. fish flaking, salt marsh farms, tidal mills, hotels, estates, fortifications and now is a public education and recreation site. How all these resources have been and are developed can be seen within Odiorne Point, Final Report: Coastal Issues Programs 7 making it a perfect outdoor coastal resource classroom. The program outline is in Appendix E. The Coastal Resources Walking Tour was conducted 11 times for 122 participants in August and September, 1994. Based on participant and program leader feedback, revisions were made to the program. The revised program was offered three more times in June. The program will continue to offered at SSC throughout the summer and fall of 1995. Publicity for the program included articles in local newspapers, as well as listings in the Center newsletter, the Seacoast Sun, and the Center's in-house program flier. The Sun is mailed to over 1,500 households (the list includes over 1,000 SSC members , as well as 15 media contacts). The fliers were distributed at the Center's visitor station. In August and September, 1994 13,910 people visited the Center; in June, 1995 over 21,000 people visited. Evaluation and Recommendations The Coastal Resources Walking Tours were very successful. In general the ,attendees were very interested in learning about coastal resources. Odiorne Point State Park is an excellent location to do these tours because so many of the resources are visible during the walks. Not only were participants able to receive current information, they could watch and see the resource s being utilized. This experience was able to give.them a deeper understanding of the connections between resource availability and utilization. The environmental issue awareness and concern of these participants was very similar to those of the Awcomin Marsh Tour. This program format differed from that of the Awcomin Marsh Tour only in that no van transportation was required. This makes it easier to conduct, since no van scheduling is required, and transportation cost must be covered by program fees. Revision of the Coastal Issues Lecture As part of the 1993 OSP Shore Stewards Grant from the Office of State Planning, the original Coastal Issues Lecture script was revised. Recommendations for that program were to update and add new slides, add more current issues to the script, and to develop activities which would reinforce the information in that program. This was the time to implement those recommendations, creating an up-to-date slide program that will be educational for the general public and schools. This task was originally defined to include the new slides and issues, however, after further analyses, it was determined that more than just new slides was needed. The entire approach, tone, and message of the slide show/lecture was changed. The new script for the Coastal Issues Lecture puts human utilization of Final Report: Coastal Issues Programs our coastal resources into an historic context. Beginning with American Indian use and continuing through European settlement to the present. The resources discussed are: waterways, salt marshes and estuaries, the Gulf of Maine, and the rocky shore. Describing how humans have utilized these resources over time provides an opportunity to celebrate recovery from misuse, as well as to discuss the cost[benefit/risk decisions we must make in the present. Because of the change in direction, developing new, quality activities. and associated materials for use in schools as well as for Center visitors became outside the scope of this project period. The script and slides are in Appendix F. Evaluation and Recommendations Unlike previous versions of the script which emphasized negative impact humans have had, this version strives to be issue-neutral. It poses questions that participants need to consider when making political and policy decisions in their own communities. Experience with this approach has shown that it captures the intellect of participants, replacing a feeling of helplessness about the environment with cogitation and hope. This program is designed for the general public, adult organizations and civic groups, This program will be utilized at the Center through its programs offered to groups. Coastal Issues Evening LecturelDiscussion Series Seacoast 2000, a series of five evening lectures (one more than originally planned) on coastal issues was offered during Coast Weeks, from September 15 to October 13. Five experts in specific coastal issues gave a presentation and led a discussion. Prior to each program, reading materials were given to participants to facilitate the discussion. The list of speakers and reading materials are in Appendix E. Evaluation and Recommendation This evening lecture series on current coastal issues was designed to stimulate coastal residents to think of the future while examining current issues. The series was educationally excellent. Average attendance/lectuxe was 20. Evaluations from Seacoast 2000 participants were very positive. Scheduling the talks during Coast Weeks added to the overall level of events offered in the seacoast region. Seacoast 2000 reached an older group'of citizens than those who usually participate in Coastal Clean-up. Despite the positive response, a larger audience was expected. However, the Center has offered lecture series for three years which have always been met with enthusiastic audiences of this size. Promotion for programs has remained fairly constant, limited to fliers and other low-cost approaches. Unless different promotional approaches are tried (which would incur program *costs and thus is require program fees) and bring in more people, it may be that regional interest in evening lecture programs will always result in this level of attendance. Final Report: Coastal Issues Programs 9 Project Analysis The combination of ASNH's wildlife and wetlands biology and technical skills with the Center's educational talent and ready audience was ideal for this project Citizens look to, and trust, both groups for this kind of information and education. The programs developed with this grant can now be offered throughout the state by both groups. Based on the success of the two walking tours, more programs using this format will be developed at the Center. The technical assistance provided local towns will help those communities preserve their valuable resources. The meetings conducted at other communities has made them aware of the tools available to them once they have sufficient funds to implement them. Communities seem increasingly aware of the value of their wetlands resources. Now that awareness has been established, finding ways to fund protection strategies of these resources will become increasingly important. During the development of these programs, two interesting points became clear. One is that progress has been made in cleaning, protecting, and preserving our coastal resources. People need to be made aware of the positive impact their actions have had, from reducing litter and the cessation of habitat altering practices to larger projects such as marsh restoration. The second point is that there is an educational or information gap between awareness and action. For although the public is more environmentally aware, they are flooded with information that is too general for them to know how to interpret site-specific issues. This makes it difficult f'or them to differentiate between critical and irrelevant factors when they assess their local issues. Filling this gap will not be easy. However, by providing more detailed information and programs, progress can be made. The products and.results of this project are proof of the effectiveness of teaming environmental and educational organizations with appropriate agencies and citizens' groups. Perhaps the next step would be to offer a series of issue-specific discussion panels with representatives of very different resource user groups such as: state agencies, environmental groups, educational groups, businesses and utilities. Public participation in a series such as this would certainly illuminate the complexity of current resource utilization issues, and if not help fill the education gap, go a long way toward creating enough curiosity and furor to inspire the public to keep up with their environmental issues homework. Final Report: Coastal Issues, Programs 10 List of Appendices Appendix A: Script for the endangered species slide show Appendix B: Sample endangered and threatened species brochures and information packet Appendix C: Script for The Great Bay Estuary, Its Cultural and Natural History Fact Sheets: The Great Bay Estuary, Natural History The Great Bay Estuary, Cultural History Copy of Wetlands Evaluation and Policy Recommendation for the Town of Durham N.H. Appendix D: Publicity materials for Coastal Resource Programs Appendix E: Outlines for The Awcomin Marsh Tour and The Coastal Resource Walking Tour The list of Speakers and reading materials for the evening lecture series, Seacoast 2000 Appendix F: Script fot the Coastal Issues Lecture Final Report: Coastal issues Programs ---------- I 11 I .1 APPENDIX A ... I qL THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION SLIDE PROGRAM NOTES DEVELOPED BY THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE N.H. COASTAL PROGRAM. JUNE 1995 ACKNOWLEDGE M ENTS We would like to extend our appreciation to the various people who provided assistance in gathering information for this slide program, and who willingly loaned their slides for use in the program. In particular, we would like to thank: John Kanter (NHF&G Nongame and Endangered Species Coordinator) for his support and supervision in monitoring endangered and threatened species in the coastal region. Dick Hughes (ASNH) for his many hours of monitoring endangered and threatened species in the coastal region and for the use of several slides from his collection. Peter Wellenberger (Great Bay Estuarine Research Reserve) for providing access to the GBERR slide collection and the loan of slides for this program. Bill Byrne (Massachusetts Division of Fish and Wildlife) for the loan of Bald Eagle slides from his collection. Dr. Stephen Kress (National Audubon Society) for his expertise in seabirds and tern restoration and the loan of slides from his collection. THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION SUMMARY OF SLIDE TITLES Slide Title Slide taken/loaned by BALD EAGLE SECTION 1. Bald Eagle Head. National Wildlife Federation 2. Eagle at nest NWF 3. Winter waterway ASNH 4. Eagle w/ fish NWF 5. Eagles perched ASNH 6. Eagle observers on Bay ASNH 7. Eagle plumages ASNH 8. Adult and Immature Bill Byrne (Ma. Div. Of F&W) 9. Adult baid eagle NWF 10. Patagial wing markers NWF 11. Adult w/fish NWF 12. Eagles at roost ASNH 13. Sunset on bay Peter Wellenberger (GBERR) 14. Numbers of Great Bay eagles ASNH 15. Woodman Point snag ASNH 16. Wilcox Point roost ASNH 17. Wilcox Point roost trees ASNH 18. Eagle pellet ASNH 19. Wilcox Point conservation easement ASNH 20. Bald Eagle adult Cornell Lab of Ornithology OSPREY SECTION 21. Osprey with fish Cornell Lab of Ornithology 22. Osprey soaring Cornell Lab of Ornithology 23. Durham beaver swamps ASNH 24. Durham nest site ASNH 25. Osprey tree-predator guards ASNH 26. Osprey tree after hurricane ASNH 27. Osprey nest with two adults ASNH 28. Squamscott nest ASNH 29. Powerlines ASNH 30. Stubbs pond ASNH 31. Stubbs pond platform ASNH 32 Raising platform ASNH 33. Osprey head ASNH TITLE SLIDES CONTINUED COMMON TERN SECTION 34. Tern in flight Dr. Stephen Kress (NAS) 35. Lunging Island ASNH 36. Herring Gull ASNH 37. New Castle Islands ASNH 38. Fox Point - Hen Island ASNH 39. Hampton Saltmarsh ASNH 40. Canoe in saltmarsh ASNH 41. Monitoring terns ASNH 42. Nest in thatch ASNH 43. Nest closeup ASNH 44. Nest with No Trespassing sign ASNH 45. Nest with small chick ASNH 46. Chick hiding in grass ASNH 47. Results from aggressive terns ASNH 48. Great Horned Owl Cornell Lab of Ornithology 49. Rats ASNH 50. Flooding in salt marsh ASNH 51. Built up nest ASNH 52. Nest platform ASNH 53. Platform under nest ASNH 54. White and Seavey Islands ASNH 55. Tern decoys ASNH 56. Sound system ASNH 57. Seavey Island ASNH 58. Adult tern on nest ASNH UPLAND SANDPIPER SECTION 59. Upland Sandpiper Closeup Cornell Lab of Ornithology 60. Open grasslands ASNH 61. South Concord Meadows ASNH 62. Pease International Tradep-6ft ASNH 63. Stop sign at runway ASNH 64. Upland Sandpiper in grass Cornell Lab of Ornithology 65. Hard to find in grass ASNH 66. Dragging the islands -ASNH 67. Stake at nest ASNH 68. Nest with eggs ASNH 69. Upland Sandpiper chick drawing ASNH 70. Upland Sandpiper in grass ASNH TITLE SLIDES CONTINUED 71. Upland Sandpiper Phenology ASNH 72. Mowed edge ASNH 73. Upland Sandpiper on rock ASNH 74. Graph of Sandpiper numbers ASNH 75. Construction work at Pease ASNH 76. Other potential habitat ASNH 77. Acknowledgment slide ASNH THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRES COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE I BALD EAGLE HEAD CLOSEUP OF BALD EAGLE HEAD In the last few years a pair of bald eagles have come back to nest in New Hampshire for the first time since 1949. Bald Eagles are not breeders in the coastal region at this time, but Great Bay is one of the most active wintering areas for bald eagles in New Hampshire. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Bald Eagles nested on Lake Umbagog until 1949. Historical records-'point to a minimum of 6 Bald Eagle nests throughout the state. r *DDT problems coupled with continued persecution caused the numbers to' plummet throughout the United States. *Bald Eagles were placed on the Endanger6d Species list in 1967 after its passage in 1966. *DDT was banned in 1972 *Protection through the Endangered Species Act , the banning of DDT use and the implementation of a recovery plan in the Northeast has allowed the eagle to recolonize many former nesting areas. THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 2 EAGLE AT NEST ADULT BALD EAGLE AT THE NEST Amazingly enough, the first pair of eagles to breed in New Hampshire since 1949 came back to the same nest tree that a pair had nested in back in 1949. This tree is located at the junction of the Magalloway and Androscoggin Rivers on Lake Umbagog. Lake Umbagog straddles the Maine-New Hampshire state line in the Northeastern corner of New Hampshire. First showed interest in this tree in 1988. Made the first nesting attempt in 1989. Have successfully raised 9 chicks in this nest. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Lake Umbagog is the true jewel of the North Country. *Catches the water shed from the [email protected],Maine's Rangeley Lakes regiom *Big lake with many ponds, large rivers, extensive marshes, bogs, swamps and uplands of northern conifers and hardwoods. 2 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRES COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant irom the NH coastal program) SLIDE 3 WINTER WATERWAY AERIAL VIEW OF THE MERRIMACK RIVER IN WINTER Although we only have one pair of Bald Eagles breeding in New Hampshire, this is an active wintering area. Winter is the best time to view eagles in N.H. Bald Eagles are migratory in parts of their range where the habitat is inhospitable in winter. They move south into areas where the waterways remain open and an adequate food supply is present. In conjunction with the NHF&G Department and the USFWS, ASNH has monitored wintering eagles since 1981 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: * The general pattern of migration from the various states and provinces is southward in the winter. The fall migration is timed to coincide with freezeup. Immatures usually go south first. 3 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 4 EAGLE WITH FISH BALD EAGLE SOARING OVER OPEN WATER WITH FISH IN TALONS Bald Eagles move into New Hampshire and spend time hunting along open waterways. In the winter, this is often below power dams, wastewater treatment plants and other man-made conditions that help keep the water open. The preferred food source is fish, although they will take waterfowl and carrion as well. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *In New Hampshire wintering bald eagles congregate at a number of locations including: Great Bay, Merrimack River, Connecticut River, Androscoggin River and the Lakes Region. 4 ----------- THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 5 EAGLES PERCHED A NUMBER OF WINTERING BALD EAGLES PERCHED TOGETHER IN A TREE Bald Eagles will often congregate together in these feeding areas. They can often be found perching together in numbers near a good food supply. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Unlike during the breeding season, wintering eagles will sometimes defend particular perches but th@y make no attempt to exclude other eagles from their winter ranges. Therefore, numerous birds may occupy small areas in winter. 5 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 6 EAGLE OBSERVERS ON BAY ASNH WINTERING EAGLE OBSERVERS MONITORING EAGLE ACTIVITY ON GREAT BAY We have been lucky to have a dedicated crew of very hardy volunteers who spend long hours observing and documenting winter eagle use along our waterways, including Great Bay. In the last few years, 15-20 individuals per year have observed on the Bay. Monitoringjs divided into.two components: 1. Participation in the National Wildlife Federation midwinter survey in January 2. Long term monitoring from December through March to document eagle numbers, habitat use, food resources and disturbance. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Midwinter survey is a national survey coordinated through the National Wildlife Federation which documents the numbers of Bald Eagles found in the U.S. during the first two weeks in January. *Long term monitoring is critical for habitat protection 6 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 7 -EAGLE PLUMAGES DRAWINGS OF IMMATURE AND ADULT PLUMAGES WHICH INCLUDE THE MOST CHARACTERISTIC FEATHERING FROM HATCH YEAR TO ADULT is Winter eagle observers are trying to gather important data which includes the number of individual Bald Eagles that are found in the state through the winter. Bald Eagles take about 5 years to reach adult plumage. During this time they exhibit unique plumages that will often allow you to distinguish individuals. By taking careful notes' on plumages observed, it is often possible to estimate the number of eagles in a given area. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This slide shows some very characteristic Plumages for the Bald Eagle. *Observers keep detailed notes on plumages as well as draw what they see. This enables biologists to make a minimum determination of the numbers seen at the end of a winter. 7 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRES COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 8 ADULT AND IMMATURE PHOTOGRAPH OF AN ADULT AND FIRST YEAR IMMATURE Immatures are easy to pull apart from those eagles in full adult plumage. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *It will be five years before a Bald Eagle reaches full a@dult plumage. 8 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 9 ADULT BALD EAGLE ADULT WITH FEATHERS ASKEW Sometimes adults have distinctive characteristics that allow you to separate them from others in the region. An adult at this distance might allow you to use very subtle plumage variations to identify them as individuals. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Adults will often have.plumage and profile subtleties that will allow you to identify them, and to use these characteristics to identify them in following years. *We rarely get views such as this on Great Bay as most observations are at considerable distances. 9 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRES COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 10 PATAGIAL WING MARKERS PHOTOGRAPH OF METAL BANDS AND PATAGIAL WING MARKERS USED ON BALD EAGLES The easiest way to identify eagles as individuals is through identification by either leg bands or patagial wing markers. This type of marking allows for a positive identification of an individual. Leg bands in birds of prey are fastened with rivets to prevent the loss through pulling with the bill. Patagial wing markers are placed over, the shoulder and riveted through the skin of the underwing called the,pataglum. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *We have identified marked-eagles in a number of regions through the stat6.' *Great Bay has an eagle with a blue patagial wing marker that was hacked from the Quabbin Reservoir in 1984 and has been present in Great Bay during the winter since that time. *Markers also allow observers to make accurate determinations of the length of stay and the rate of return of an individual. 10 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 11 ADULT WITH FISH ADULT BALD EAGLE EATING FISH IN A PERCH TREE As well as documenting numbers of Bald Eagles, it is critical to document the areas that the birds are feeding and perching in. It is the documentation of habitat use that is the key to habitat protection. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Bald eagles are attracted to a wintering location primarily because there is an adequate-food source. -it is important to docU-ment what areas they are using for feeding as well as any important perch trees being used during daylight hours. THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRES COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 12 EAGLES AT ROOST BALD EAGLES CONGREGATED INA ROOST TREE It is also critical to document where the eagles go to roost at night. A roost is an area where eagles rest and sleep during the night. Bald eagles may roost singly or communally in roosts located in close proximity to, or in some cases, a good distance from foraging areas. Identifying these roost sites is key to habitat protection, especially in areas with considerable development pressures. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Nighi roosts are thought to provide protection from severe weather and possibly serve as "information centers" in regards to food location. These roosts may sometimes be used during the day, particularly during inclement weather. 12 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 13 SUNSET ON BAY PHOTOGRAPH OF A SUNSET ON GREAT BAY WINTER Great Bay has been one of the most active wintering areas for Bald Eagles since monitoring began in 1981. Great Bay is an estuary, where freshwater rivers and ocean tides bring nutrients to nourish a wide variety of plants and animals. The Great Bay wintering area includes Great and Little Bays, seven tributaries (the Bellamy, Oyster, Lamprey, Squarnscott, Cocheco, Salmon Falls and Winnicut Rivers), the Piscataqua River, and the adjacent Atlantic Ocean coastline. ,ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Approximately 4,500 acres of tidal waters,-and,- wetlands, together with about 800 acres of coastal land, comprise the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (GBNERR). Acquired through land purchases and conservation easements, the Great Bay Reserve was designated on October 3, 1989 to be preserved for the purposes of education, research, and resource protection. 13 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRES COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 14 NUMBERS OF GREAT BAY EAGLES GRAPH SHOWING THE NUMBERS OF EAGLES OBSERVED AT GREAT BAY SINCE THE WINTER OF 1980-81. Results of the statewide winter eagle monitoring effort since 1980 reflect an increase in the number of bald eagles using New Hampshire's waterways during this period. Data generated from the winter eagle monitoring effort at Great Bay is consistent with statewide trends and shows a gradual increase in the number of eagles using this area since the winter of 1980-81. Sixteen individual eagles were present on Great Bay during the winter of 1993-94. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: '@*Great.Bay ha's been'the most consist6nt wintering area since monitoring began in New Hampshire. I'll *The winter of 1994-95 continued the upward climb'with a minimum of 17 individuals seen in the bay 14 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 15 WOODMAN POINT SNAG SPINDLY SNAG IN THE CENTER OF PHOTOGRAPH IS THE WOODMAN POINT SNAG. As noted in previous slides, it is important to document habitat use. On Great Bay, areas important to wintering eagles have been documented through the years. The snag seen in this photograph is the most important perch site in Great Bay. This snag is on Woodman Point situated to afford great views of the Bay from all directions. This, point has now been protected through the designation of 1100 acres as the Great Ba ' y National Wildlife Refuge. This area will be closed to all public visitation to protect the habitat for wintering eagles. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Other important perch trees have been identified in the bay as well. *The protection of this site through the refuge system is important to the future of wintering eagles in the bay. *Data compiled since 1983 shows that this dead pine was used extensively during daylight hours - 52% of all documented perching. 15 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 16 WILCOX POINT ROOST SLIDE OF THE WILCOX POINT ROOST AREA FROM THE WATER Across the bay from the Woodman Point snag, the primary roost site was documented with 99% of all known roosting in the bay occurring at this location. This site is a peninsula that juts out into the bay. The attractiveness of this property as a perch and roost site can be attributed to its location on the lee shore of Great Bay. Its rolling topography and relative position to Adam's Point provide further protection. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Documented night roost activity was limited almost exclusively to Wilcox Point on the Durham shore, which was preferred by both- adults and immatures. *This area has supported as many as seven eagles roosting communally. 16 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 17 WILCOX POINT ROOST TREES CLOSER VIEW OF THE LARGE WHITE PINES USED FOR ROOSTING AT THIS SITE The presence of very suitable large, open-branched trees and seclusion from human activity also help to make this area an ideal wintering site. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Eagles tend to roost in the tallest trees on the wintering sites with average diameters ranging from 45 to 106 centimeters and average heights from 12.5 to 30 meters. *As with perching, p-agles prefer roost trees with stout, -horizontal, and easily acce8�ible- branches. Roost trees are situated in an area protected from strong Winds such as a bluff face, side valley or river basin. 17 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 18 EAGLE PELLET EAGLE PELLETS FOUND UNDER THE ROOST TREES AT WILCOX POINT A trip into the Wilcox Point roost area just after the winter eagle season revealed plenty of evidence of roosting eagles. Many pellets remained under the preferred roost trees and they revealed that waterfowl was an important component of the wintering eagle diet on Great Bay. Whitewash was also evident on the trees. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The pellets were areal find as eagles that are eating.fish would not leave pelletsthat would withstand Weather conditions for any period. *The pellets were also a good indication of the trees being used for roosting, as well as the primary food source for the eagles. 18 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant irom the NH coastal program) SLIDE 19 WILCOX POINT CONSERVATION EASEMENT PHOTOGRAPH OF THE 9 ACRE CONSERVATION EASEMENT LAND WITH THE WINTER EAGLE MANAGEMENTAR EA IN THE BACKGROUND Wilcox Point was purchased as a winter eagle management area through the coordination of a number of conservation organizations which included ASNH, the NHF&G Department, the LISFWS, the Nature Conservancy, the Land Conservation Investment Program, the Fish and Wildlife Foundation and the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The peninsula of 27.5 acres was bought outright and is part of the GBNERR. This property is being managed through the NHF&G Dept. as a- Winter Eagle Management Area. An additional 9 acres that abuts thepoint was protected through a conservation easement ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Continued documentation of this property was the key to protecting it... the landowner was kept abreast of all that was documented at this site during the years of monitoring. *This property is being managed through an advisory committee made up of individuals from many of the above organizations. *A draft management plan has been completed. 19 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 20 ADULT BALD EAGLE ADULT BALD EAGLE These successes underscore the importance of our field research efforts on behalf of eagles and other species. It was long term documentation that built a compelling case for protecting Wilcox Point and serves as a catalyst to bdng about long-term protection.('' We must continue to document important habitat for endangered and threatened species such as the Bald Eagle. "ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *These habitat protection projects have involved a diverse array of agencies, businesses, organizations, foundations, landowners and interested individuals working together in creative ways. 20 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRES COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 21 OSPREY WITH FISH OSPREY FEEDING ON A FISH Osprey are a threatened species in New Hampshire. During most of this century, the only known osprey populations in N.H. occurred north of the White Mountains, primarily in the Androscoggin River Valley. Osprey are often called fish hawk as they prey almost exclusively on fish. They, as the Bald Eagle, went through a major decline with the problems of DDT poisoning. ADDITIONAL INFORhATION: *Osprey experienced very significant declines in the 1960's and early 70's. New' Hampshire's seacoast population,w9s extirpated during this time. *Banning the use of DDT was coupled with intensive efforts up and down the Atlantic seaboard to rebuild osprey populations. *New Hampshire's osprey population has seen a steady increase since the mid-80's. 21 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 22 OSPREY SOARING OSPREY SOARING OVERHEAD In the spring of 1989, Osprey were observed engaged in breeding activity. They were first sighted in the air as they went through their courtship rituals. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The male osprey may perform elaborate aerial courtship maneuvers as he works to attract and court a mate. *These flight patterns helped to zero in on this pair as they attempted to nest. 22 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 23 DURHAM BEAVER SWAMPS AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH OF THE BEAVER SWAMP AREA OF NESTING OSPREY This pair of osprey were observed in an abandoned heron rookery located in a 7-8 acre beaver pond in Durham ... approximately 1 mile from Great Bay. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This is very dense terrain and it was with some real detective work by a local experienced birder that this pair was pinpointed. *Aerial flights have been very helpful in locating sites such as these. 23 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 24 DURHAM NEST SITE AERIAL OF THE DURHAM WILLEY POND NEST SITE This pair of osprey were observed in an abandoned heron rookery located in a 7-8 acre beaver pond in Durham ... approximately 1 mile from Great Bay. This pair enlarged a great blue heron nest. As is often the case with first year pairs, the nest was unsuccessful. The pair remained in the vicinity during the breeding season. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This is very dense terrain and it was with some real detective work by a local experienced birder that this pair was pinpointed. *Aerial flights have been very helpful in locElting sites such as these. 24 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 25 OSPREY TREE PREDATOR GUARDS PREDATOR GUARD EXPEDITION TO THE DURHAM NEST TREE Biologists installed a predator guard on the nest tree during the winter to prevent mammalian predation of future eggs and young. During the 1990 season the pair returned to this nest tree and fledged three young. This marked the first time in the present century that a successful breeding by osprey was documented in New Hampshire's coastal region. The following year they also fledged three young, and this continued success indicates an adequate food supply and good parenting abilities. ADDITIONAL INFORMATIOW, *Predator guards have been very successful in the North Country population in reducing the incidence of nest failure fro,m predation. 25 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 26 OSPREY TREE AFTER HURRICANE WILLEY POND NEST AFTER HURRICANE BOB IN 1991 Unfortunately, in August of 1991, 90% of the nest cup was blown out of the tree by Hurricane Bob. Although a good portion of the nest was gone, the adults and young continued to use the remaining nest for feeding and loafing. The pair returned in 1992, courtship ensued, but they never rebuilt the nest and soon abandoned the site. They built a new nest at an alternate site, but were unsuccessful in 1992. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This was a chance to watch nest site tenacity. They explored an alternate site, but were back rebuilding the Willey Pond nest by the end of the 1992 season. We cannot be sure that we had the same two birds, of course. 26 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 27 OSPREY NEST WITH ADULTS WILLEY POND NEST WITH ADULTS IN 1993 The pair returned to the Willey Pond site in 1993 and continued to fledge 3 young from this location in 1993 and 1994. The 1995 season holds promise for getting three young from the nest as well. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Recruitment from this nest now stands at 12 (it will be 15 if three young fledge in 1995). *Four young were present at the nest in both 1993 and 1994, but the fourth died at about 3.5 weeks in both years. The production of four young is very unusual and may speak to very good food resources in the area. 27 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRIFS COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 28 SQUAMSCOTT NEST SQUAMSCOTT RIVER OSPREY NEST ATOP PSNH POWERLINES Foraging observations during the 1992 field season revealed activity at other locations in the Bay. Late in the summer, a pair of osprey were observed in courtship activity on a substantial nest placed on the crossbars of the PSNH powerlines that cross the Squarnscott River. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This pair of osprey were believed to have taken over at this site after a pair of red-tails had already started a nest. *They were not successful in this first year. C@ 28 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH o0astal program) SLIDE 29 POWERLINES SQUAMSCOTT RIVER OSPREY NEST AND THE PROXIMITY TO THE POWERLINES PSNH employees spent a considerable amount of time during the winter of 1992-93 makJng this nest site safer for the birds. The powerlines were lowered away from the nest cup, and perches were constructed at the level of the nest. Both of these measures are an attempt to keep the birds from electrocuting themselves on the wires, and have been used successfully in other states. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *PSNH donated all their time to this project ... much appreciated. 29 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 30 STUBBS POND PHOTOGRAPH OF STUBBS POND: A FRESHWATER IMPOUNDMENT ON THE GREAT BAY NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE Foraging observations also revealed considerable osprey activity in the freshwater ponds that border Great Bay at the National Wildlife Refuge. Frequent feeding was observed at this location. Osprey were also observed flying into the interior of the ponds and refuge. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Investigations revealed that a partial nest was being constructed on the crossbars of a powerline that ran through the former weapons storage area. *This-pair may have been the same osprey that settled at Squamscott. 30 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 31 STUBBS POND PLATFORM STUBBS POND PLATFORM CLOSEUP VIEW In the fall of 1994 a number of osprey platforms were placed around Great Bay. The hope is that they will attract osprey to suitable locations in which to nest. This closeup view of the osprey platform reveals the structure with crossbars and wire mesh. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This platform was being built and erected at Stubbs Pond at the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge. 31 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 32 RAISING PLATFORM RAISING THE STUBBS POND PLATFORM The platforms were erected through the cooperation of the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department, the USFWS personnel at the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge and the generosity of PSNH. Platforms were placed atop donated PSNH poles and placed into position with PSNH equipment and personnel. A partial nest has been constructed on the platform at the refuge in the 1995 breeding season. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Platforms now exist at the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge, along the Bellamy River-and in the LUbberland Creek area of Great Bay. 32 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 33 OSPREY HEAD OSPREY CLOSEUP VIEW The interest in the platforms at both the Refuge and Lubberland Creek, along with the continued success at both Willey Pond and along the Squarnscott River, make biologists hopeful that this small coastal population will continue to strengthen in the coming years. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Coastal populations both to the north and south of New Hampshire have recovered very nicely. With the success of the recolonizing pairs in Great Bay we would expect to see good recruitment in, the coming years. 33 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 34 TERN IN FLIGHT CLOSE VIEW OF A TERN IN FLIGHT. GOOD SILHOUETTE. The Common Tern is an endangered species in New Hampshire. It is the only breeding tern that we have in New Hampshire at present. Terns are closely related to gulls, but are very agile in flight with long, pointed wings and forked tails. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This slide is actually an arctic tern, but it is the best shot of the long wings and pointed tail found in the tems. 34 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 35 LUNGING ISLAND VIEW OF LUNGING ISLAND - ISLES OF SHOALS Historically, terns bred out at the Isles of Shoals. There were 1500-2000 pairs of Arctic, Common and Roseate terns nesting out on these islands through the 1940's. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The Isles of Shoals is a series of relatively small rocky islands approximately 5 miles offshore that straddle the Maine-New Hampshire border. *Terns historically nested at Lunging Island in good numbers 35 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 36 HERRING GULL CLOSEUP OF HERRING GULL With changes in the land use patterns of the outer islands and an increase in the number of gulls breeding on these same islands, terns were forced out. They were pushed in towards the mainland and more marginal nesting. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Open landfills contributed to the explosion of gulls from 1930 on. Herring gulls increased steadily during those years. Great Black-backed Gulls increased rapidly in the 40's through 60's. *Gulls are a major predator on both tern adults and chicks. *Humati Rresence,,in historical nesting areas also may have contributed to the movement,of terns from the outer islands. 36 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 37 NEW CASTLE ISLANDS NEWCASTLE ISLANDS The new sites for tern nesting included small, rocky islands just off the mainland - such as these islands off Newcastle. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The Newcastle islands are just meters from the mainland shore-making them very vulnerable to disturbance. 37 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 38 FOX POINT - HEN ISLAND HEN ISLAND FROM THE DOCK AT FOX POINT A small colony exists on islands just off the mainland in Little Bay. This is Hen Island, Fox Point in the town of Newington. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 38 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRES COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 39 HAMPTON SALTMARSH VIEW OF THE HAMPTON SALT MARSH, JUST NORTH OF FIT. 51, BORDERED BY 1 A ON THE EAST. Terns also moved into the salt marshes along our coast. This is the Hampton salt marsh bordered by Rt. 51 to the south and Rt. 1 A to the east. You can see the major development that rings this area, making the terns vulnerable to a variety of pressures. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The terns have been most consistent at this salt marsh location, although they have been documented at other sites as well. 4@1 39 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 40 CANOE IN SALTMARSH CANOE PULLED UP ONTO THE SALT MARSH EDGE Field studies conducted annually since 1981 have documented a recent population decline on the mainland where colonies have suffered from marginal nesting habitat and heavy predation. In addition, field studies have been able to document changes in the colony sites through this time period. In order to monitor colonies, project staff will often canoe out. This allows for monitoring of nests - documenting breeding success and failures; determining the reasons for failure. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Special care must be"'taken when visiting tern colonies. Visits are made only during good Weather and do not last more than 30 minutes in one area. 40 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 41 WALKING ON SALT MARSH BIOLOGIST WALKING THROUGH TERN COLONY AT SALT MARSH TO MONITOR NESTING STATUS Careful maneuvering through the tern nests, both on the marsh and the islands, can help to facilitate nest checks. It is critical to get in and out of the colonies in brief time periods, be especially cognizant of the weather, take great care in how you move through the colonies and limit the number of times you move through in a season. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Special care must be taken when visiting tern colonies. Visits are made only during good weather and do not last more than 30 minutes in one area. *Island nesting ternspan often be monitored from an offshore site to limit the disturbance. *Salt ma4h terns are difficult to observe and periodic visits to the colony are necessary to determine the status of nesting. 41 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 42 NEST ON MARSH, TERN NEST WITH THREE EGGS PLACED RIGHT ON THE SALT MARSH GRASS Nests are placed directly on the substrate. In the salt marsh, terns place their nests directly on the thatch and areas of Juncus. In island nesting situations they may lay their eggs directly on the rocks, or build a small nest of grass or other vegetation. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This type of nesting makes them particularly vulnerable to fluctuations in the water level. 42 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 43 CLOSEUP OF NEST W/3 EGGS CLOSEUP OF TERN NEST WITH THREE EGGS A full clutch for Common Terns is 3 eggs. The eggs are cryptically colored with various patterns of brown on a buff or green background. They will incubate these eggs for approximately 21 days. Incubation is shared by both adults. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Egg laying begins soon after terns arrive in late May. Repeated attempts may push continued egg laying into the later half of July. *If one set of eggs is destroyed, terns may lay several times. 43 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 44 NEST WITH NO TRESPASSING SIGN TERN NEST IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO NO TRESPASSING SIGN Terns will occasionally take advantage of the management techniques designed to protect them. This pair nested directly under the NO TRESPASSING sign placed to try to dissuade island visitors. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Wanagement techniques vary at each site. Some of the easily accessible areas are posted to try to dissuade visitors. 44 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 45 NEST WITH SMALL CHICK NEST WITH JUST HATCHED CHICK AND PIPPING EGGS When the chicks hatch out they are covered with cryptically colored down. They are still very vulnerable to dangers in their colony as they will need to be fed by the adults for close to 4 weeks before they are ready to fly. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Although the young are well developed when they hatch, they will stay near the nest, cared for by both adults and fed on small fish caught in the coastal shallows. Young terns are capable of short flights in three to four weeks after hatching and tend to gather in small groups by the water's edge, waiting to be fed. 45 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 46 CHICK HIDING IN GRASS OLDER CHICK HIDING IN THE SALT MARSH GRASS Young terns continue to rely on their camouflaged plumage as they grow. This chick is about 2.5 to 3 weeks of age, and hides in the grass from potential predators ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Although the young are well developed when they hatch, they will stay near the nest, cared for by both adults and fed on small fish caught in the coastal shallows. Young terns are capable of short flights in three to four weeks after hatching and tend to gather in small groups by the waters edge, waiting to be fed. 46 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 47 RESULTS FROM AGGRESSIVE TERNS THE RESULTS OF TERN AGGRESSION ... THEY CAN BE AMAZINGLY PERSISTENT AND DRAW BLOOD Terns can be aggressive when they are driving potential predators away from the nesting colony, especially during the height of their breeding season when they are defending their eggs and young. An individual who wanders too close to an active breeding colony is likely to be dive-bombed and "white-washed" by crying birds. Keep in mind that you have wandered into the birds' nursery and make a careful retreat. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *We have taken to wearing bicycle helmets into some of our tern colonies. 47 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 48 GREAT HORNED OWL CLOSEUP VIEW OF AN AN ADULT GREAT-HORNED OWL During the four weeks until they fledge, the tern chicks are especially vulnerable. Predators like the Great-horned Owl can decimate a colony, taking both adults and chicks. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *We have had problems with Great-horned Owl predation at a number of our colonies. *This will often cause abandonment or zero productivity at these sites. 48 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 49 RATS RATS TRAPPED FROM A TERN COLONY IN 1991 Especially in areas where terns nest in close proximity to humans, rats can wipe out these ground nesting birds as well. In 1991, a small colony in Little Bay was wiped out by rats as they ate all the eggs that were laid. Project staff were successful in eradicating the rats through an extensive trapping program in both the fall of 1991 and the spring of 1992. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *We continue to monitor for rats each spring, but have not had a reoccurrence of this problem. *Rats are very good swimmers, and will come back and forth from island to mainland on a regular basis. 49 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 50 FLOODING IN SALT MARSH THE HAMPTON-SEABROOK MARSH AT FLOOD STAGE Natural flooding occurs in the marshes, as high spring tides may cover the entire marsh with water. When coupled with heavy rains, this can spell disaster for terns as their eggs may be washed out of the nests and young terns die from exposure. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Damage to the natural flow of a salt marsh make the terns more vulnerable to flood conditions. *Jet skiis have been observed moving through the tidal channels during the tern nesting season. These machines throw a significant wake, which washes up onto the marsh and can flood- vulnerable nests. 50 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 51 BUILT UP NEST RENEST ATTEMPT; THE NEST HAS BEEN BUILT UP OFF THE THATCH ABOUT 6 INCHES Terns that have lost a nest to flooding will often build a nest that is more substantial and higher off the marsh grasses. This may also help them to persevere during flood periods. These higher nests are much more evident on a second round of nesting. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Common Terns may renest 3 to 4 times during one breeding season. *Damage to the natural flow of a salt marsh make the tern more vulnerable to flood conditions. *Jet skiis have been.ob@served moving through the tidal channels during the tern nesting season. These machines throw a significant wake, which washes up onto the marsh and@can flood vulnerable nests. 51 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 52 NEST PLATFORM NEST PLATFORM WITH THATCH ON TOP OF THE SALT MARSH GRASSES Another method that project personnel have utilized to try to deal with flooding are artificial platforms. These platforms are plywood squares that are placed atop a foam core and anchored in the marsh by a line and spike. The problem has been that the terns do not often choose to nest on the platforms themselves. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The platforms ranged in size from 2ft.x2ft. to 8ft.x8ft. 52 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 53 PLATFORM UNDER NEST NEST PLATFORM SLIPPED UNDER NEST WITH EGGS In an attempt to use the platforms to the terns' advantage, we experimented with lifting the already established nests, slipping the float underneath and placing the nest back on the float. Once the nest is placed back on the float, the float is barely detectable. The terns showed no hesitancy to return to their nests and the success rate on these platforms was upwards of 80%. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The success rate of 80% is phenomenal in relation to those nests without the advantage of the platforms ... more commonly 15-20%. 53 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGI ON AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 54 WHITE AND SEAVEY ISLANDS VIEW OF WHITE AND SEAVEY ISLANDS Terns historically bred out at the Isles of Shoals. The islands out there still have suitable habitat for terns. There has been a fair amount of preliminary work done to evaluate the suitability of White and Seavey Islands for recolonizing terns. Seavey Island still has some beautiful tern habitat. These islands were recently returned to the state of New Hampshire after the Coast Guard automated the lighthouse. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The state has recently instituted an island caretaker program at this site..so the potential for doing ajecolonization project is very real. 54 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 55 TERN DECOYS TERN DECOYS SET OUT IN SUITABLE HABITAT In recent years, there has been a considerable amount of work done to recolonize terns to former colonies in both Maine and Massachusetts. The techniques used in these areas included placing tern decoys out in suitable habitat to visually attempt to attract terns. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Decoys are carved or created from wood and painted in a stylized way to simulate an adult tern. 55 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 56 SOUND SYSTEM SPEAKER FROM THE SOUND SYSTEM USED TO PIPE IN TERN VOCALIZATIONS In addition to placing decoys out in this habitat, speakers are also placed out to simulate the sound of a real tern colony. These speakers can be hooked up to a battery and timer ... allowing the sound to be turned on and off during the daylight hours. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *A photovoltaic cell hooked up to a car battery will run the system for the entire breeding season. *Decoys aInd sound have been very successful in attracting terns. 56 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 57 SEAVEYISLAND VIEW OF THE SEAVEY ISLAND ROCKS: POTENTIAL HABITAT Seavey Island still has some beautiful tern habitat. This is an island that is part of the White-Seavey complex that was recently returned to the state after the lighthouse was automated on White Island. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Gull control would need to be undertaken as both Herring and Great Black-backed Gulls now occupy the tern space. Gulls are predators on both tern adults and young. *A Double-crested (@Qrmorant colony that numbers close to 500 also occupy a section of Seavey Island. Cormorants do not pose a problem for recolonization, however. 57 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 58 ADULT TERN ON NEST ADULT COMMON TERN INCUBATING A NEST The hope is that we may soon be able to use these recolonization techniques. They have been very successful in many locations where they have been attempted. With all the pressures on the mainland colonies in N.H., this may be one way to help insure that terns will continue to nest along New Hampshire's coast. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Successful recolonization would hopefully allow for continued tern productivity in New Hampshire. 58 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE's COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 59 UPLAND SANDPIPER CLOSEUP CLOSE VIEW OF AN UPLAND SANDPIPER Upland Sandpiper is a shorebird belonging to the sandpiper group. Closely related to the curlews and whimbrels. Characteristic bird of prairies and wide open grassy fields. Has a slender, graceful form, delicate head and neck. Endangered status in New Hampshire. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *A long-distance migrant that winters on the Argentinian pampas, this bird's stronghold is in the Midwest- prairie grasslands. *Has many plover-like characteristics, hence the former name of upland plover still used by many. /A 59 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 60 OPEN GRASSLANDS VIEW OF GRASSLAND HABITAT SUITABLE FOR UPLAND SANDPIPERS Upland Sandpipers expanded eastward into New England from the prairie states after European settlement converted unbroken eastern forests into extensive agricultural lands during the late 1700's and early 1800's. At their peak in the mid-1800's, these shorebirds were abundant migrants and locally common breeders in central and southern New Hampshire. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Declined due to market hunting in the early 1900's. Some increase in the 1920's. 60 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 61 SOUTH CONCORD MEADOWS SOUTH CONCORD MEADOWS CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX ON CLINTON STREET But decline in agriculture and more recent conversion of farmlands to industrial, commercial and residential have slowed recovery of the Upland Sandpiper. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Upland Sandpipers are on the threatened list in Massachusetts and Vermont; special concern in New York and Maine. *Many other grassland species that nest in similar habitat are also in decline. 61 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 62 PEASE INTERNATIONAL TRADEPORT PLANE TAKING OFF FROM THE RUNWAY AT PEASE INTERNATIONAL TRADEPORT In recent years, the only known breeding population of Upland Sandpipers has been found at the Pease International Tradeport. Upland Sandpipers nest in the grassy islands located between the runway and the apron. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Airfield conditions simulate the prairie grassland habitat that is favored by the Upland Sandpiper. They are found at a number of airports throughout the Northeast. 62 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 63 STOP SIGN AT RUNWAY STOP SIGN ALONG ACCESS ROAD TO THE RUNWAY We have been monitoring the Upland Sandpiper population at Pease since 1989. In 1989 and 1990 the Air Force was still present at Pease and security was very tight. We would move through the area with an escort, observing from inside a vehicle. In 1991 and 199'2, the Air National Guard was in charge of the airfield, and we were given greater access to the grassy infield. When the Pease Development Authority took over the airfield managment in the fall of 1992, we were allowed to walk through the Upland Sandpiper breeding areas. ADDITIONAL INFOFQ'ATION: -*Surveys are conducted by movi.ng through the grassy areas and stopping at 11-1 designated points to observe for sandpipers. All upland sightings and observed behavior are recorded. 63 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 64 UPLAND SANDPIPER IN GRASS GOOD VIEW OF UPLAND SANDPIPER IN GRASS When the birds arrive back in late April, the grass is short enough to get a good look. You can imagine that it gets increasingly difficult as the season progresses. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Surveys for sandpipers begin during the second half of April as the birds arrive from their wintering grounds. 64 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 65 HARD TO FIND DISTANT VIEW OF AN UPLAND SANDPIPER IN THE GRASS As the season progresses the grass gets longer and it is increasingly hard to find the birds ... especially as the grass starts to turn a golden color. Courtship, nest building and incubation follow soon after arrival. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 65 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 66 DRAGGING THE ISLANDS BIOLOGISTS DRAGGING THE GRASSY AREAS DURING A NEST CENSUS As the season progresses the grass gets longer and it is increasingly hard to find the birds ... especially as the grass starts to turn a golden color. Courtship, nest building and incubation follow soon after arrival. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 66 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 67 STAKE AT NEST WOODEN STAKE PLACED AT AN UPLAND NEST SITE By pinpointing the nest locations we were able to mark them to help avoid damage from mowing and other airfield operations. Finding the nests has become even more critical as construction proceeds out on the airfield as Pease is decommissioned. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The mower operators are well versed in Upland Sandpipers and can be helpful in locating nests. 67 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 68 NEST WITH EGGS UPLAND SANDPIPER NEST WITH 4 EGGS: PENCIL FOR SCALE The nest consists of a slight depression in tall grass, and is lined with leaves, small twigs or grasses. In late May or early June the female lays 4 creamy buff or white eggs spotted with reddish brown. Often grasses are arched over the top to hide the nest from above. The nest census allowed us to learn a great deal about the nesting of Upland Sandpipers at Pease. The timing of breeding , the synchrony of the birds, habitat usage. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Upland Sandpipers build typical shorebird nests and lay 4 eggs. *Both male and fem'a'le-will incubate the eggs for about 24 days. 68 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 69 UPLAND SANDPIPER CHICK PEN AND INK DRAWING OF AN UPLAND SANDPIPER CHICK The chicks are well developed and downy when they hatch. They will follow the adults and feed within a day or so of hatching. They are very vulnerable to disturbance during the first weeks. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *We have observed chicks through our years of nest censuses as well as nests ... as we work to refine the timing. *Vehicles pose a threat to small chicks. 69 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 70 UPLAND SANDPIPER ADULT AND CHICK IN GRASS Cared for by both parents, the chicks are full grown and ready to fly in about a month. Adult and young sandpipers feed on vast amounts of grasshoppers and other insects, as well as waste grain. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *Young chicks are particularly vulnerable to vehicles, as they will crouch down to hide from perceived dangers... making the possibility of running them over greater. *The adults will often bring the chicks to a common location known as a brood area. 70 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 71 PHENOLOGY GRAPH OF UPLAND SANDPIPER PHENOLOGY Our observation time coupled with the nest census allowed us to get a good sense of breeding phenology. May 10-15: egg laying Incubation lasts approximately 24 days June 5: first hatch July 15: first young at fledging ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This information is important as we work to come up with mowing regimes, and to protect the Upland Sandpipers from construction activities. 71 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 72 MOWED EDGE PHOTO OF THE MOWED EDGE OF A GRASSY ISLAND The nest census also gave us a better indication of habitat usage. We had thought that the Upland Sandpipers were nesting around the wet areas in the grassy islands. The nest census showed that they were utilizing the edges of the islands on a more regular basis. We have also completed a vegetation analysis of the areas around the nest sites. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This information is important as we work to come up with mowing regimes, and to protect the Upland Sandpipers from construction activities. *The habitat usage information is also important as we work to evaluate other potential breeding areas for uplands. 72 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 73 UPLAND SANDPIPER GOOD VIEW OF UPLAND SANDPIPER ON A ROCK Another documented phenomenon that we were not aware of was the buildup in Upland Sandpiper numbers at Pease during the migration period. Uplands will move from their breeding grounds and spend a number of weeks feeding before heading to their wintering areas in Argentina. Observations show that Pease is used as a migration stopover. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This information highlights the importance of Pease not only as a breeding but a migration area as well. *The numbers of Uplands begins to build in the last few days of July and into the second week of August. 73 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 74 GRAPH OF NUMBERS GRAPH OF UPLAND SANDPIPER NUMBERS THROUGH THE SEASON The graph shows the very evident buildup of sandpiper numbers as you approach the end of July and the early part of August. The numbers have climbed to as high as 74 individuals. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *This information highlights the importance of Pease not only as a breeding but a migration area as well. 74 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 75 CONSTRUCTION SITE CONSTRUCTION DISTURBANCE IN GRASSY AREAS AT PEASE Construction from the decommissioning of the airfield as an Air Force installation coupled with the conversion to a commercial airport has caused a fair amount of disurbance to the grassy areas of the infield. This is, of course, a temporary disturbance but we have been working with airfield operations to coordinate construction activities and protect the nests. Reseeding operations should help to restore any disturbed habitat .... and the upgrading of the runway may create additional habitat for uplands in the future. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *We have coordinated with the airfield operations in regards to construction since the Fall of 1993. We have a unique partnership with the NHF&G Dept. and the NHDES. 75 THREATENED AND ENDANGERED BIRDS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE'S COASTAL REGION AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1995 (prepared under a grant from the NH coastal program) SLIDE 76 POTENTIAL HABITAT PHOTO OF POTENTIAL HABITAT IN THE CONN. RIVER VALLEY Upland Sandpipers have not been confirmed breeding in any other locations in New Hampshire since 1985. We continue to monitor potential habitat for upland sandpiper activity. In addition, we hope to use the habitat usage and vegetation analysis work to look more closely at other potential habitat. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: *The vegetation and habitat analysis will allow us to make managment recommendations for areas with potential habitat for breeding Upland Sandpipers. This is critical for the future of this species in New Hampshire 76 t I im APPENDIX B Audubon Society of New Hampshire WW* 3 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 03301-8200 phone: 603/224-9909 - fax: 603/226-0902 June 30, 1995 Kay Akerley Conservation Commission Chair 325 Fox Point Rd. Newington, N.H. Dear Ms. Akerley: Enclosed please find a packet of materials that identify areas of important habitat for endangered and threatened bird species in your community. In addition to the maps, we've included a summary sheet that details these mapped areas and a series of informational brochures on the bald eagle (federally and state endangered), the osprey (state threatened), the common tern (state endangered) and the upland sandpiper (state endangered). We hope that this information will be useful as you set priorities for habitat protection in your town. The Audubon Society of New Hampshire has been working on the monitoring and management of coastal endangered and threatened species through the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department Nongame and Endangered Species Program since the early 1980's. The production of this packet of materials was made possible by funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration through the New Hampshire Coastal Program, Office of State Planning. This funding allowed us to bring together information that has been gathered through the years and to distribute it to local communities. In addition to the materials contained in this packet, a slide presentation entitled Threatened and Endangered Coastal Bird Species in New Hampshire was produced. This slide program highlights the natural history of each of the above species and shares the most current information gleaned from recent years of monitoring. This slide program will be given to public audiences through ASNH in Concord and at the Seacoast Science Center. If you are interested in a slide presentation in your local community, please let us know. I would also be happy to pro"@ e any additional infor m/atioh that you might find helpful.. Please feel free to contacV61b atAudubon House in Concor&at (603) 224-9909. Any:. comments on the enclosed materials wouldbe very welcome as well'. Thank you very much. Sincerely, Diane De Luca Senior Biologist printed on recycLed paper TOWN OF NEWINGTON HABITAT USE SUMMARY OF ENDANGERED AND THREATENED SPECIES BALD EAGLE The number of wintering bald eagles using Great Bay has risen steadily since the early 1980's. In 1994-95, seventeen eagles wintered on the Bay, many of them staying for a good part of the period from December through March. Bald Eagles are attracted to Great Bay because it provides the open water, perch and roost trees necessary to support them. The Newington shoreline provides many perch trees for the eagles to use during daytime foraging. The favored perch tree is located on Woodman Point, now protected through the Great Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This perch location has been documented to support more than 50% of observed perching in the Bay. In addition, they utilize other perch trees along the Refuge shoreline. Bald Eagles have also been documented to perch at Fox Point and Goat Island. See the enclosed map for locations. UPLAND SANDPIPERS The Upland Sandpiper is a shorebird that prefers dry, open grasslands, hayfields and pastures, especially those undisturbed by cultivation. Once found in good numbers, they have diminished with shrinking farms to only one known location in the state. At present, the Pease Airfield in Newington supports the only known nesting population of Upland Sandpipers in New Hampshire. This population is estimated at 8-10 pairs. However, potential breeding habitat still exists, and the Town of Newington continues to have grasslands that could support Upland Sandpipers. If you know of locations where these birds may be nesting, please get in touch! In addition, our work at Pease has given us a much clearer picture of the habitat needs of this species. We would be very excited to work with landowners with an interest in managing their grasslands to support upland sandpipeM@I-and, other grassland bird species. If you know of this intefest, please let us kp,@'@. COMMON TERNS New Hampshire currently supports only small numbers of the Common Tern. This tern population includes scattered pairs nesting on rocky islands in the coastal bays and colonies in the Hampton Harbor Estuary. Field studies conducted annually since 1981 have documented serious instability in coastal colonies, where marginal nesting habitat and heavy predation have significantly hampered productivity. The Town of Newington supports a small tern colony on Hen Island, an island approximately 70m. east of Fox Point on Little Bay. This colony has numbered between 9 and 12 pairs in recent years. The productivity at this location has been variable as the terns have been subject to some predation, including rats. Common Terns also forage all along the Newington shoreline. We have appreciated all the support the Town of Newington has given us in monitoring terns at this site as the potential for a very strong colony exists. The 1995 field season is looking very positive thus farl OSPREY During most of this century, the only known Osprey populations in New Hampshire occurred north of the White Mountains, primarily in the Androscoggin River drainage. In the spring of 1989, an Osprey pair took up residence in an abandoned heron rookery in a beaver pond in Durham. This pair has successfully fledged 12 young from this location, setting the stage for additional nesting pairs in the Bay. A second pair took up residence atop a power pole on the Squarnscoft River in 1992 and have also fledged young from this location. A third pair is showing interest in platforms erected at the Refuge in the fall of 1994. We expect to see a continued increase in the number of Osprey using the Bay. Although Newington does not have any nesting osprey at present, the Newington shoreline supports significant Osprey foraging. Identification and protection of nest sites, preferred perch trees and foraging habitat is critical to the successful expansion of this fledgling Osprey population. Please let us know if there are Osprey observations from your town! 47130// entworffl', Goat A t Island ace Dju h P 78 - in I CIO ling Fox e m C \Hil ton r X CIT Dy' . .... .......... ... Tobeys CO Come ZIA Bridge a r( . . ... ..... Cem . ........ oline W.. G' p `@7;aPiling Acre r j Ne 9f V Q n1j. @O Ce '0 N. - iT@TLE ... . .... 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Shooting or harassing threatened or endangered wildlife species is against the law. Report any illegal activities to the N.H. Fish and Game Depart- ment. Learn more about the habits and needs of birds of prey, and share your knowledge and concern about them. Urge state and federal legislators and Ho your local conservation commission to protect cr habitat for Bald The B Eagles wildlife. birds of pre a an tic bird sta support riINns working to extremely I protect the c and endangered Further information about ASNH feet tip to t species and -game wildlife. Bald Eagle can be requested from: and power Volunteer to help with our monitor- Audubon Society of New Hampshire black body. ing programs 3 Silk Farm Road plumage, b Concord, NH 03301-8200 varying deg 603-224-9909 on their ag white head This report was funded in part by a grant from the old. The B-, New Hampshire Coastal Program, as authorized by steady, cha National Oceanic and Atmospheric soaring for Administration, (NOAA) horizontal, the sky. The eaglAtill classified as threat- 0 ened and endangered in the 48 contiguous New Hampshire Monitoring Great Bay Winterill'Area states. Through intensive efforts by federal, Though eagles can be seen in New Great Bay is an estuary, where freshwa- state and local agencies it is making a Hampshire at any time of year, December ter rivers and ocean tides bring nutrients to comeback. through March is the best period for eagle nourish a wide variety of plants and animals. observations. A number of our waterways Great Bay provides a critical mix of habi- provide the open water, perch and roost tats, including open water, which gives Winter Eagle Ecology trees necessary to support wintering Bald eagles access to fish and waterfowl, promi- Bald eagles leave their northern breed- Eagles. Wintering eagles are often found on nent spots for hunting and perching during ing grounds as lakes and rivers freeze and parts of the Connecticut and Androscoggin the day, and stands of tall coniferous trees congregate in more southern wintering areas rivers, the Merrimack River, the Lakes used as night roosts in severe weather. where open water allows access to food Region, and on Great Bay. Winter eagle activity on the Bay has been sources. Fish are the preferred food source, the most consistent since monitoring began. but they will take waterfowl and carrion as Through a cooperative effort with the well. More Bald Eagles can be found U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the New The number of winter eagles using the throughout the United States during the Hampshire Fish and Game Department and Bay has risen steadily since the early 1980's. winter months than at any other time of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, In 1994-95, seventeen eagles wintered year. biologists have monitored wintering eagles in the Bay, many of them staying for a good since 1980. Biologists monitor these areas to part of the period December through Bald Eagles tend to perch near their document the extent of eagle use, determine March. Marked individuals help to establish foraging areas during the day. Although what food resources the eagles are using, return rates and length of stay information. they will perch on rocks, logs, ice, power- evaluate the extent of human activity and One individual with a blue wing marker has lines and such, eagles prefer tree perches potential disturbance, and learn how eagles been seen every winter in Great Bay since over other types. Eagles tend to favor tall are using specific habitats. This information 1985. trees with spreading, open branches and provides a basis for evaluating potential snags that give them easy accessibility and a effects of proposed land use changes within The many long hours of observation wide panoramic view. These can be either the wintering areas, and for setting priorities from 1980 through 1995 has allowed biolo- conifers or deciduous trees. for efforts to protect this habitat. gists to focus on the critical habitat needs for the Great Bay wintering population. The A roost is an area where eagles rest In documenting eagle activity in New protection of perch and roost sites on the and sleep during the night. Bald eagles may Hampshire, biologists rely heavily on dedi- bay were made possible by the many hours roost singly or communally in roosts located cated volunteer observers and the coopera, of documentation and the hard work of in close proximity to, or in some cases, a tion of the public in reporting sightings of numerous conservation organizations. good distance from foraging areas. Night eagles throughout the state. Results of the Further efforts must continue to monitor roosts are thought to provide protection statewide winter eagle monitoring effort habitat use so that wise management deci- from severe weather and possibly serve as reflect an increase in the number of Bald sions can be made for this estuary. "information" centers in regards to food Eagles using New Hampshire's waterways. location. These roosts may sometimes be The estimated numbers of eagles went from used during the day, particularly during a low of 16 in 1980-81 to a high of 83 in inclement weather. 1994-95. 0 0 OSP Y What You Can Do To Help The Audubon Society of New Hampshire Pandion haliactus Contribute to our understanding of the is an independent nonprofit organization Osprey's distribution within New Hamp, with active programs in land preservation, shire by reporting any sightings to the environmental education, legislative action, Audubon Society of New Hampshire or and non-game research and management. the NH Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, N.H. Fish and Game Department. 01 Shooting or harassing threatened or endangered wildlife species is against the law. Report any illegal activities to the N.H. Fish and Game Department or your local conservation officer. R a Learn more about the habits and needs of native wildlife so that you can help to educate others. How Can I Identify an Osprey? 0 Share your knowledge and concern about birds of prey to help dispel myths The Osprey is a large, long-legged, fish, that lead others to harm them.. eating raptor. Because of their large size, Osprey are sometimes mistaken for the more * Urge state and federal legislators and massive Bald Eagle, although at two feet tall your local conservation commission to Further information about ASNH with a six foot wingspan, they are consider- protect critical habitat for Ospreys and can be requested from: ably smaller than eagles, but larger than other wildlife. Audubon Society of New Hampshire most hawks. Seen in flight, the Osprey's 3 Silk Farm Road prominent features are its white or slightly 0 Support organizations working to pro, Concord, N.H. 03301-8200 mottled underparts, dark brown back, the tect endangered species and other non- 603-224-9909 pronounced crook in its long wings high- Rf' game wildlife. lighted by distinctive black wrist patches. This brochure was funded in part by a grant from Seen from closer proximity, the Osprey's the New Hampshire Coastal Program, as authorized bright yellow eye and broad, dark eyestripe by National Oceanic and Atmospheric help to distinguish it from other birds of Administration (NOAA). prey. Lqle History After migrating south 10tr first fall, young Current Status ALI" Ospreys spend the next year and a half on Ospreys arrive in New Hampshire their winter grounds. They do not return to Hampshire's Ospreys during April, returning year after year to the the breeding grounds until the spring of same breeding grounds. An osprey nest is their second year. Since the early 1980's, Ospreys have generally placed in the flattened top of a The Osprey is a truly cosmopolitan maintained active nests in the North Coun, live or dead tree, but may also be placed bird. It is able to take advantage of water try region of New Hampshire. This popula@ atop man-made structures such as power bodies suitable for its fishing way of life on tion has experienced steady growth through transmission poles, waterfront pylons, every land mass on earth except New the period, and now produces 20-30 young channel markers and specially erected Zealand and Antarctica. Populations here each year from an average of 25 nests. nesting platforms. The nest is up to five feet in the northeast generally migrate to the in diameter and is made with a large accu, warmer climates of Central and South In 1989, a pair of Osprey made Great mulation of various sized dead branches up America. Bay their home. After an early nesting to five feet long. Both sexes gather the failure that year, they have successfully nesting material, but the female does most Historical Review raised young in subsequent years. Great Bay of the nest arrangement. Softer materials now has at least two successful breeding such as sod, seaweed or marsh grass line the In the two,decade period from 1950@ pairs with the addition of a nest on a utility nest. Nests are often used in successive years 70, the Osprey population was severely tower along the Squamscott River. Each Iand the addition of nesting materials in diminished, especially in the eastern United year brings more Osprey sightings and each season cause them to become very States. Ospreys initially declined because of nesting attempts to the seacoast region. heavy and bulky, sometimes growing as high pesticides such as DDT and other persistent You can observe Osprey in southeastern as eight feet. chemicals in their food chain, which caused New Hampshire from late March through infertility and thinned egg shells. Since the mid-October. The Great Bay estuary system Male and female Ospreys court each banning of DDT in the United States is a prime area. The marshes, harbors and other with spectacular and vocal soaring, inl972, the Osprey has made a steady beach areas along the seacoast can also be diving, and swooping. The male may hover comeback. Osprey may still be threatened, rewarding observation sites, especially high over his territory carrying a fish or a however, by pesticide use near their winter- during migration. stick; a display that serves to favorably ing areas in the tropics. influence his mate and discourage potential "I N_ rivals. The female lays from 2-4 blotched, Osprey face threats even before they oval eggs in two day intervals. Incubation hatch. Great -homed owls, gulls, raccoons, by both the male and female continues for and fishers may prey on eggs left unattended about five weeks. The chicks at hatch rely in nests. Food availability directly affects on the adults to feed them, but in 4-5 weeks chick survival. Declines in fish populations they can eat, by themselves, the prey that or water quality may reduce the size of local both parents bring to the nest. At around 8 Osprey populations. although Osprey are weeks, they are capable of flight and begin protected under state and federal laws, to follow the adults to their fishing grounds. illegal shooting still occurs. What I Can Do To HeIP C0MMf-)N � Contribute to our understanding of the The Audubon Society distribution of terns within New Hamp- of New HamPshire shire by reporting any sightings of is an independent nonprofit organization TERNS Common, Arctic or Roseate Terns to with programs in wildlife conservation, Sterna hirun& the Audubon Society of New Hamp- shire or the NH Nongame and Endan- environmental affairs, land protection, and gered Wildlife Program, N.H. Fish & environmental education. Game Department. � Shooting or harassing threatened or endangered wildlife species is against the law. Report any illegal activities to the N.H. Fish & Game Department or your local conservation officer. � Urge state and federal legislators and your local conservation commission to protect What Are Tems? sensitive coastal areas from development, pollution and exploitation. Among the most elegant of seabirds, � Stay away from areas where terns are terns are smaller and more slender in build known or thought to be nesting and than the closely related gulls and are distin- keep pets away from these place, to guished by long, narrow, pointed wings and avoid disturbing the birds or leaving deeply forked tails. They all have black ----- - --------- scent trails for predators. caps during the breeding season, and long, tapering bills. The varying length of the � Discourage gulls in beach areas by property tails and the colors of their bills can be used disposing of garbage and trash. Never dump Further information about ASNH to tell the species apart. wastes of any kind into the ocean. can be requested from: Terns flit gracefully over the water, � Learn more about the habits and needs Audubon Society of New Hampshire bills pointed downward, their long wings of native wildlife so that you can help to 3 Silk Farm Road lifting them easily and swiftly 30-40 feet. educate others. Concord, NH 03301-8200 When they spy food below, they plunge 603,224-9909 headfirst into the water, often disappearing � Volunteer to assist with tern protection completely under the surface. These birds at a nesting area near your home. This brochure was funded in part by a grant from sometimes gather in huge numbers over a the New Hampshire Coastal Program, as authorized school of fish, swirling in the air, screaming � Support organizations working to pro. by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric and diving again and again. Fisherman can tect endangered species and other non- Administration, (NOAA). often locate schools of fish by observing the game wildlife. L_ tern's activities. Terns can be aggressive when they are increase in the open dumping 1001garbage driving potential predators away from the and an enormous growth in the fishing nesting colony, especially during the height industry. These larger, more aggressive of their breeding season when they are birds compete with terns for nesting sites defending their eggs and young. An indi- and prey directly on tern eggs and chicks. vidual who wanders too close to an active Terns are subsequently forced into more breeding colony is likely to be dive bombed marginal areas for nesting and become more Life History and "white-washed" by crying birds. Keep vulnerable to predators and human distur- in mind that you have wandered into the bance. Terns arrive in New England during birds' nursery, and make a careful retreat. the first half of May, and usually breed in Terns have been greatly affected by colonies on barrier beaches, offshore islands By late summer, large groups of terns coastal development and pollution. Shore- and in the salt marshes. After a brief court- begin to congregate on outer beaches and front development has reduced available ship, which may include ritualized flight islands. Most depart for their southern habitat and caused greater disturbance by displays and intricate caressing and preening wintering grounds in Central and South house pets, off-road vehicles and humans. of each other's feathers, mating ensues. America in September. Some Arctic Terns Human habitation has disturbed the bal- Common and Arctic Terns build vulnerable make incredible oceanic journeys 25,000 ance of predators as well, often exposing nests on open shores, scooping out shallow miles, roundtrip between the Arctic and tern colonies to increased numbers of scrapes in the sand, placing a few weeds on Antarctic via the coast of Africa and South raccoons, skunks and rats. bare rock or nestling atop the salt marsh America. grasses. Roseate terns conceal their simple nests among tall grasses or vegetation or in Historical Review rock crevices. Between late May and late July, terns The numbers of terns breeding along Current Status of New lay 2,3 oval eggs with various patterns of the New Hampshire coast, as along the brown on a buff background; if one set of entire Atlantic coast, has fluctuated greatly Hampshire Terns eggs is destroyed, terns may lay several in the last century. Once among the most times. The chicks hatch after about 21 days abundant nesting birds on the Atlantic and New Hampshire currently supports of incubation and within a few days seek Gulf coasts, they have since been plagued by only small numbers of the Common Tern. shelter in the grasses or other concealing a variety of threats. Tremendous numbers This tern population includes scattered vegetation. Although the young are well of terns were killed in the late 1800's for the pairs nesting on rocky islands in the coastal developed when they hatch, they will stay millinery trade. Although protective laws bays and colonies in the Hampton Harbor near the nest, cared for by both adults and were eventually passed and terns increased Estuary. fed on small fish caught in the coastal temporarily in the early 1900's, their popu- Field studies conducted annually since shallows. Young terns are capable of short lations have declined drastically since the 1981 have documented serious instability in flights three to four weeks after hatching 1950's. coastal colonies, where marginal nesting and tend to gather in small groups by the Gull populations have increased habitat and heavy predation have signifi- water's edge, waiting to be fed. dramatically in recent years due to the cantly hampered productivity. UPLAID "at You Can Do To Help The Audubon Society � Contribute to our understanding of the of New Hampshire SANDPIPERS Upland Sandpiper's distribution in New is an independent nonprofit organization Hampshire by reporting any sightings to with programs in wildlife conservation, Bartramia longicauda the Audubon Society of New Hamp- environmental affairs, land protection, and shire or the NH Nongame and environmental education. Endangered Wildlife Program, N.H. Fish Game Department. � Shooting or harassing threatened or endangered wildlife species is against the law. Report any illegal activities to the N.H. Fish & Game Department or your local conservation officer. � Stay away from areas where Upland Sandpipers are known or thought to be nesting and keep pets away from these places, to avoid disturbing the birds or What are Upland leaving scent trails for predators. ip Sandp * ers � Urge state and federal legislators and The Upland Sandpiper, formerly called your local conservation commission to the Upland Plover, is a large ( 11- 12 inch), protect critical habitat for wildlife. brownish shorebird with a short bill, slender neck and long legs and tail. Its wings are � Learn more about the habitats and needs Further information about ASNH lined with black and. white bars, which can of native wildlife so that you can help to can be requested from: be seen when the bird stretches its wings as educate others. Audubon Society of New Hampshire it alights. You may see it fly close to the 3 Silk Farm Road ground with its wings bent downward, � Support organizations working to Concord, NH 03301-8200 flapping with short, stiff strokes, while protect endangered species and other 603-224-9909 uttering musical trills and notes. It may Also non-game wildlife. perch on posts and poles. When it lands it This brochure was funded in part by a grant from stretches its neck up and points its wings the New Hampshire Coastal Program, as authorized high over its back before folding them by National Oceanic and Atmospheric down. On the ground the Upland Sand- Administration, (NOAA). piper moves like a plover, running swiftly and then stopping suddenly. J*e History Current Statuou Upland Sandpipers are migratory birds New Hampshire's which winter on the pampas of South America and return to New Hampshire in 'e #1` Upland Sandpipers mid to late April. Unlike other shorebirds, Once found in the thousands, feeding they prefer dry, open grasslands, hayfields on insect pests throughout New England's and pastures, especially those undisturbed by farms, they have diminished with the cultivation. These birds are quite conspicu- shrinking farms to only one known location ous on arrival, uttering mellow, drawn-out in the state. Upland Sandpipers are now whistles, soaring high, and flying low over considered endangered in New Hampshire. At present, the Pease Airfield in Newington the ground on vibrating wings. During courtship, the male struts with tail cocked, supports the only known nesting population wings dragging and throat puffed out. of Upland Sandpipers in New Hampshire estimated at 8 - 10 pairs. The nest consists of a slight depression in tall grass, and is lined with leaves, small Upland Sandpiper habitat at Pease twigs or grasses. In late May or early June exists on the airfield, including three grassy the female lays 4 creamy buff or white eggs "islands" surrounded by the runway and spotted with reddish brown. Often grasses connecting taxiways. Vegetation on tIM; are arched over the top to hide the nest islands is characterized by grasses widely from above. Both male and female incubate interspersed with a variety of herbaceous the eggs for about 24 days. Nesting birds plants and the occasional woody species. circle and call overhead when disturbed, Coordination with airfield personnel and and will distract intruders by fluttering off mowing operations has helped to improve with wings dragging. The young are well Historical Review the productivity at this site. Migration data developed and downy when they hatch. Upland Sandpipers increased in New from 1989,1994 point out the importance of Cared for by both parents, the chicks are England during the late 18th century when the Pease airfield not only as breeding full grown and ready to fly in about a fields replaced forests, but began to dwindle habitat for New Hampshire's only remain- month. Adult and young sandpipers feed on during the later 19th century. The return of ing population, but as a migration stopover vast numbers of grasshoppers and other forests in New Hampshire has eliminated for the regional population north and east. insects, as well as waste grain. much of the open habitat suitable for breed- ing Upland Sandpipers. Large-scale shoot- Casual reports of possible sightings in Upland Sandpipers begin to head to ing for food and sport in the mid-west other potential breeding habitat keep the South America in early August through during the 1800's decimated populations in search going. They are out there! (But September, usually migrating in the evening that region. Today Upland Sandpipers face where?) If you know of locations where or at night. Migrants from further north lack of suitable nesting area in much of these birds may be nesting, please let us may begin to swell populations at breeding North America and the continued pressures know. areas as early as late July, and peaking into of hunting, pesticides and land-use changes early to mid-August. on their wintering grounds in Argentina. APPENDIX C YOE 42EAY SAY ESYUARY0 Jys CUiCYURAt 14ND SLIDE PROGRAM NOTES DEVELOPED BY THE AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION THROUGH THE N.H. COASTAL PROGRAM. DECEMBER 1994. flAYUR14aC NJ$ Y- 0-4-R- y ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS We would like to extend our appreciation to the various people who provided assistance in gathering information for this slide program, and who willingly loaned their slides for use in the program. In particular, we would like to thank: Peter Wellenberger (NHF&G Region III) and Betsy Franz (NHF&G Sandy Point Nature Center) for providing access to their slide collection and 1991 videotaped interviews with longtime residents on the Great Bay Estuary. Bill Penhale (Vice President, Great Bay Trust) for valuable discussions about the Great Bay Estuarine System Conservation Trust. Jack Adams (author of Drowned Valley: Yhe Piscataqua River Basin) and the New England Press for generously giving us permission to reproduce historic photographs from' Drowned Valley. Maryanna Hatch (Curator, Durham Historical Museum) for providing access to historic photographs and other historic information. Sharon Meeker (UNH Cooperative Extension, Seagrant program) for assisting in the collection of background materials, providing access to books, existing slide programs and videos in the MERC library, and allowing us to use several slides in the program. Steve Jones (UNH Jackson Estuarine Laboratory) for taking us out into the Estuary for photographs that were difficult to get from the land. Fred Short (UNH Jackson Estuarine Laboratory) for the loan of several slides from his collection. Gary Hulme (NH Division of Historic Resources) for the loan of several slides from his collection. 7. 1 INTRODUCTORY NOTES TO PRESENTERS PROGRAM FORMAT The following notes describe the format of the notes accompanying the slide program, and provide direction on how the program should be used. In the notes that follow, each slide is described on a separate page. The format for each page provides: the slide number and title, a graphical representation of what the slide consists of, material that could be used as a script, "Additional Notes" provide the presenter with additional background information for some slides It is important to note that there is no prescribed script as such for the program. The way in which the program has been set out is to encourage the presenter to personalize the program and tailor it to their level of knowledge. This makes the presenter more involved in the program than simply presenting a set program. While a script of sorts is provided, the presenter should feel free to add in information from the Additional Notes provided or their own background, or to cut back on the script if a shorter program is needed. The script provides guidelines rather than a prescribed format for presentation. The presenter can use the script to the degree that they feel comfortable. Some people may prefer adhering strictly to the script provided (which is fine), while others may wish to follow the script more loosely, adding some of their own knowledge of the seacoast. There is no right or wrong way to present the program! Note that the term "Estuary" with a capital E refers to the entire Great Bay Estuarine system, and is used simply as an abbreviation. Estuarine with a capital E, is also used to refer specifically to the Great Bay Estuary. PROGRAM TIMING There are a total of 64 slides in the program. If the program were presented by following the script provided, the presentation would last approximately 30-35 minutes. However, there may sometimes be a time constraint and a need for a shorter program. To accommodate this need, certain slide@s (marked with a double asterisk on the Summary of Slide Titles) may be omitted, and the "script" for the remaining slides may be shortened (text marked in bold on the "script" for certain slides may also be omitted for a shorter program). If all the asterisked slides and the bold areas of the script were omitted, the shorter program would last approximately 20-25 minutes. FACT SHEETS Three fact sheets accompany this,program, and should be made available to those atten-djhg@`the-- presentation. @the fact sheet@.,4-6@,,,@'.,@Natural History of the Great Bay Estuary (Fa&tn'@ Cultural ,-History of the Great Bay Estuff,@,,--,,(fact Sheet 2), and Thoughts for the Future and'R660mmended Further Reading (Fact Sheet 3). TN@se fact sheets also provide some background information that complements the slide show. Presenters are encouraged to peruse some of the references recommended for further reading in Fact Sheet 3. EN@@D AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHS Several of the aerial photographs used in the program are infrared aerials. The light blue shows paved surfaces (as in the photo of Durham) and developed areas; vegetation shows up as various shades of red, and the water shows as black or a green-black-blue color. The Estuarine channels show up particularly well on these color infrared photos. THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY- NATURAL AND CULTURAL HISTORY SUMMARY OF SLIDE TITLES Slide Title Slide taken/loaned by: I Title slide UNH Seagrant Program 2. New Hampshire's inland shoreline Fred Short 3. What is an estuary? ASNH 4. Great Bay Estuary is part of the Gulf of Maine" ASNH 5. What comprises the Great Bay Estuary? ASNH 6. Text slide: Tidal range of the Estuary" ASNH 7. Formation of Great Bay Estuary ASNH 8. The role of ice in shaping the Estuarine shoreline UNH Seagrant Program 9. Relocation of marsh vegetation" ASNH 10. First Inhabitants - Native Americans Gary Hulme 11. The arrival of European settlers ASNH -12. Plunder of the shorebirds ASNH 13. Eelgrass meadows ASNH 14. Eelgrass plants Fred Short 15. Inhabitants of eelgrass; - I Fred Short 16. Inhabitants of eelgrass - 2* Fred Short 17. Navigation using the channels" ASNH 18. Eelgrass as a tool for navigation at night Fred Short 19. Mudflats ASNH 20. Mudflat feeders* ASNH 21. Saltmarshes ASNH 22. Low marsh** ASNH 23. High Marsh" ASNH 24. Channel bottom habitat ASNH 25. Arrival of the gundalow ASNH 26. Evolution of the gundalow ASNH 27. Utility of the gundalow ASNH (Jack Adams (Drowned Valley) 28. Unloading gundalows ASNH (Jack Adams (Drowned Valley) 29. Gundalow cargoes* ASNH (Jack Adams (Drowned Valley) 30. Gundalow transporting salthay ASNH 31. Salthay harvest UNH Seargean Program 32. Ditching and diking on saltmarshes* ASNH 33. Fisheries UNH Seagrant Program 34. Lumber yards ASNH (Jack Adams (Drowned Valley) 35. The shipbuilding industry ASNH (Jack Adams (Drowned Valley) 36. The gundalow and the American Revoludon ASNH 37. Brickyards - ASNH (Jack Adams (Drowned Valley) 38. Gundalow transporting bricks ASNH (Jack Adams (Drowned Valley) 39. Bricks used to construct mills ASNH 40. Gundalow carrying cordwood ASNH ()ack Adams (D...e Mleyl 41. The cotton mills ASNH (3ack Adams VaffeyJ 42. Portsmouth's maritime economy ASNH 43. Demise of the gundalow ASNH 44. Railroad bridge at Dover Point ASNH 45. Subsistence to commerce and industry ASNH 46. Recreational activities - oystering ASNH 47. Closure of shellfish beds ASNH 48. Eelgrass wasting disease Fred Short 49. Recreational activities - boating ASNH 50. Commercial fishing ASNH 51. Commerce and industry ASNH 52. Shipping activities in Portsmouth" ASNH 53. Activity in Great and Little Bays ASNH 54. Great Bay Estuarine Research Reserve ASNH 55. Chapman's Landing" ASNH 56. Pease Air Force Base" ASNH 57. Sewage treatment works at Exeter ASNH 58. Sewage treatment discharge into Squamscott* ASNH 59. Industrial pollution ASNH 60. Other sources of pollution ASNH 61. Pollution in the watershed counts" ASNH 62. The Estuary is an altered system ASNH 63. What does the future hold? ASNH 64. Prepared by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire ASNH Slides tha t may be omitted for a shorter program THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ... . .... .... Painting of gundalows moored outside the old Adams House, Adams Point THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY: ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY This program describes a region that was once the hub of New Hampshire, and provides some insights to the natural history of the Great Bay Estuarine system. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The cultural history of the Great Bay Estuary from the start of European settlement through the end of the 19th century is depicted by examining the gundalow cargoes of the day, and the role of the gundalow in shaping the economy of the region we know today THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) . .. ...... ....... X xx -X . ..................... ... . . . ..... ......... -- , "' - .. ..................................... ..... ...................... . ..................... ... . . .... Aerial Photograph of the Great Bay Estuary The Great Bay Estuary transforms New Hampshire's modest 18 mile coastal shoreline into a rich tapestry of biological diversity, with a total shoreline length of 150 miles. The Estuary is one of the largest on the Atlantic coast. This slide shows the Great Bay Estuarine system, with the mouth of the Piscataqua and Portsmouth in the foreground and Great Bay in the background (towards the upper left of the slide) (point out landmarks on slide). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: New Hampshire's Atlantic Coast shoreline is 18 miles; the Great Bay Estuarine system has a 132 mile long shoreline, making a total shoreline length of 150 miles. Not bad for a coastal state with one of the shortest ocean shorelines! The Estuary can be described as an "inland sea" of sorts, given the predominance of saltwater species. This is New Hampshire's hidden coastline. THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) . . ............ .... . ........... ... X:.:X . ........ Black and white illustration showing the formation of an estuary (drowned river valley) An estuary is the place where the rivers meet the sea, where freshwater flowing downstream mixes with the salty ocean water. Many estuaries we know today are drowned river valleys. The old river channel still lies along the bottom of the estuary while the estuarine waters cover what had once been low coastline (point out on slide). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Estuaries are fragile ecosystems, and are amongst our most important, misunderstood and most abused resources. Many large estuaries we know today are drowned river valleys - places where the sea- level has risen, the coastal plain has subsided, or both. The ancient river beds were originally cut by streams draining massive volumes of meltwater from the shrinking glaciers. THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .. . .......... ............. Gulf of Maine watershed map The Great Bay Estuary is one of the many estuaries found along the Gulf of Maine. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Gulf of Maine spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and 4Canada, a+t& includes 70% of the total area of New Hampshire. The entire Gulf of Maine can be considered an estuary since Gulf waters are somewhat isolated from the Atlantic Ocean by uplands and submerged offshore banks, and receive a tremendous volume of freshwater runoff from the land. The Northeast and the Great South Channels, created by ancient streams, form the major arteries for the exchange of waters between the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine. The Gulf is comprised of channels (created by ancient streams), basins and banks (that were above water for hundreds of years) Win THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ......... .. ... .............. ................ .... ...... . ........ ............. ............ . ....... ......................... . . ........ Black and white map of the Great Bay Estuarine system The Great Bay Estuary starts at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. Moving upstream, it angles into Broad Cove and Little Bay, squeezing through the bottleneck known as the Furber Strait at Adams Point into Great Bay itself (point out on slide). Freshwater inflow comes primarily from seven tidal rivers (moving clockwise, starting in the bottom right hand corner of the slide, point out each of the rivers on the map.) : the Winnicut, Squarnscoft, Lamprey, Oyster, Bellamy, Cocheco and Salmons Falls Rivers (the latter two join to become the Piscataqua River). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Estuary extends 15 miles from the mouth of the Piscataqua to the upper limit of Great Bay. THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) A JY@: ff.. TIDES RELATIVE TO PORTLAND, MAINE Time Lag Tidal Range Piscataqua mouth 4 mins behind 8.1 ft Dover Point 1.5 hrs behind 6.0 ft Adams Point 2.0 hrs behind Lower Squarnscott 2.5 hrs behind 6.2 ft The Estuarine system is dominated by tidal flow which is pushed up the Piscataqua on an eight foot tide. Moving up the Estuary, the tidal range (the difference between low tide and high tide) generally decreases and tides lag increasingly behind those of the open ocean e.g. in the Lower Squamscott River at the far end of Great Bay, low tide is 2.5 hours later than low tide at Portland. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Tidal flow dominates over freshwater inflows for much of the year, with freshwater averaging around 2% of the volume of water, although this does vary seasonally (increasing during wetter times such as snowmelt in spring). THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY . AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ............. Photograph of a glacier showing meltwaters at the base of the slide Oust visible). The Estuary had its beginnings approximately 14,500 years ago following the melting of the last glaciers. The tremendous quantity of water released by the melting glaciers contributed to rising ocean waters which flooded the land, drowning the(@@@river valleys that make up the Estuary that we see today. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: It is estimated that the Estuary has existed for the last 8,000 years, which is comparatively young in terms of geological time (which spans millions of years). As the huge weight of the glaciers was removed, the depressed land slowly rebounded to existing levels - a process that has taken many thousands of years. The shoreline of the Estuary probably arrived close to its present day position a. few thousand years agowhen the rise of sea level slowed down. Since that tftne,'@'the'--.' usly modified by a slow sea level rise k6stj av",". -,.,5,, Estuary has been co@4n- mm/year). THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ... ........................................ .. . ........ .... ... ....... ......................... XX .. ........................................... ....................... .......... ................... ............. ........................................ ... ....... ........................ . ................. .......... ............ -- .................... ... X ............. ..... ........................ x. :::X: .X:.,X..*.*... XX ............ ................ ............. ....................................... X ............... ......... ................. ....... :%X::V ......... ..... .... Photograph of ice on the Estuary in winter Ice has continued to play an important role in shaping the characteristics of the shoreline. During periods of ice movement, large amounts of shoreline sediments are dislodged and transported to other parts of the Estuary. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: During winter, much of the shoreline and the intertidal zone (areas that are alternately flooded and exposed by tides) are iced over. In winter and early spring, the effects of ice breakup causes erosion and resuspension of estuarine sediments. During summer, deposition of sediments is more common. THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) )KARSO . ....... . . ....... . .......... ff x%:x:.'-.-. Chunk of saltmarsh vegetation that has been relocated by ice (photo taken at Adams Pt) Chunks of saltmarsh and eelgrass vegetation are torn loose by ice and rafted during periods of thaw. Many of these chunks can be seen stranded on the mudflats at low tide (point out chunk of saltmarsh vegetation on the mudflat near the edge of the water middle left of slide). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The movement of these rooted chunks of vegetation and marsh peat facilitate the spread of saltmarsh vegetation and eelgrass beds. THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ..... .. .. .. .. . .. .... ... .......... Photograph of Native American shell midden The earliest known inhabitants to reap the bounty of the Great Bay Estuary were Native American tribes. Evidence of ancient harvests still e)dsts today in the form of oyster and clam shell heaps (called middens) along the shore and in certain marshes (point out the midden in the slide - it is the layer of decomposing shells visible between the two parallel rows of colored pins). In recent times, human activities along the shores of the Great Bay Estuary have left a more damaging legacy than decomposing shells. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: These fishermen and hunter-gatherers lived on a bountiful harvest of the abundant shellfish, finfish and waterfowl that inhabited the Estuary. First impacts on Estuary with slash and burn land clearing practices. Despite thousands of years of occupation, these people left little lasting impact on the landscape, leaving the land more or less as they found it. While the Native Americans most likely inhabited the Estuarine shores'@fdV"s thousand years, there is conclusive evidence (pottery, flintheads and--harp6dri heads' found in the vicinity of Adam's Point) that Native Americans occupied sites around the Estuary 1200 years ago. 10 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) . .. ......... ...... X ....... .. .... We "ARM, In 1708, it was stated that the Great Bay abounded with fish such as ncod and haddock.... bass, shad, mackerell, herring, blew-fish, alewives, pollock, ffrost fish, perch, Mounders, sturgeons, lumbs, ells, seales, salmon.... and all sorts of shellfish such as lobsters, crabs, cockles, clams, mussels, oysters etc." (Jackson, 1944) The arrival of European settlers in the early 1600's began a history of increasing demand on the natural resources of the Estuary that continues today. They found a region rich in marine life - the waters teamed so many fish that they were used as fertilizer; oysters were abundant and clams so plentiful that they were fed to hogs; the skies were darkened with migrating wildfowl; and deer, bear and other wild game abounded in the adjacent forests. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The text for the above slide, as quoted in Jackson, 1944, was originally documented in the British Calendar of State Papers, American and West Indies July 6, 1708. This information was communicated to the Council of Trade and Plantations during the early 18th century. Current figures show.that the Estuary is home to 52 species of fish 'and, 140,bir dl-,'@-, species (excluding upland species), e.g. great blue heron, glossy ibi�,:," snowy egrets. Several e'ndangered and threatened bird species, such 8' bald eagles, use the Estuary at various times of the year. Ospreys are known to forage here during migration, and several have been observed nesting in the area. Invertebrate populations include Eastern Oysters, lobsters, crabs and soft shell clams. THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ... ..... ... ... . . .......... ................. Photograph of Lesser Yellowlegs The shorebirds, so numerous and in seemingly inexhaustible supply in the early days were hunted to near extinction by the end of the 19th century. The reason for this carnage was the increase in markets in coastal and inland cities for bird meat. At the peak of the demand, the birds were ruthlessly harvested like a crop, with little element of sportsmanship- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: In the early days, shorebirds were hunted annually, but only by local people for their own use. The carnage began when markets for bird meat developed in the cities up and down the coast. Examples of shorebirds are Black-bellied plover, golden plover, dunlin, common snipe yellowlegs. 12 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) `0 .......... .. . .............. ..... -S ............. .. K MUGU.' ... X1. Eelgrass meadow at mid-tide A number of different habitats supported the variety of animal species that the early settlers found in the Estuary. Eelgrass communities, occurring as "meadows" are the most abundant habitat found in the Estuary. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Eelgrass beds occur as large meadows and smaller beds, and provide the largest spatial distribution within the Estuary, covering 2500 acres. The greatest concentration of eelgrass beds occur in Great Bay. 13 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) F, F49 . .... .. . . .. . .......... Lobster in eelgrass meadow Eelgrass is a submerged marine plant rooted in the Estuarine sediments. It provides valuable breeding and nursery grounds for the variety of finfish, shellfish, and crustaceans harvested by the early settlers. Eelgrass communities also filter estuarine waters, trapping sediments and dissolved nutrients, thereby enhancing Estuarine water clarity and quality. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Eelgrass (Zostera marina) is an important base of the estuarine food chain. Decomposing leaves provide a food source for many invertebrates, which in turn provide food for larger life forms such as fish and crabs, which in turn are predated on. Sediments and larval organisms are suspended in the eelgrass meadows, and small animals use the blades as anchors. As such, eelgrass plays an important role in the life cycles of scallops, crabs, finfish, geese and ducks. Eelgrass communities are valuable sediment traps and help stabilize bottom sediments. They filter estuarine waters removing both sediments and dissolved nutrients (sediments settle out, and leaves use excess nutrient inflows for their growth). Howe'.veir-,'too'!'@ many nutrients can produce algal blooms that shade and destroy eelgrass ecosys ms.'.1 The health of eelgrass communities is both a factor in, and an indicator of, the overall health of the estuarine ecosystem. 14 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) . ... .. . ... ....... ........ :0 . ........ . BE AT:@i@@ii Canada geese feeding on eelgrass Ducks and geese consume eelgrass leaves and seeds ..... 15 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) Great blue heron feeding on eelgrass ..... wading birds and diving ducks are attracted by the many fish and other food sources. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Predatory fish such as striped bass are also attracted to eelgrass beds for feeding. Other fish include silversides and sticklebacks (permanent residents), and smelt and river herring (nursery grounds en route from river spawning grounds to open water). 16 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) A PAWN M Infrared aerial photo showing Estuarine channels (Lamprey River in the upper left and the Squarnscott in the lower left) One of the hazards for boats in the Estuary was the shallow nature of estuarine waters. It was (and still is) important for boats to stay to the deeper channels to avoid possible grounding on shallow banks at low tide. The channels, so clearly visible in this photo, are not so visible from the water. Navigating these curving and twisting channels was no easy task (point out the Lamprey and Squamscott River mouths). 17 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .. ...... ... . ... Aerial view of Great Bay (Adam's Point in the upper right) showing eelgrass beds along the channel edges Eelgrass was a boon to navigation at night because it would show slick or black against the light. The moon reflected off the the water, but there were virtually no reflections in the eelgrass. In this way, vessels traversing the Estuarine waters could sail safely in the dark (providing of course that there was moonlight!). (Point out eelgrass beds (light green color) alongside the channels Bay channels). W "T. A 18 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ......... ... . ............. .... . ..................... . .......... .... ..... .... ........ .... .... . :: .... ..... ......... ....... ... .. ...... -- ..... . ... ... ... . Photograph of mudflat in Little Bay First the Native Americans, and later the European settlers harvested clams from the productive mudflats. The second most extensive habitat in the Estuary, mudflats are extremely important areas for benthic invertebrates. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Unvegetated mudflats are the second most extensive habitat. Mudflats are extremely important areas of benthic invertebrate production, and are a major contributor to primary productivity in the Bay. (Benthic invertebrates refer to invertebrates that occur on the bottom of a body of water). The mudsnail, numbering tens of thousands feeds on the highly productive benthic diatom layer. Birds, crabs and fish are the primary grazers on mudflat fauna. 19, THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ........ ... ...... . ... ............ . ....................... ........ ................. . ......... .. . .......... WPM ........... .... .... ..... Great blue heron on mudflat Wading birds (e.g. great blue herons) feed on clams and worms at low tide, while fish and crabs move onto the flats at high tide to prey on invertebrates. 20 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .. ..... .... xx .......... .............. ............. .:.: . . ............... ...... ...... .................... .. ......... ........ . . ow .... ............ ...... ....... ........... . . . ..................... :% :.:.:I.* . ........ .... ... .-... .. ............ ..... . .. ... Saltmarsh at high tide showing tidal creek Saltmarshes have long yielded rich harvests to humans. Both the Native Americans and the European settlers fished the creeks for alewives which came up the marshes in large numbers on their way to spawning grounds. The tidal creeks provide habitat for juvenile fish, feeding areas for birds, habitat for numerous insect species (including mosquitoes!), and transport large quantities of organic material into the Estuarine detrital cycle. The third most abundant habitat, saltmarshes are found throughout the Estuary, being most abundant along the Squamscoff River. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Estuaries are enormously productive because of the lush saltmarshes that are part of the shoreline. An acre of saltmarsh with a dense growth of cordgrass produces at least twice as much organic material as the best cultivated agricultural land. Mummichogs provide a major source of food for wading birds. Mummichogs have no commercial or recreational value, but are valuable in marsh food chains because of their high abundance. A number of terrestrial species, e.g. deer, raccoons, mink use saltmarshes for foraging. 21 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ................ ........... ..... . . . .. .. ... mh .... ............... ......................... .......... . .. ..... ..... .... ....................... . ............. I ..... . .... .... ...... X" .. .. . .... ...... ... ............. N ....... ........ .. ... . ... . ................ ............. .. ..... Fringing low marsh along the Estuarine shoreline edge There are two types of marsh habitat - low marsh and high marsh. Low marsh, such as these fringing marshes found along the Estuarine shoreline, is flooded twice daily by the tides, and is dominated by saltwater cordgrass. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Fringing marshes, which form a discontinuous band along the Estuarine shoreline, are an example of low marsh habitat. Fringing marshes provide habitat for a number of invertebrate species including amphipods and snails. 22 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ........... ........... ... low" Photograph of high marsh showing cowlicks High marsh is the typical New England saltmarsh. Beyond the reach of daily tides, these marshes are flooded irregularly and are dominated by salt hay grass. It was the high marsh that the coastal farmers valued so highly for its crop of salt hay. 23 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) . ........ . .. .... ...... ..... ... ....... ... .. .. ............. . . .... ... .. . Aerial photograph of Moody Point area, location of large oyster bed The rich and plentiful oyster harvests of the early days came from extensive beds found at the mouths of the tidal rivers (point out river mouths), in shallow creeks, at the edges of mudflats, and in the deeper channel areas (point out channels). Channel bottom habitat also provides refuge for fish and invertebrates retreating from the eelgrass meadows, mud flats and tidal marshes at low tide. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Channel Bottom and subtidal (shallow but permanently inundated) habitat varies from soft mud, to hard sand, to gravelly cobble and rock. 24 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) Photograph showing model of early open, barge-like gundalow The early settlers not only derived their livelihood from the Estuary and its tidal rivers; they also depended on them for transportation. Around the early to mid 1600's, a simple square-ended flat bottomed vessel without a sail made its appearance. Known as "gundalows" these humble barge-like vessels had a major and lasting impact on the economic development of the region. Without the Piscataqua gundalow, the development and growth of the towns on the shores of the Estuary would have been severely hampered. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This "commonplace" vessel affected the entire spectrum of economic, military and cultural history of the Great Bay Estuary. The gundalow survived and dominated the region for 200 years. 25 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ......... .. .............. ......... . . ........X .... ............. Model of a "mature" gundalow with a lateen By the late 1800's, the gundalow had evolved to become more streamlined and had a triangular sail known as a lateen. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The gundalow evolved from a simple 20-30 foot long barge-like craft with no attached rudder, deck or transom and was rarely rigged for sail. Over time, it acquired a fixed rudder and tiller, platforms or decks at either end and a cabin ("cuddy") for living quarters. By the early 1800's, they were rigged with a single square sail. In her Country By-ways (1881), Sarah Orne Jewtt, a lifelong resident of the gundalow port of South Berwick, Maine, observed: " When you catch sight of a tall lateen sail, and a strange clumsy craft that looks heavy and low in the water, you will like to know that its ancestor was copied from a Nile boat, from which a sensible old sea-captain took a lesson in shipbuilding many years ago. 26 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .......... ......... ........ .... ...... .. . ......... uIr L - --- ------ Pen and ink rendition by John Hatch showing gundalows off Adam's Point (the old Adams house is in the background) These bulky flat bottomed craft could traverse almost any shallow tributary, and were surprisingly easy to maneuver in the swift currents of the Piscataqua. They provided an extremely cheap and effective means of transportation. Under favorable conditions of wind and tide, the gundalow could complete the 25 mile trip between Portsmouth and Exeter in a little over 2 hours - at around 11 mph, that was quite an achievement of speed! ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The key to the gundalow's success was its utility. It could go where ships could not, and could pass easily under low bridges (the sail could be quickly and easily lowered). Despite their bulky appearance, they were easy to maneuver in the swift currents of the Piscataqua, and provided an extremely cheap and effective means of transportation. When fully loaded, it drew no more than two feet of water. 27 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared undera grant from the NH Coastal Program) .. ........... . ........ ... .......... ......... ......... W.. G I ............. ............ .. ............. ... . ............. I ........ '-.w !M ............. ............. Historic photograph of overhanging storehouse (for unloading gundalows) on the Oyster River That there were few riverside wharves did not matter, the gundalow was able come right up to the bank. Riverside storehouses were built with an overhanging upper storey (such as the one in this slide). The gundalow could pull up to the bank, and goods were hauled directly into the storehouse. 28 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ........... .............. ........... .................................. . . ... ....... . . ....... .......... . ......... 1XIX..........% ........... Gundalow loaded with cordwood The variety of cargoes carried by the gundalows during their 200 year history demonstrate the evolution of an increasingly sophisticated economy in the Great Bay Estuary. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The gundalow was the dominant cargo bearer of the Piscataqua River, moving supplies throughout the river basin of NH and ME. 29 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) . .. ...... .............. ..... ........ .... Slide of gundalow transporting salthay Salt hay, used for horse and cattle fodder was a popular part of New England agriculture before the end of the 19th century. Each fall, farmers brought their horses on the gundalows to the high marshes to harvest the wild salt grass at neap tide. The gundalow then transported the hay downriver on the rising tide. 30 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ......... .... ....... .. ... .. .. . ....... . Photograph of salthay stacked on staddles For local use, the cut hay was raked into beehive shaped stacks, and loaded onto staddles, a circle of wooden posts in the marsh that served to keep the hay high and dry. The farmers then returned with their horses in the winter when the marsh surface was frozen and easy to cross to move the hay to barn storage. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Salt haying was one of the few successful farming practices. Farming the land around the Estuary on a large scale was difficult because the former ice sheet had left the land surface with only thin and rocky soils. Much of the fertile organic topsoil had been scraped off by glacial ice, leaving a rough land surface with many bare and exposed bedrock outcrops, scattered boulders, stones and sand. Dairy farming was amongst the more successful farming endeavors. 31 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) Marsh ditching To make the marshes more firm and accessible for haying, drainage ditches were dug and dikes built. Later, ditching was used in an attempt to control saltmarsh mosquitoes. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The objective of ditching for mosquito control was to drain the marshes of much of their water in belief that this would discourage the breeding of the saltmarsh mosquitoes. However, the ditches were never really successful in decimating the mosquito population. While the effects of ditching on marsh ecology are not well understood (more research is needed) we do know that they affect the physical character of the marsh through altering the hydrology. 33 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - JTS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) . ...... .... .. ..... .. . .... ............. ...... ...... Salmon A profitable fishing industry thrived in the Estuary through the first half of the 18th century. Salmon were particularly abundant in the Salmons Falls and Cocheco Rivers. In 1717, a Portsmouth merchant reported recovering 1,000 tons of salmon in a single season. The gundalows transported cured fish harvested from the Estuarine waters downstream for trade with other American cities and for export to Canada, Spain, Portugal and the West Indies. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The salmon which once crowded the mouths of the Salmon Falls, Exeter and Lamprey Rivers are long gone, and only a vestige of the shad, herring and other fishes used by the early settlers remain. The construction of dams in the early 19th century was a factor leading to the disappearance of many fish. Salmon tend to return to the same river for spawning year after year, and apparently make little effort to find substitute spawning grounds. If the spawning grounds are cut off by dams, the entire population of that river ceases to exist (Jackson, 1944). 0 33 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 @prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) M.. .. .. . XXX X, :x- .............. . .................. . Historic photo of lumberyard in Dover, NH, about 1885 Lumber (mainly white pine and oak) was another important natural resource harvested from the shores of the Estuary. A number of water powered sawmills sprang up along the tidal rivers. The tremendous quanties of sawdust produced by the sawmills presented an early Estuarine pollution problem. Historical reports cite a thick layer of sawdust coating the mudflats at low tide. Sawdust destroyed finfish spawning beds and young fry, and reportedly had a dramatic impact on the salmon population. Evidence of sawdust is still present in soil cores taken from the Great Bay Estuary. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Sawmills were located on the waterways since they were run with water power, and the location facilitated easy export. Along with lumber, shipbuilding became a thriving business. The gundalows plied the tidal rivers with lumber for shipbuilding operations and cordwood for shipbuilding at the Portsmouth Naval shipyard. By the mid 1700's sawmills and shipyards covered the banks of the Piscataqua River and all of the tidal rivers flowing into the Estuary. Lumber and shipbuilding operations continued throughout the 200 years leading up to the Industrial Revolution. 35 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ... .. ....... ..... .. ... *:'"'-'::@-."':::: IN. Shattuck shipyard in Newington, 1919 Along with lumber, shipbuilding became a thriving business. A critical link in these operations, the gundalows plied the tidal rivers with lumber and cordwood for shipbuilding. Lumber and shipbuilding continued throughout the 200 years leading up to the Industrial Revolution. With the advent of steam powered vessels built of steel, the shipbuilding business declined. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Shipbuilding was another major activity during the 1700s and early 1800s. Shipbuilding at the Dover boatyards produced as many as six vessels a year during the 1800s. The shipbuilding industry and the ship and packet lines needed the support of the gundalows to support their many activities. The shipbuilding industry spawned profitable businesses for carpenters, shipwrights and sailmakers, stimulating the coastal economy. By the late 1800s, steam powered vessels built of steel replaced wooden sailing vessels. Portsmouth shipyards were unable to compete with the cheaper materials, and the shipbuilding industry declined. 35 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ..... .... . ... ......... .. . ......... 36, .... .. ..... ...... ....... .- ..... .... .. ....... ... ....... . . ............. . ......... . ......... .......... .... .......... .. . ........ ............ ..... ..... .......... ...... . . . ..... ............ ....... . . .... ......... ................ . .. ..... ..... ............... . . .. ... .. ..... I I. . .... ........... ....... . . ...........x .......... .......... ........ .......I.... ..... ......... ... ........ .......... Photograph of Fort Constitution The gundalow played a little known but important role during the colonial wars and the Revolution. During the American Revolution, the gundalows carried raiders to Fort Constitution and then transported the powder back to the towns along the shoreline. As part of his successful strategy to defend Portsmouth, General John Sullivan made a pontoon bridge between Pierce's island and the mainland consisting of gundalows moored head to stern. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The pontoon bridge was one of the first of its kind in American military history. 36 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ax ......... .. ...... .... Historic slide of brickyard During the formation of the Great Bay Estuary, blue marine clay was deposited along the Estuarine shores immediately following ice retreat and inundation by the ocean. This clay was particularly suitable for brickmaking, spawning another major industry. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: At its peak in the late 1800's there were at least 43 brickyards, with greatest concentration at Dover Point 37 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ............. .. .X:'X .'k--- N ............. sp. . ............. Historic photo of gundalow transporting bricks With the advent of the Industrial Revolution, bricks and granite stone for building factories in the region were profitable gundalow cargoes. 38 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .. ......... .......... .. ........ . . ...... . .. . low: ................. Photograph of mills at Newmarket These bricks were used locally in the construction of mills (point out Newmarket mills on slide), factories and breweries, and also found a market throughout New England. However the supply of clay was limited, and eventually the waterside clay banks were eQustedl, closing down the brickyards and forever altering the contours of the Estuarine shoreline. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: During the Industrial Revolution, the red brick mill became a ubiquitous feature of the coastal landscape Many homes on Beacon Hill in Boston were built of the superior Dover Pt brick. 39 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ................ . ............................... .............. . . . ........ .. .. ............... 66 ......... . . ..... . .. . . ............ ....... .. . .......... ........ ."..' ............ ....... .. . Slide of gundalow carrying cordwood The gundalows transported cordwood throughout their 200 year history. Large quantities of cordwood were used for lumber and shipbuilding operations. The brickyard kilns burned huge amounts of cordwood each year, representing many gundalow loads. 40 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) . . ......... .... ............... I.,.,.:::-: 1 11 1. -.X-::.: . .. . ........... ....... ......... A62 . . ............ . :0. V . . . ... ... ...... X. .... .. ... . ..... IX .............. . ..... . ......... .. .... . Photograph of workers at the #6 cotton mill, Newmarket Manufacturing Co., around 1905 The cotton industry took hold in the early 1800s. The major gundalow ports of Newmarket, Durham, Dover and Portsmouth contained some of the largest mills of their kind in the world. Gundalows brought up raw cotton, textile machinery, cordwood and coal for the factories, and transported the finished cloth downstream to the packets. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Cocheco Manufacturing Company, which dominated Dover's economy for over 100 years was one of the largest companies of its kind in the region. 41 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL MSTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAI@TSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) Aerial view of Portsmouth Following the American Revolution, Portsmouth was involved in a lucrative export trade with the West Indies. Pine lumber, dried fish and beef, were exported while molasses, rum, sugar and cocoa were imported. The gundalow was an important part of this maritime economy, moving goods to and from the schooners and other ships in Portsmouth Harbor. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: I Portsmouth's natural deep water, ice free, harbor is located four miles inland fromt he Atlantic ocean on the Piscataqua River, and is navigable to all types of boats and ships. This made the area a natural early shipping and business center in the, region. 42 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .... .. ... ... . ......... ........ Historic photo of Boston and Maine railroad cars The gundalovVs dying years were marked by the chartering of the Boston and Maine railroad in NH in 1835. The railroad not only took the gundalovVs cargoes and routes, but also operated year-round (gundalows could not operate during the V'/inter months when much of the Estuary and tidal rivers were icebound). ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: By 1843, all five gundalow ports were served by railroad lines. During the last half of the 19th century, railroads, bridges, and steam-powered tugs increasingly pre-empted the gundalow. With the declining markets in salthay, cordwood and bricks, the gundalow soon found itself without a cargo. By the end of the 19th century, the gundalow had been replaced by railroads, bridges and steam powered tugs. 43 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .... . ...... ....... ...... Old railroad bridge alongside the Gen. John Sullivan Bridge at Dover Point The construction of the railroad bridge spanning the Piscataqua at Dover Point, linking Portsmouth with Dover in the 1870's sealed the fate of the gundalow. By the turn of the century, the gundalow had disappeared from the Piscataqua ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The completion of the bridge not only reduced gundalow business, but posed a navigational hazard. This bridge was replaced by the General John Sullivan bridge in 1934. 44 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ............. .7" Aerial view of Little Bay With the Industrial Revolution came a change in lifestyle, and the economy of the region began to turn from dependence on the natural resources of the Estuary and the land to manufacturing and industry. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: By the 19th century, the rich self sufficient farming and fishing community of the early. days could no longer feed itself and had to import large quantities of flour, butter, corn and cheese. The gundalows transported these products as well. 45 ;7 7' THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ................. .. ... . .. ......... . #Wow Photograph of oystering off Adams Point Today, the economy of the region is based on commerce and industry, and communities are no longer dependent on the Estuary for economic survival. The dominant use of Estuarine waters today is recreational. Shelifishing, in particular oystering are popular recreational activities ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Throughout its history, the Great Bay Estuary has experienced heavy use from recreational as well as commercial activity. 46 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCMTY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ........... . .. ...... .... ....... . . ... ..... . ........... . .. .- ... . .... ... .. Shellfishing closed sign As the lifestyle of the communities around the Estuary has changed, so too has the ecology of the Estuarine waters. Though not heavily contaminated, the Estuary exhibits warning signs of its fragility. The shellfish resources of the Estuary are no longer as abundant as they were in the early days of settlement when they were fed to hogs. While there are still large populations of shellfish, many of the beds in the Estuary have been closed mainly because of contamination from sewage treatment plants and septic systems that drain directly into the water. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: As of December, 1994, approximately 60% of the oyster beds and 80% of the clam flats are closed to shellfish harvesting. Most of the clam flats that are closed to harvesting are located in the tidal rivers flowing into the Estuary. A greater percentage of oyster beds are open since many of the oyster beds occur in the open areas of Great Bay. 48 HE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ... . ........ ..... . ....... ....... . .......... 0. ....... ... Photograph of diseased eelgrass plant showing the progression of disease The eelgrass communities, so important to the health of the Estuary, are threatened by disease and pollution. Pollutants in the Estuary, such as excess suspended sediments and nutrients shade or smother the plants, weakening their growth. In the early 1930s, a "wasting disease" killed over 90% of the North Atlantic eelgrass population. The disease is caused by a marine slime mould - pinhead size dots appear on the leaves, spreading to form large black stripes and patches, and finally the whole leaf blackens and dies (point out different stages on the slide). Today the disease is again threatening eelgrass populations. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The loss of eelgrass results in greater sedimentation, increased suspended sediments (and consequently decreased water clarity), and the loss of critical habitat for scallops, clams, crabs and many fish species. Although the eelgrass had recovered from the disease by the 1960s, in some locations it never grew back. Besides the wasting disease, pollution resulting in decreased water clarity reduces the amount of light reaching the eelgrass, reducing eelgrass growth. Suspended sediments shade or smother eelgrass plants, while nutrient loading shades the plants by promoting algal growth. These pollutants also result in the loss of benthic diatom production, both of which impact the Estuarine food chain. The dramatic reduction in the Brent Goose population in recent years was associated with the eelgrass wasting disease. 49 THE GREAT DAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ...........I................. ................................ . . . .................... .................. ............ .... . . ........ .. ........ ....... ....................... . ............. . ...... ..... .........@ . ..... ... .. @. .:. . . I . -.1 .. ................... .... ....................... ONA TI: 'k T -k@ 14E. .............. ...- ... ...... .. ...... Boats moored at Great Bay Marine Pleasure boating has become an increasingly popular pastime, spawning a number of marinas on the shores of the Estuary and the tidal rivers ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Pleasure boating, fishing, lobstering 49 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ...... ..... "M .. . eQ1`::' Photograph of Little Bay Lobster Company sign There is still some limited commercial fishing in the Estuary, such as lobstering. Most traps are set in Little Bay and the Piscataqua, although there is some commercial lobstering in the main channel of Great Bay. 50 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) Photograph of tank farm on the Piscataqua River The New Hampshire side of the Piscataqua and Portsmouth Harbor are the focus of commercial and industrial activities on the Estuarine shore. "Tank farms" for the storage of oil products that are shipped all over New England are located along the Piscataqua River. 51 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HANIPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) Portsmouth Harbor from the Piscataqua River The port of Portsmouth, once an important export center, is now a center for shipping activities such as fuel oils, undersea cable, cement, scrap metal, salt, and fishing activities. 53 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .. .. .. . .. . . ........ .......... . ..... . ..... .... . . .................... ...... ..... ..... . . . . ................... ......... . ...... ........... ... ....... ... ............. ................... Photograph of Great Bay residential development Most commercial and industrial activities in the Estuary are concentrated in the Piscataqua River. Commercial uses of Great and Little Bays are relatively few. Activity is least in Great Bay although there is continuing residential development. 53 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HANTSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ..U ......... . ........X. . ... %X.: ... .. .. Map of GBNERR The Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (under the auspices of NH Fish and Game) has oversight responsibility for the management of Great Bay. Through the Reserve, 850 acres of upland and tidal marsh around Great Bay have been protected. 54 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ........ . . ..... ..... ... .. . . . . .. . . ......... ................... . .......... . .......................... . . ....................... . .... .. ...... . .- I ......... I ........... . ... . .. ....................... . . ... .. . ........... ...... .... . ............... . . .... ...... . .............. Marsh at Chapmans Lainding Two of the largest areas of land protected around Great Bay are the tidal marshes on the Squamscoft River (this slide shows a portion of the protected marsh at Chapmans Landing - point out the marsh behind the parking lot and the Squamscott River alongside). 55 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .......... ...... ......... ............... . N. . . .. ... Infrared aerial photo of Pease showing weapons storage area and wildlife refuge. Adams Pt. is opposite Pease ...... and the wildlife refuge (which is over 1,000 acres) at the former Pease Air Force Base in Newington. (in this slide, the wildlife refuge is the forested area shown along the Estuarine shoreline and extending back to the weapons storage area) 56 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 @prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .................... ................... ................... ......... ......................... .. .... ....... ... ......... ...... ......... ........ .......... . .......... ........ .............. ........ U .. ......... . . ........ ......... Infrared photo of Exeter sewage treatment works on the Squamscott River There has been a long history of pollution of the Estuarine waterways by human activities. Except for the Bellamy River, all the major rivers flowing in the Estuary carry treated sewage effluent, contributing bacteria and excess nutrients to the Estuarine waters. This slide shows the Exeter sewage treatment works on the shore of the Squamscoft River ...... 57 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) .......................- ....................... .............. ... ..... ........... . .............................. ... .................... ............ ........................ Exeter sewage outflow entering the Squarnscott River ..... the treated sewage effluent later enters the Squarnscott River near its mouth with Great Bay. The dense stand of phragmites at the outflow is indicative of the heavy dilution of the tidal river water vAth freshwater. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Phragmites (common reed) is an invasive (i.e. non-native) plant that is commonly found in tidal areas (especially marshes) where the salt-freshwater balance has been disturbed. Phragmites can invade and eventually dominate disturbed tidal marshes, causing the loss of natural plant and animal diversity. 58 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ....... ...... . . . ........ Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Industry has long relied heavily on flowing water to carry away unwanted substances. Historically chemicals from the tanneries and mills located on all the major rivers were discharged into the Estuary. More recently industrial contaminants have been discharged from activities associated with the former Pease Air Force Base, the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and other industrial activities in the region. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Historically, the discharge of waste into the Estuary from industries was heavier than it is today, and the Estuary is actually cleaner (relatively speaking) now than it was then. However, since times of early settlement in the Estuary, there have been repeated inputs of contaminants, such as sawdust, fishwaste, untreated sewage and mill and tannery chemicals. 59 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAM[PSBIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ......... woo Golf course fronting onto Great Bay Other sources of Estuarine pollution include fertilizers from lawns and golf courses and agricultural fertilizers and manure. 60 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) . ..... ..... ..... .............. SEM: ... .. ..... Infrared aerial showing development near the Estuary shores (slide shows Durham and the Oyster River) Because of the dynamic nature of the Estuary, pollution at any point in the watershed (which extends some distance inland) as well as throughout the Estuary itself will ultimately impact the entire system. 61 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ...................... ............. . . - - @. . . . ....... ... ....... ............ ................ ........................... ...... ........ ..... . ........... ..................... z%X4 .... ................... ... ................. .. . .. .. .... .. WWI! Historic slide of Little Bay While some regard the Estuary as pristine, there have in fact been some significant impacts to this fragile ecosystem during the history of European settlement and in recent years (witness the loss of finfish and shellfish over the last 300 years).. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Note that all other things considered, the Great Bay Estuary is one of the least altered estuaries on the Atlantic coast, and in this context may be considered relatively pristine". 62 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH Coastal Program) ........ .. ....... ......... ........ . I .... .. . ........... Scenic view of Great at Bay at Adams Point We are short sighted in our use of our Estuarine land and water resources. Citizens need to understand the compleAty and importance of the Estuarine system so they can make intelligent decisions about its future use and protection. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: At this point in the presentation, it is recommended that the presentation be opened up to dicussion, using Fact Sheet 3 as a guideline. 63 THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY - ITS CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, 1994 (prepared under a grant from the NH CoasW Prograin) ...................... . .... .... ............. W-0. ...... .... .. ... ... ........... .......... .......... AUDUBON LOGO Prepared by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire, December 1994 64 This program was produced by the AUDUBON SOCIETY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE and funded in part by a grant from Office of State Planning, NEW HAMPSHIRE COASTAL PROGRAM as authorized by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Award Number NA470ZO237. OFFICE OF STATE PLANNING NH Coastal Program BIBILIOGRAPHY OF MATERIALS USED TO COMPILE THE PROGRAM: THE GREAT BAY ESTUARY CULTURAL AND NATURAL HISTORY Adams, J.P., 1976. Drowned Valley - The Piscataqua River Basin. University Press of New England, Hanover, New Hampshire. Amos, W.H,, 1980. Exploring the Fertile Complex Realm Where the River Meets the Sea. Defenders Educational Supplement No. 55-4-a. Defenders of Wildlife Inc., Washington DC. Jackson, C.F., 1944. A Biological Survey of Great Bay, New Hampshire, Marine Fisheries Commission. Meeker, B.S., 199 1. The Great Bay Living Lab. A Resource manual for Teachers and Students. Sea Grant Extension, UNH. NH Office of State Planning. 1989. Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve Management Plan. US Department of Commerce, NOAA. 188pp. (Can make a photocopy at Durham Copies) Nixon, S., 1982. The Ecology of New England High Salt Marshes: A community profile. FWS/OBS-81/55. US Fish and Wildlife Service. Penhale, W.D., 1993. Ten Year History of the Great Bay Trust. Part I - The Beginnings. The Great Bay Trust Newsletter, Great Bay Estuarine System Conservation Trust, Durham, New Hampshire. Penhale, W.D., 1993. Ten Year History of the Great Bay Trust. Part 1: The Beginnings. The Great Bay Trust Newsletter (Winter 1993), Great Bay Estuarine System Conservation Trust, Durham, New Hampshire. Penhale, W.D., 1993. Ten Year History of the Great Bay Trust. Part II: Growing Pains - 1985-1986. The Great Bay Trust Newsletter (Spring, 1993), Great Bay Estuarine System Conservation Trust, Durham, New Hampshire. Penhale,W.D., 1993. Ten Year Histor,/ of the Great Bay Trust. Part I.Il-,198771988. The Great Bay Trust Newsletter (Summer, 1993), Great Bay Estuarine System Conservation Trust, Durham, New Hampshire. Penhale, W.D., 1993. Ten Year History of the Great Bay Trust. Part IV: 1989-1993 The Great Bay Trust Newsletter (Fall, 1993), Great Bay Estuarine System Conservation Trust, Durham, New Hampshire. Ruffing, J.R. 199 1. The Estuary Book. Maine Coastal Cffice, Maine State Planning Office, Augusta, Maine. (State House Station 38, ME 04333 or avail. from Seagrant office) Scudder Gallery. 1970. The Great Bay. A Visual History. Scudder Gallery, Paul Creative Arts Center, University of NH, Durham. (copy at Seagrant office; local libraries) Short, F.T., 1992. (ed.): The Ecology of the Great Bay Estuary, New Hampshire and Maine: An Estuarine Profile and Bibliography. NOAA - Coastal Ocean Program Publ. 222 pp. Thayer, G.W. and M.S. Fonseca. 1984. The Ecology of eelgrass meadows of the Atlantic Coast: A community profile. FWS/OBS-84/02. US Fish and Wildlife Service. Teal, J. and Teal, M., 1969: The Life and Death of the Saltmarsh. Ballantine Books, New York Whitehouse, R.A. and C.C. Beaudoin, 1988. Port of Dover - Two Centuries of Shipping on the Cocheco. Portsmouth Marine Society, Publication 1 1. Portsmouth, NH. Whitlatch, R.B., 1982. The Ecology of New England Tidal Flats: A community profile. FWS/OBS-8 1 /0 1. US Fish and Wildlife Service. Winslow, R.E. Ill. 1983. The Piscataqua Gundalow. Workhorse for A Tidal Basin Empire. Portsmouth Marine Society, Publication 3. Portsmouth, NH. The Great Bay Estuary NATURAL HISTORY FACT SHEET I Audubon Society of New Elampshire 3 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 03301 Tel: 603/224-9909. Fax: 603/226-0902 TIIE GREAT BAY ESTUARY BIRTH OF AN ESTUARY The Great Bay Estuary* transforms New The Great Bay Estuary had its beginnings Hampshire's modest 18 mile coastal shoreline into 150 approximately 14,5W years ago following the melting miles of tidal shoreline, rich in salt and freshwater ofthe last glaciers. The tremendous quantity of water diversity. This is where freshwater from many of released by the melting glaciers contributed to rising New Hampshire's inland lakes and rivers mingle with ocean waters which flooded the land, "drowning" the seawater pushed up the Piscataqua. River on a eight ancient river valleys that make up the Estuary that we foot fide. The Great Bay Estuary has its origin at the see today. As the glaciers melted, the release of their mouth of the Piscataqua River, the gateway to the tremendous weight from the land surface caused the ocean. Moving upstream, the Estuarine system depressed land to slowly rebound to existing levels - a angles sharply into Broad Cove and Little Bay, and process that has taken many thousands of years. The then squeezes through the bottleneck known as the Great Bay Estuary has had a complicated sea level Furber Strait at Adams Point into Great Bay proper. history since the melting of the glaciers, being flooded Included in the Estuarine system are the tidal rivers. by the rising sea, then partially exposed, and later Likened to "spindling fingers" on an ancient hand, the flooded by high sea levels once more. The shoreline of Squamscott, Lamprey, Oyster, Bellamy Cocheco and the Estuary probably arrived close to its present day Salmons Falls Rivers (the latter two join for become position a few thousand years ago when the rate of sea the Piscataqua River) empty their load of freshwater level rise slowed down. Since then, slowly rising sea into the Estuary. A smaller contributor is the levels (estimated at 1/16 inch/year) have continued to Winnicut River. The Great Bay Estuary is one of the modify the Estuarine shoreline. It is estimated that largest estuaries on the Atlantic Coast. the Great Bay Estuary has existed as an estuary for Tidal flow dominates the Great Bay Estuarine the last 8,000 years, which is comparatively young in system with freshwater inflows from the tidal rivers terms of geological time (which spans millions of averaging only 2% of the volume of water, although years). this does vary seasonally, increasing during wetter Ice has continued to play an important role in periods such as spring snowmelt. The tide lags shaping the characteristics of the shoreline. During significandy as one moves further up the Estuary e.g. winter, much of the shoreline and the intertidal zone in the Lower Squarnscott River at the far end of Great (areas that are alternately flooded and exposed by Bay, low tide is 2.5 hours later than low tide at tides) are iced over. During periods of ice movement, Portland. Similarly, the tidal range (the difference large amounts of shoreline sediments are dislodged between low tide and high tide) generally decreases as and transported to other parts of the Estuary. Chunks one moves up the Estuary. of saltmarsh vegetation and marsh peat and shallow eelgrass beds are torn loose by ice and "rafted" to other parts of the Estuary during periods of thaw. Many of these chunks can be seen stranded on the mudflats at low tide. The movement of these rooted Estuary "*h a c4pital "E" refers to the e-Wire Great Bay Estuarine syslent chunks of vegetation can facilitate the spread of saltmarsh vegetation and eelgrass beds. HABITATS AND, ENHABITANTS, OF TIEIE and crabs) use eelgrass meadows as important ESTUARY breeding and nursery grounds; and predatory fish, The Great Bay Estuary includes five major water- such as striped bass, are attracted to celgrass beds dorninated habitats: eelgrass, mudflats, saltmarsh, for feeding. Many waterfowl and wading birds feed channel bottom, and rocky intertidal (in order of in the eelgrass meadows. Ducks and geese consume abundance). These rich and diverse Estuarine eelgrass leaves and seeds while wading birds and habitats are home to a variety of species, including diving ducks feed on the fish and other food sources. 52 species of fish and 110 bird species. Several In addition to providing valuable habitat for a endangered and threatened bird species, such as variety of species, eelgrass communities play an bald eagles and ospreys also use the Estuary are important role in maintaining estuarine water various times of the year. Invertebrate populations quality and clarity. In this low energy environrnent include Eastern Oysters, lobsters, crabs and soft the eelgrass plants filter the estuarine waters, shell dams. Harbor seals may be observed in winter allowing sediments to settle out, and using excess and spring especially near the mouth of the Oyster nutrients for their growth (although too many River and in the channel at Furber Strait. nutrients can be harmfid to eelgrass communities). Eelgrass communities also play a role in stabilizing bottom sediments (rooted vegetation binds the sediments), which affects both water clarity and water quality. The health of eelgrass is important to the overall health of the estuarine ecosystem. However, eelgrass communities are threatened by two factors: estuarine pollution and a wasting disease. Algal growth caused by nutrient loading (eg. from sewage outflows) reduces the amount of light reaching the plants, and an excess of suspended sediments can shade or smother eelgrass plants. Both of these conditions adversely affect eelgrass growth. The second factor affecting the health of eelgrass communities is a wasting disease, caused by a marine slime mold. This disease devastated much of the North Atlantic eelgrass population in the 1930's, and is toda again threatening eelgrass communities. y -Aiii Much still needs to be learned about the spread of I01- this disease. Eelgrass Mudflats Edgrass (Zostera Marina) is a submerged marine Large mud (tidal) flats dominate the shallower flowering plant growing in shallow waters and portions of Great and Little Bays. At low tide, rooted in the estuarine sediments. Eelgrass approximately 50% of Great Bay is exposed as communities occur as large "meadows" or in mudflat These unvegetated mudilats are the second smaller beds, and are the most extensive habitat in most extensive habitat in the Estuary. Estuarine the Estuarine system. This habitat forms an mudflats are exposed at low tide and covered by important base of the Estuarine food chain, with a shallow water at high tide. They are extremely number of invertebrates feeding on decomposing important areas of benthic invertebrate eelgrass leaves. These invertebrates in turn provide (invertebrates that occur on the bottom of a body of food for larger fife forms such as fish and cribs, water) production, and as such are a significant which in turn are predated on. Eelgrass habitat is a contributor to primary productivity in the Estuary. rich microcosm of estuarine life. Small animals are Mudsuails, numbering tens of thousands, feed on anchored to the blades; larval organisms are the highly productive benthic layer. Wading birds suspended in the water; many species of finfish and feed on dams and worms at low tide, while fish and shellfish (eg. silversides, sticklebacks, smelt, scallops crabs prey on mudflat invertebrates at high fide. Horseshoe crabs, survivors of ancient history pre- found throughout this habitat. Oyster beds are also dating the dinosaurs to 200 million years ago, also found at the mouths of tidal rivers, in shallow creeks feed extensively in mudflats at high tide. Despite its and at the edges of mudflats. Oysters are among the name, the horseshoe crab is not in fact a crab - its few highly specialized creatures that only inhabit nearest relative is the spider! estuaries. Saltmarshes Rocky Intertidal habitat Large areas of saltmarsh are found throughout This rocky habitat, so common along the Atlantic the Estuary, being most abundant along the coast, only sporadically punctuates the estuarine Squamscott River. These saltmarshes are shoreline. These rocky areas are donrinated by enormously productive, producing large quantities seaweeds, which add fragmented tissue to the of organic material (which enters the detrital cycle) estuarine detrital cycle. These intertidal areas (i.e. and providing habitat for a variety of species. There exposed at low tide) are important areas for are two types of marsh habitat: high marsh and low crustaceans, such as green crabs, and provide marsh. Low marsh is dominated by saltwater feeding grounds for some birds at low tide. cordgrass (Sparfina afterniflora) and is flooded twice Predatory fish feed here at high tide. daily by the tides. High marsh is the typical New England saltmarsh, and is flooded irregularly, being beyond the reach of daily tides. The high marsh is dominated by salt bay grass (Spartina patens) that lies flat and grows in characteristic "cow licked" mats. The extensive networks of tidal creeks that meander through the saltmarshes are an important fink in estuarine ecology. These waterways transport large quantities of organic detritus (particles that result from the decomposition of organic material) into the Estuary. They also provide valuable habitat for juvenile fish and a number of insect species (including the ubiquitous saltmarsh mosquito!@ Abundant populations of mummichogs found in the tidal creeks are an important link in the saltmarsh food chain. These small fish, which have no commercial or recreational value, provide a major food source for wading birds. A variety of birds such as glossy ibis, herons, snowy egrets, and yellowlegs, use saltmarshes during some portion of their life cycle. Terrestrial species, eg. deer, raccoons, and mink are also attracted to the saltmarsh for foraging. Channel Bottom habitat The channels in the Estuary are relics of ancient Thepub1cadon "IheE-kvofJh_- Gree-t Bay Eauary, N-Hampshrre wtdMaine: An F-W=iwprofd_e and BibfiWaphyff by F@-ed Short (e&), river beds that were originally cut by streams 1992 vas a primary source of information for this fact sheet. draining massive quantities of water from the melting glaciers. These old river channels now lie This Paper isfunded by,@ grantfrom the Aational Oceanic along the bottom of the Grieat Bay Estuary. This and Atmospheric Admidistration throzigh the habitat varies from soft niud to san'd to gravelly, N.H. CoastalProgram. the views expressed herein are cobble and rock areas. The deeper channel areas those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect provide refuge for fish and invertebrates retreating . the views ofNOAA or any of its sub-agencies. from the eelgrass meadows, mudflats, and 0 ASNH 1994 - Not to be reproduced in any way without the saltmarshes at low tide. Extensive oyster beds are written permission of the Wildlife and Wetlands Dept The Great Bay Estuary CULTURAL HISTORY Wetlands4QaDt%, Project FACT SHEET 2 Audubon Society of New Hampshire 3 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 033 1 Tel: 603/224-9909. Fax: 603/226-0902 THE FIRST HUMAN INHABITANTS THE ARRIVAL OF T11[E GUNDALOW The earliest known human inhabitants to reap the The early settlers depended on the tidal rivers and benefits of Great Bay Estuary* and its shores were the estuarine waters for their livelihood and Native American Tribes. These fishermen and transportation. Around the early to mid 16Ws, a hunter-gatherers lived on a rich harvest of the simple square-ended, flat bottomed vessel without a abundant shellfish, finfish and waterfowl that sail made its appearance. Known as "gundalows" inhabited the Estuary. They were content to five with these humble barge-like vessels had a major and nature, and took only what was necessary for survival. lasting impact on the economic development of the Evidence of ancient shellfish harvests still exists today region. This vessel, which was as commonplace then in the form of oyster and dam shell heaps (called as trucks are today and seldom got a mention in middens) along thie Estuarine shore and in some history books, had a dramatic impact. on the marshes. economic, military and cultural history of the Great Over several thousand years, these first settlers had Bay Estuary, and indeed New Hampshire itself, little impact on the Estuarine environment. There Without the gundalow, the development and growth were not many 1ndians, and the natural resources of the towns around the Estuary would have been were many and varied. True, they did have some severely hampered. impact on the environment through clearing small The early gundalow was a simple 20-30 foot long, areas of land for crops, such as corn, squash and open barge-like craft, rarely rigged for sail, using beans, using slash and burn practices. However, poles for propulsion. 1n a video taped interview with careful use of crop rotation practices which allowed NHF&G in 1991, Phil Johnson, a former Great Bay the fields to lie fallow in some years, and fertilization waterman and fisherman recalled that the early with fish and seaweed meant that it was possible to gundalow "...had a running board on the side so that harvest the same fields for generations without they could pole and run along the boards. They would exhausting the land. There was little erosion from pole, run to the other end and pole, and so on. This these early cultivated lands. Primarily spring to fall was where the running boards of cars first got their residents, the Indians moved inland with the onset of names from". Over time, the gundalow acquired a winter. fixed rudder and tiller, platforms or decks at either Eshavy nith a capitat "E" refers to the adire Great Bay Estuarine system end, a cabin (known as a "cuddy") for living quarters and a simple square sail. By the late 1800's, the EUROPEAN SETTLEMENT gundalow was more streamlined in shape and had a "lateen" or triangular sail. These later models were With the arrival of European settlers in the early 60 feet or more in length. 1600's, human activities became a major force The gundalow was a very utilit .arian vessel, and this shaping and altering the Estuarine environment. The was the key to its success. -"Being flat bottomed, it eady setders found a region rich in natural resources: could travel up almost any shallow river tributary as the waters teamed with fish (so many that they were little as four feet deep,. a depth impass'able'to ships. psed as fertilizer); oysters were abundant and clams That there were few riverside wharves did not matter; so, plentiful that. they were fed to hogs; during the the gundalow could come right u' 'to the bank. p spring and-fall migrations the skies were darkened Riverside storehouses were built with an overhanging with wildfowl; and deer, bear 'and other wild game upper storey for this purpose. The gundalow would abounded in the adjacent upland forests. pull up to the bank beneath the upper storey, and of Boston , so hay was the fuel for transportation in goods were hauled directly into the storehouse. Boston. This is something in transportation that Despite their bulky and somewhat clumsy appearance, people lose sight of today." (Phil Johnson, 1991 the gundalows were surprisingly easy to maneuver in interview with NHY&G). the swift currents of the Piscataqua, and provided an A profitable fishing industry thrived in the Estuary extremely cheap and effective means of through the first half of the 18th century. Salmon transportation. They were dependent on the tides, were particularly abundant in the Salmons Falls and sailing upstream on the incoming tide and Cocheco Rivers. A report by C.F. Jackson in 1944 downstream on the outgoing tide. Under favorable cites a ]Portsmouth merchant recovering 1,000 tons of conditions of wind and tide, the gundalow could pick salmon in a single season in 1717. Salted alewives up a fair speed, accomplishing the 25 mile trip from were sent to Boston, and exported to the West Indies. Portsmouth to Exeter in a little over two hours. The wealth of fish harvested from the Estuary also The variety of cargoes carried by the gundalows included "cod and haddock... bass, shad, mackerell, during their brief 200 year history demonstrate the herring, blew-fish, alewives, pollock, ffrost fish, perch, evolution of an increasingly sophisticated economy in Mounders, sturgeons, lumbs, ells, seales, salmon... the towns bordering the Great Bay Estuary. The and all sorts of shellfish such as lobsters, crabs, gundalows: played an important role in shaping the cockles, clams, mussels, oysters etc." (From A region we know today. Much of the history of the Biological Survey of Great Bay, NEI by C.F. Jackson, Great Bay Estuary since the arrival of the European 1944). The gundalows transported the cured fish settlers up until the end of the 19th century is from the Estuarine waters downstream to Portsmouth encapsulated in the typical gundalow cargoes of the for trade with other American coastal cities and for day. export to Canada, Spain, Portugal and the West Indies. AGRICULTURAL & FISHING PRODUCTS The earliest gundalow cargoes were agricultural LUMBER and fishing products, such as salt hay, fish, lumber, Lumber (mainly white pine and oak) was another salt and farm produce. Salt hay, used for horse and important natural resource harvested from the shores cattle fodder was a part of New England agriculture of the Estuary. The water powered sawmills were that had all but vanished by the turn of the end of the located on the waterways, which facilitated easy 19th century. Each fall, farmers brought their horses export. By 1700, there were an estimated 90 sawmills on the gundalows to the high marshes to harvest the along the Piscataqua River. The gundalows salt grass at neap tide. The gundalow then transported lumber from the riverside sawmills to transported the hay downriver on the rising tide. For local shipyards and to the waiting schooners and local use, the cut hay was raked into beehive shaped coastal ports for export and use elsewhere in the US. stacks, and loaded onto staddles, a circle of wooden posts (still visible in some marshes today) that served However, the profitable sawmills had a down side. to keep the hay high and dry. The farmers returned Sawdust from the sawmills presented an early in winter when the marsh surface was frozen to estuarine pollution problem. For each 1,000 feet of transport the hay overland to barn storage. Muchof lumber cut, approximately 40 bushels of sawdust were the hay was transported via schooners to Boston produced and disposed of in the Estuarine waters. where it provided fodder for the carthorses. It was Historical reports recall a thick layer of sawdust also used as mulch for crops (especially strawberries) coating the mudflats at low tide. Sawdust smothered because the salt hay would not grow or sprout in the and destroyed finfish spawning beds and young fry. upland, - and it was, even- shipped out'f6r packing In 1750, a visiting merchant remarked that salmon bananas being, imported:trom- '9ther lands. weren!t returning to the Piscataqua as much as in the Thi Gi6at- Bay @ Estuary *as, a significant bay past because of sawdust choking the waterways producing area iu-tli@'rejion@-- "They loaded an aw*ful (Jackson, 1944). Portable sawmills still existed along lot on the.Oyster River. The bay was the same as our the Estuarine tributaries as late as the 1950's. automobile" fuel Aoday. Everything depends on transportation which in turn depends on fuel. New SHIPBUIOLDING Hampshire salt hay provided the "fuel" for the horses Along with lumber, shipbuilding became a thriving and oxen pulling wagons along the cobblestone streets business. By the mid 1700's, numerous sawmills and shipyards dotted the banks of the Piscataqua River Hill in Boston were built of the high quality Dover and the other tidal rivers flowing into the Estuary. Point brick. The gundalows were instrumental in The gundalows plied the tidal rivers with lumber and transporting bricks from the brickyards to the cordwood for shipbuilding operations at the local building sites and to the schooners for transport to shipyards, including the Portsmouth Naval shipyard. Boston and other nearby centers. The brickyard kans burned around 20-30,000 cords of wood a year, which Shipbuilding at the Dover boatyards produced as represented many gundalow loads. However, since many as six vessels a year during the 1800's. The the clay was a limited resource, the Estuarine day shipbuilding industry and the ship and packet lines banks were eventually exhausted, dosing down the relied on the gundalows to support their many brickyards. Extraction of the blue day resulted in activities. Shipbuilding operations in turn spawned permanent modification to the Estuarine shoreline. profitable businesses for carpenters, shipwrights and sailmakers, further stimulating the coastal economy. COTTON MHAS Lumber and shipbuilding operations continued During the Industrial Revolution, the red brick mill throughout the 200 years leading up to the Industrial became a ubiquitous part of the Estuarine landscape. Revolution. By the late 18Ws, steam powered vessels The major gundalow ports of Newmarket, Durham, built of steel replaced wooden sailing vessels. The Dover and Portsmouth contained some of the largest shipyards were unable to compete with the cheaper mills of their kind in the world. The cotton industry building materials, and the shipbuiJding industry took hold in the early 18Ws, with five mills built in declined. Dover by 1827. Known as the Cocheco IN IMMI MIW,,@N "-'F, MF@J "itA, iP M @za�D WO N4 I'D - -IR 4gE,@ 4, 6 "n ilk NO Eiii, M 'M Rl@ M,@z - Mail, Q g MIN, p g ""Q WE,,Rg r,;N, 0 RAW, RA T, P11,1111M V 417 W 'iirl@q -'s M 5 q 34 'q - @i@l Ry" - A, INRN 'W"T Fl!@!"'6 M, f gg 011 W ,&@A, RI-in it `p qN," "te", -W, h BRICKYARDS The blue marine clay found along the Estuary Manufacturing Corppany,'-@ these cotton mills shores was found to be particularly suitable for dominated Dover's, economy-Jor over 100 years. brickmaking, spawning a major industry. At its peak Dover was an extremely prosperous town during the in the late 1800's there 'were at least 43 brickyards, cotton boom years. Gundal@w S@'@ brought up raw ..,with the greatest number at Dover Point. These cotton, textile machinery, cord*oo'd nj- coal to the za bricks were used locally in the construction of mills, factories, and transported the:,.', finished cloth factories and breweries, and also found a market downstream to the packets and ships. throughout New England. Many homes on Beacon A LUCRATIVE EXPORT BUSINESS lines served the five major gundalow ports. The Sooner or later, the gundalows docked Portsmouth, construction of the railroad bridge across the at the mouth of the Piscataqua. In the early years Piscataqua at Dover Point (now the General John Portsmouth's economy was based on fishing and Sullivan Bridge), further undermined gundalow pinemasting. Following the American Revolution, business, and posed a severe navigational hazard to Portsmouth became a thriving export center in the the gundalows. During the last half of the 19th region, being involved in lucrative export trade with century, railroads, bridges, and steam-powered tugs the West Indies. Exported cargoes included pine increasingly displaced the gundalow. As the markets lumber, dried fish and beef, while molasses, rum, in salthay, cordwood, bricks, and cotton declined, the sugar and cocoa were imported. The gundalow was gundalow became a vessel without a cargo. By the a critical fink in this maritime economy, transporting turn of the century, the gundalow, so critical to the products from the riverside operations to the waiting development of the economy of the region in the early ships, and bringing the imported products upstream days, had quietly disappeared from the Piscataqua to the Estuarine towns. Ironically, by the 19th region. After 1900, Capt. Edward IEL Adams' (of century, the self sufficient farming and fishing Adams Point and the last of the gundalow captains) community of the eariy days could no longer feed "Fanny M." was the only gundalow in itself and had to import large quantities of flour, operationhauling coal to Exeter and supplies butter, corn and cheese. The gundalows transported toNewmarket. these products as well. THE GUNDALOW AND THE AMERICAN A CHANGING ECONOMY REVOLUTION With the advent of the ]Industrial Revolution, the The gundalow played an important, but little known economy of the towns around the Great Bay Estuary role during the colonial wars and the American started moving from dependence on Estuarine Revolution. During the Revolution, gundalows were resources to manufacturing and industry. The end of used to carry raiders to Fort Constitution and then the gundalow era marked the final transition to a transported gun powder back to the towns along the consurner based economy. Today, local communities estuarine shoreline. In 1775, part of General are no longer dependent on the Estuary for economic Sullivan's plan to speed the defenses of Ports 'mouth survival and the dominant use of Estuarine waters was to use the gundalows to secure access between the today is recreational. In the 1930's, there was a move Portsmouth side of the Piscataqua River and Pierce's to dam Great Bay and make it into a recreational Island . ..... Sullivan explained "I immediately lake. This plan, which would have cut off tidal flow Collected a Number of Gondalows moored them head into Great Bay and devastated the ecology of the to stern and Laid pieces from one to the other & Plank Estuary, fortunately never came to fridtion. Popular across & Soon Compleated the Bridge". This pontoon recreational activities today include shellfishing, in bridge, connecting the island to the mainland, particular oystering, waterfowl hunting and sailing. constituted the first link between the two points of There is also still some limited commercial fishing in land ..... The British never breached Sullivan's the Estuary, such as lobstering in Little Bay and the elaborate defenses during the war, thanks in part to Piscataqua. the pontoon bridge, certainly one of the earliest in American Mlitary History". (Excerpt from The The publication "The Piscalaqua Gundalow. Workhorsefor a Tidal Basin Empire" By R AbWow, 1983, was a source of information for this fact Piscataqua Gundalow by R. Winslow). sheet, and is higidy recommended (and interesting) reading. THE END OF THE GUN.DALOW.-ERA The charten This paper isjunded by a grantfrom the National Oceanic ng,of the Boston and Maine railroad in and Atmospheric Administration through the New Hampshire, iri4ii@ Signalled 4he,beginning of the , @ @." I--- @@1,. N.H. Coastal Program. The views expressed herein are those end of theguindalow..era.; The railroad not only took ofthe author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the gundaldw--s- across a faster land based the vie" qfX0AA or any of its sub-ageneies. route, but a] 'so operated year-round. Gundalows could not operate during the winter months when 0 ASNH 1994 - Not to be reproduced in any way without the much of the Estuary was iced over. Byl.843,railroad written permission of the Wildlife and Wetlands Dept Copies of the Document Wetlands Evaluation and Policy Recommendations for the Town of Durham N.H.- are available from The Office of State Planning Coastal Program, The Town of Durham Conservation Commission and the Wildlife and Wetlands Department of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire. APPENDIX D Seamst Sciet" Cenwr X Release throughout the month of August. Awcomin Marsh Tour Weekend Dates- Sun, 8f7 Sat, 8/20 Sun, 8/28 Weekday Dates: Wed, 813 Fri, 8/12 Wed, 8117 Fri, 8/26 Wed, 8/31 Time: 12 Noon OR 3:00 pm Place: Meet at the SeaCoast Science Center Odiorne Point State Park in Rye Phone: (603) 436-8043 Fee: Free! Registration is required. Wetlands are wild and wonderful places. They perform a variety of ecological functions and are home to countless species. Come and explore the Awcomin Marsh with a naturalist Bernadette Heffernan, from the Seacoast Science Center. We'll compare an undisturbed marsh with a disturbed one and learn about the restoration work going on at Awcomin Marsh. Join us for one of our weekend or weekend tours. Choose either a 12 Noon or 3:00 pm tour. Wear comfortable outdoor clothing and bring a pair of water-proof boots or old sneakers.This tour is free. Participants are to meet at SSC. From there we will shuttle over to Awcomin Marsh in Rye. Space is limited to 12. Be sure to register by calling us at (603) 436-8043. The Awcomin Marsh Tour is supported by the NH Coastal Program of the NH Office of State Planning, and the Benjamin Allen Rowland Cultural and Environmental Fund of the Greater Piscataqua Community Foundation. The Seacoast Science Center is a non-profit organization managed by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire under contract with the-State of New Hampshire in affiliation with the Friends of Odiorne Point, Inc. and the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension/Sea Grant Program. Seacoast sciemice Center X Release throughout the month of August. Coastal Resources Tour Weekend Date: Saturday, 816 Weekday Dates: Friday, 8/5 Wednesday, 8/10 Friday, 8/19 Wednesday, 8/24 Time: 2:00 pm Place: Seacoast Science Center Odiorne Point State Park in Rye Phone: (603) 436-8043 Fee: Free! Explore the coastal resources at Odiorne Point State Park with naturalist Bernadette Heffernan, from the Seacoast Science Center. We'll visit various habitats and discuss the coastal issues that effect their health and conservation. Learn about how these ecosystems are valuable resources to wildlife and humans alike. Join us for our weekend tour on Saturday, August 6th. Tours will also be conducted on the following weekday dates: August 5th, August 1 Oth, August 19th and August 24th. The tour will begin at 2:00 pm. Meet at the Seacoast Science Center and remember to wear comfortable outdoor clothing. This tour is free. The Coastal Resource Walk is supported by the NH Coastal Program of the NH Office of State Planning, and the Benjamin Allen Rowland Cultural and Environmental Fund of the Greater Piscataqua Community Foundation. The Seacoast Science Center is a non-profit organization managed by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire under contract with the State of New Hampshire in affiliation with the Friends of Odiorne Point, Inc. and the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension/Sea Grant Program. Seacoast Science Center Press Release Seacoast Release Dates: immediate throucrh October 13. 1994 Science @n Center Phone: (603) 436-8043 FAX: (603) 433-2235 sc@'c0d',' S@J,:-',:;@ Center presents: Seacoast 2000 Odiorne Pojn@ S,,-L, P_@@'K PO Box ti_4 R%C. NH The next millennium is only 6 years away. What will our seacoast resources be like FAX then'? Seacoas12OOO, a series of five Thursday evening programs addresses challenging issues such as habitat destruction, marine pollution and fisheries decline. Join experts from the Seacoast region In lively discussion on the future of coastal I ssues, More than just another lecture series. Seacousr -1000 encourages participation. Background materials will be a,@ailable to registrants prior to each program. This series and materials are free. Advance registration is required. For more information, or to recister calt (603) 436-80-43, Dates & Presenters: September 1-5 October 6 Mr. Robert Bumett-Kun'c Professor Rich Langan Educational Consultant Jackson Estuarine Lab,UNH Fish Banks. Fisheries Resources & Management WaterQuality September 22 October 13 Mr. Frank Richardson Mr. Phil Colar-usso New Hampshire Wetlands Bureau Water Management Div., EPA Z:@ Salt Marshes: Ecology & Restoration Coastal Issues, Policy September 29 Professor Janet Campbell Ocean Process Analysis Laboratory, UNH Gulf of Maine Time: 7 pm - 9 pni Place: Seacoast Science Center,Odlome Point State Park, Rye, New Hampshire Seacoasl 2000 is supported by the NH Coastal Program of the NH Office of State Planning, and the Benjamin Allen Rowland Cultural and Environmental Fund ofthe Greater Piscataqua.Community Foundation. 1 he @Cj,.),N scmlo: ("CillcF k lwlll@IgCd h@ 111C A111111b0l) SOLICI% 01 NOA I L1111;A111L WhIL:r O)II[kiLl %Nilll 01L@ S1,11C 1)1 NC@k 1LlWJWlllC ill ;i1h1lJth)[]%kllh t1k rl@:111!1 Ill ( Miorne Point, I iic. ind ( lic I N i I ( 'ooncr @il iw I xlen@'wli S(: il ( ;:,lilt llr@ wl 1111 Progra s & Education Sail the World at SSC. Seasons of the Sea With BOC Oceanwatch Weekend Programs 44" ome join in on weekend programs at the n September, off Charleston, South Carolina, model of an ocean racer under the guidance'of an SSC. Designed for families, these pro- thirty to forty sailboats will start a 27,000-mile experienced model maker. At the end of the series, k.@ grams range from slide shows to crafts to irace around the world. Although each boat will participants will have a good knowledge of the nature walks. The following gives you an over- view of what to expect each month. Complete - have only one person on board, the imaginations of oceans and of the challenges that face a jsolo sailor. schedules are developed monthly and available at thousands will accompany each skipper. Now in its BOC Oceanwatch and other Seasons of the Sea fourth year, the BOC Challenge is an around-the- programs are designed for family participation. the Center front desk; be sure to pick one up the next time you visit. world, single-handed sailboat race held every four There is no cost for this program, but the number of years. This year you can follow the race at the SSC. participants will be limited. Please reserve your August Starting on Saturday, September 3 the Friends of space; call the SSC at 436-8043. Seacoast Garden Trail: August 6-7 (10am - 4pin) 0diorne Point will be presenting the first of a ten-part Coastal Resource Walking Tour: August 6 (2pm) program called BOC Oceanwatch. Program partici- Awcomin Marsh Tour: August 7, 13 and 28 (2pm) Healthy Heart Da Tidepool Tours: August 13-14 (noon), August 27 pants will learn aboutevery aspect of the race. Each y will adopt,a skipper -and will follow that boat, as well - (I 1:30am) and August 28 (noon) as the otherlra/cers, as -they proceed from Charleston to n Saturday, September 10, 1994, Cardiac Binocular Clinic: August 13 (2-5pm) Care Services at HCA Portsmouth Regional Shorebird Decoy Carving Demo: August 20 Cape Town, South Africa, on to Sydney, Australia, and Punta del Este, Uruguay, and return back to- 0 Hospital will be sponsoring a special pro- (Ilam-5pm) gram. "A Day in the Park for a Healthy Heart" will Fish Print T-shirts: August 21 (1-4pm) Charleston. Each program participant will keep a log, just as though they were racing too. The racers should', feature a presentation by walking expert and author, (registration required) complete theirjourney during April or May, 1995. Robert Sweetgall, and designated walking trails for Book Signing: August 26 (7-8pm) Please RSVP. . This year's race is especially exciting because all levels of ability. Cardiac risk appraisals of choles- September Arnie Taylor, Marine Docent and FOOPs Board terol screening, literature, and healthy food samples will also be available. Watch your local papers for BOC Oceanwatch: September 3-October 29, member Ann Taylor's son, will be sailing in this every Saturday (1-3pm) year's race! Arnie has been sailing since he was 7, more infonrtation@or you may call 433-4054. Healthy Heart Day: September 10 and according to Ann, comes from a sailing family. Bird Seed Sale: September 24 Although she taught him how to sail, she never Every Sunday there will be slide shows and walks expected him to go this far-around the world! Bird Programs on topics such as warblers, shells, and habitats. Arnie's boat, Thursday's Child, which looks "like no Please call the Center at (603) 436-8043 for more other boat you've ever seen" could be seen at Bow and Seed Sale information. Remember, there is something going Street Dock at press time. BOC Oceanwatch will be held every Saturday he annual bird seed sale by the Seacoast on every weekend at SSC! afternoonAhn September 3-Novernber 5, 1-3 pm. Chapter of the AAJN@k on Society of New Starting vWthe purpose of the race, participants THampshire (AS)Rwill be held at the will learn about the types of boats, supplies, emer- Center 9 am-2 pm on Saturday, September 24. gency equipment, navigation, communications, Having the sale in. September means that you can expected apnexpected weather, even the skippers' stock up on seed in tftnc&imk ttract migrating birds. Volunte",S' special clo'Tring. The program will also include Order forms will beMilable at the Center information on the race's ports-of-c.all, the personal around September 1. In addition to the seed sale, sacrifices of racers, as well as a bibliography. there will be continuing programs on feeder use, Volunteer Cards In After the first ten weeks, a monthly update will and members of the Seacoast Chapter will be avail- be held at the Center on the first Saturday of each able to identify migrating hawks and other birds. month. Participants can track their skipper and race Bird feeders will be on sale, and a wide range f you did not come to the party on the 22nd, your progress and watch videos taken throughout the race., of bird field guides, as well as other bird books, official SSC Volunteer card is waiting for you in Participants will have the opportunity to build a will be available at the Nature Store. ithe volunteer desk. We've put your name on the card, but you need to add the year you started volun- @Nx teering. So far Charles Tallman leads the list as earli- .'s volunteer; he started in 1968 with early plenary 7t- meetings with Parks Director Russell Tobey, about V@ what the State should do with the Park. For those of you who missed the party, join us next year for the fun, celebration, and calorie indul- A, V, 71, ging only this event can provide! Special thanks go to Brandano's, Cafe Brioche, Ceres Bakery, Jeanie's Bakery, Shaw's, and Two Girls Catering for the superb food they provided. The Seacoast Sun % Vol. I No. 2 August-September 1994 Editors: Wendy Lull, Dick McIntyre & Patricia Miller, with assistance from SSC Staff V Design and Production: PM Design The Seacoast Sun is published regularly by the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne Point State Park, which is solely responsible for its content. Any portion of this newsletter may be reproduced for educational @purposes without permission, but please credit the SSC. Reproduction of material for non-educational uses can be requested; call or write to the SSC at PO Box 674, Rye, NH 03870;(603) 436-8043. 0199 4 SSC/ASNH Interns -on the Job The SSC is managed by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire under contract with the State of New Hampshire, in affiliation with The Seacoast Science Center expanded its internship program this summer to include camp teaching, envi- the Friends of Odiome Point, Inc. and the University of New ronmental education, and public p'rogramnung interns in addition to its aquarist interns. Interns assist SSC Hampshire Cooperative Extension/Sea Grant Program. with its programs and exhibits in exchange for the experience gained through their hard work. Pictured The mission of the Seacoast Science Center (SSQ is to interpret coastal natural and cultural history through programs and exhibits. above are: fason Drebitko, Canip Teaching; Perrin Cothran, Environmental Education; Jennifer Statile, The SSC is open throughout the year; hours vary seasonally. Call Aquarist; Mike Dunnington, Aquarist; Traci Adams, Public Programming; and Tanya Ellsworth, Camp (603) 463-8043 for program and daily schedules. Teaching. Not pictured are Jon Leszcynski, Aquarist and Coastal Intem Bernie Heffernan. We are pleased For SSC membership information, call (603) 436-8043. to have such qualified inte rns on staff this summer. Welcome aboard! Printed on acid-free, 100% recycled paper with soy ink, Page 4 Vol. 1 No. 2 The Seacoast Sun Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 522 Rye, NH Now Notes and News from the Seacoast Science Center August-September 1994 Artifacts Found in Park T hree artifacts from three of Odiorne's historic she brought the,artifact to show to Lull. periods were brought to light by park visitors. According to Dupre, Pinello, and David Stewart- A counterfeit coin from 1725, a ceramic Smith of NH Division of Historic Resources, the sherd from the late 1800s, and a prehistoric pen- piece is probably of the maritime archaic tradition, dant were brought to the Center staff this spring. which makes it between 3,000 and 300 years old! Justin Rossen, an elementary school student Probably made of antler, the piece has incised mark- from Weare, NH, found the old coin during a tide- ings on both sides and three small holes, one of pool trip with his class. According to Justin, "the which,bas a green stain on the rim, perhaps from coin was just sitting on a rock;" he uncovered it when copper or brass. This indicates that it could be less than 3,000 years old, or that it was recycled by later he looked under some Knotted Wrack (Ascophylum). Fortunately, Justin turned the coin over to his teacher, American Indians who used the piece with the metal Marilyn Russell, who brought it to the staff.. that produced the stain. Further study is required to detennine the pendant's age and material. Having these pieces discovered and turned in aving these pieces discovered and brings us glimpses of the many different people who Cris Mera, SSC,Program Naturalist, will be attending the turned in brings us glimpses of the have utilized and occupied Odiome Point through Wetlands Resources course at the Shoals Marine Labora- tory, from June 27-July 4. The Shoals Lab is on different people who have utilized and time. But all three@ archeologists stressed the impor- Appledore Island, Isles of Shoals. occupied 0diorne Point through time. tance of keeping artifacts you may discover "in context '" meaning in their original location in the Executive Director Wendy Lull turned to Straw- ground. A single artifact is only one tiny piece of a Mera Receives bery Banke's Curatorial Assistant Rodney Rowland, much bigger picture. Knowing exactly where a piece for identification of this interesting artifact. Rodney was found and the conditions of the location, such as Cottrell Scholarship sent her to Dolloff Coin Center in Portsmouth, for whether it has been built on or washed away; and further ven. tion. According to Dick Dolloff, the careful examination of w ever else may be seen in ris Mera has been a Program N ralist at the coin is a Wporary counterfeit French one 6cu. the nearby areg 6.1ence of hearths, founda- Seacoast Science Center sincWtember It is probably made of lead and was used between tions, and possibly other artifacts, will add important C of 1993. She recently received the Annette 1723-075. At that time, counterfeit coins were in clues to W9 fill in the picture. Cottrell Scholarship from -the Friends of Odionie b/ i n t L 11 u find something that Point to attend the Wetlands Resources urse at the circulation,J&- up to 50 years after the first real coins Ac Ird"Ig o u 1 looks interesiin in the 01, the best approach is to Shoals Marine Laboratory this spring* received were issudwe coin is of significant historic inter- -9 T, S -F cad6ii est, and will be studied further in late July by Pro- carefully note it o__ and then contact a staff both her Bachelor of Science in Biology, with a con- fessor David Switzer, who specializes in underwater member\,".nis way we can keep the piece within its centration in animal physiology, and her Master's archeology. As further information is available, it original context and consult with an archeologist. I degree in science education from Cornell University. will be published in the Sun. hope that visitors would want to let us kn6wabout This is the second year that support has been, Mary Schilke of Merrimack, NH, turned in a artifacts they have seen to help us better - understand made 'available for an SSC naturalist to attend piece of pottery, which was examined by Strawbery Odiome's history. The things people might find here ,4 course at the Shoals Marine Lab (SML). Last Banke Archeologists Mary Dupre and Martha have little 'street value,' but considerable historic yea 'r a private donation allowed Senior Program Pinello. According to Pinello, the piece is of either value. It is also important to know that because this is Naturalist Beverly Shadley to attend the course European or American manufacture and is called a State Park, whatever is found is the property of the Marine Biology for Teachers. The Seacotvt't Sun whiteware. Whiteware was mass-produced after the, State, and it is illegal to remove it from the park." caught up with Cris recently to findout more 1870s; it is finer than earthenware, but not as delicate Together, these three new finds span Odiorne about her exciting opportunity. as porcelain. The patterns on the piece, especially the Point's cultural history, and will make an excellent SS: Are you looking forward to going back to gilt edge, were most likely applied by hand. contribution to our History exhibits. There is further Appledore Island? The oldest of the three pieces, the pendant, was work to be done to disclose all the stories they have CM: Yes. I first visited the island when I took a found 20 years ago by Alison Richard of Hampstead, to tell, but we thank Justin Rossen, Mary Schilke, course in 1991 called Adaptations of Marine NH. When her son came to Odiorne for a program, and Alison Richard for their help in getting us started. continued on page 2 Od"orne Day a Booming Success Underwriters Celebrate I Portsmouth Regional lie kites started flying when families streamed Smith, an American Indian scholar, to learn about MCAHospital and Pavilion into Odiorne Point State Park on June 18 to the fiist occupants of New Hampshire's shores. Tparticipate in "Celebrate Odiorne Day." Friends of Odiorne Point, sponsor of the celebration, staffed food tables HCA Portsmouth Regional Hospital and Paviflion The annual celebration are happy to support this edition of the Seacoast opened with a bang when and labored over hot Suit. Appreciation of this area's natural beauty the Eliot Independent Ar- ffshore, sailboats drifted by, keeping a coals to feed the and enjoyment of the outdoors contribute to the tillery, dressed in colonial weather eye on the steamyfog lurking crowds. Visitors came health and well-being of all of our citizens. It is militia uniforms, fired off around Whaleback Lighthouse. early and packed the our pleasure to help promote the splendor of a cannon marking the 50th tent to enjoy the rous- Odiome State Park and the efforts of the SSC. anniversary of the test firing of the 16" guns that ing music of the 65-piece Seacoast Wind Ensemble. guarded Portsmouth Harbor during World War II. It was a great day to spend at Odiome, visiting Malcolm Chase of Durham, safety officer of the exhibitor booths, relaxing before a video show local defense unit, recalled the test firing and how it inside the Center, viewing the new history exhibits, shattered windows in the nearby Wentworth Hotel. or riding around the park in a horse and buggy. The First@ their pant f@AMIBajd, The weather at Odiome was perfect, while day concluded as 35 explorers rolled up I inland, people sweltered in 95-degree sticky heat. legs to follow SSC staff and docents to tidepool dis- First National Bank of Portsmouth is a proud Outside the Center, children.-crowded the UNH coveries 'while another group headed off to enjoy a Th Seacoast Sun 1% A supporter of the Seacoast Science Center. Marine Docent tables to assemble hand puppets and two-hour history walk through the park. paint fish. Others sat in a circle w ith David Stewart- Conrad Quinby Page I % The Seacoast Sun Vol. 1 No. 2 Noteworthy News Park Site for Not- SSC Receives Two Grants So-Boring Study T he Center ha's been awarded a grant from We will also be revising the Coastal Issues the Office of State Planning (OSP) New, Curriculum, first developed in the 1970s by Julia r. Ruth D. Turner, malacologist at the Hampshire Coastal Program, and the Steed-Mawson. The result will be a. scripted slide Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard Greater Piscataqua Community Foundation -program for school groups and teachers that will D is conducting a field study to collect marine (GPCF) for the development of new programs address the current "hot topics" along the coast. wood-boring organisms here. Along with several on coastal issues. This is the Center's fifth grant The original program was quite popular, but members of the Boston Malacological Club (BMC), from OSP, and second from GPCF. issues have changed a lot in twenty years". This Dr. Turner placed an experimental device in the With this funding the program staff of the slide program will also be appropriate for park water off Frost Point on June 25. The set-up consists S Icience Center will develop four programs on visitors and the public. of different types of wood suspended from an inner- coastal issues. These programs are: a guided In October, we will be offering an evening tube. She hopes that the nucroscopic spawn of tour of the restoration project at the Awcomin lecture series. Says Steve, "I'm very excited Teredo spp. molluscs and Limnoria spp. arthropods salt marsh, a resource comparison walking tour, about the potential for this, because we have will settle out on the wood samples. Dr. Turner will a coastal issues school curriculum, and an eve- funding to bring in experts from all over coastal be working with the staff during the summer, and ning lecture series. New England." will present the results during the October BMC shell According to Steve Miller, Program Director, To help the staff get all these programs ready show at the Center (see the next issue for details.) "This project will give us the opportunity to up- for summer, funding for an intern has also been date our information on recent coastal i@'sues. The obtained. In addition,to support from OSP, fund- variety of program formats will @nable us "to reach ing has been,,red@ive4lrom the Greater Piscataqua Seacoast Garden Communify"Found4ion for the intern's sti end. adults, families and school children. By goinigon I p the marsh tour, adults will get a first-,hand look@at, /For/ the swond time the Center program Trail Benefits SSC a leading marsh restoration project.' staff will be Working with members of the Wild- 994 marks the first year for the Seacoast Garden From' ust outside the Center, you can see how life Department, Audubon Society of New people put coastal resources to use. From fishing Hampshire, to develop other programs with sup- Trail., a fundraising project which will benefit and yachting to commercial vessels and military port from OSR Programs on local endangered the Seacoast Science Center. The Center was use, you can see it A happening righi'off Odiome species and the Great Bay will be developed for chosen to receive the proceeds because it fit all the re quirements: it is regional in scope, is focused on Point. The Resource Walking Tour will discuss the delivery at the Center starting late this summer. implications of the activities.,th Iey see as they walk For more specific program schedules, call the nature, and is a non-profit organization. along the coast. Center at-(603) 436-804il., The Trail will be comprised of flower and veg- etable gardens planted by residents, children, busi nesses, and municipal properties. The gardens will be judged in July and open to the public on August Center Receives'. with the Lilac Society, Louise and Charles timed the 6-7, from 10am to 4pm. Trail maps and programs removal and planting of the trees with the planting of are free; there are discount coupons in the programs Aw%cl of Merit the new lilac. When L 't planting trees, she is for those gardens which charge admis Ou' ru busy being a member of Venter Advisory Com- Gardens included in the tour inclusd*ee Fuller n Friday, June 10th, the International Lilac mittee and the Board of the Friends of Odiorne Point. Gardens, Urban Forestry Center, Strawbery Banke, Society presented the Park and Center with Prescott Park, the Rundten-May House, the Langdon itsAW Award of Merit from Society Past 0 House, the Hamilton House, and the M&_Ladd President, aWhost of the Society's 1994 Annual Binocula ale,,,,,, House. For more", information call . Rebec'ITHushing Convention, Dr. Owen Rogers. Dr. Roger presented at (603) 436@-2732. the plaque and a fine young purple lilac CVMonge and Clinic to Center Executive Director Wendy Lull, who accepted on behalf of the -Center. Members of the heffier you're birding, boating or just Book Signing Society assisted in planting the lilac behind the looking-out-to-see, a good set of binocu- ,@' %" Docent Bench on the North side of the building. Wlars makes all the difference. And theSSC o celebrate the"release of Odiorne's first illus- The award was given to the Center for its educa- Nature Store Binocular Sale makes a differenc@ in trated walking guide, Footprints in Time, A tional programs and preservation of historic New how much binocular-power you can buyl"firoughout TWalk Where New HainpAire Began, a recep- Hampshire seacoast plants including the lilac. The August, you can save on binocs and spotting scopes -tion -will be held at the Center on Friday, August 26 International Lilac Society has over 500 members by Bausch & Lomb and Nikon. See 6inclosedflyeif for from 6-8,pm. At 6:00, authors Dick McIntyre and from around the world. details. (Flyers for ASNE Seacoast Ch4pter members Howard Crosby will take you through portions of And if you wondered what happened to the are being sent separately.) their book by leading two one-hour walks. After- Black Cherry by the Docent Bench, Park volunteers To help you make a choice, Saturday, August ward they'will be available to autograph books and Charles and Louise Tallman have replaced the dying 13 from 2-5 pm you can test binoculars and scopes answer questionsi during the reception. This is a tree with a fine Red Maple. Thanks to their generosi- outdoors-where you'll use them! Sales reps from great oppo rtunity :to experience Odiorne's history ty and hard work, we will be able to enjoy the view Nikon and Bausch & Lomb will be on hand to at its best, and p.iIck up a copy of the book as well. from the bench in the shade of the tree in summer answer questions and show offisorne of the best Reservations"ar7e appreciated. Please sign up at the and the splendor of its color in the fall. Working and newest optics available today. desk or call the Center at (603) 436-8043. Mera Recieves Cottrell Scholarship continuedfrom page I Organisms.The following summer I worked on the CM: I feel it is important to teach people about SS: Do you find that visitors are knowledgeable island as an engineer and as a lab assistant and the the value of wetlands. Most people think of a salt about wetlands? summer after that, I returned to work there once marsh as a Place that smells and where mosquitoes CM: Many people don't know much about wetlands. again. So I have been Out there many times and think live but what they may not know is that marshes They don't know what types of animals inhabit them that the island is beautiful. are invaluable. For example, many types of fish use or how important they are as an ecosystem. People SS: What will you learn in this course? salt marshes as nurseries for their young. Marshes need to understand that wetlands aren't a place that CM: We will study coastal and freshwater wetlands also act as a buffer between the ocean and the up- can be drained and built on: they need to exist. including salt and 'freshwater marshes, ponds, and lands. If a big storm hits the coast, the marsh will The support from the Annette Cottrell Scholar- bogs. On the island there aren't many wetlands. absorb most of the water and flooding of nearby ship is a great opportunity for Cris and the SSC. There are a few depressions that are marsh-like but residential areas' can be avoided. The new programs Cris will be designing and im- dry up when the weather gets warm. Therefore we SS: Will there be new programs in the fall? plementing will supplement the coastal resource' will be doing most of our field work on the main- CM: It is important for people to understand the programs the staff is developing with a grant from land. We will learn about the plants and animals politics and issues that surround wetlands. I hope the Office of State Planning (see above). Watch that are unique ,to each type of wetland. to learn more about this myself and to develop pro- for these new programs in the upcoming monthly SS: Is it important to know about wetlands? grams to educate visitors of the Science Center. program fliers, available at the front desk. I Page 2 Vol. I No. 2 The Seacoast Sun The History Corner Pp Odiorne Poinho A ..... ....... . ......... .......... . . ................ Natural Area Park T he area of Fort Dearborn east of Route I A was deeded to the State of New Hampshire in 1961 to be used for "recreational purposes." For almost ten years it was held without a clear man- agement focus. Prof. Albion Hodgdon, UNH Botan- ist, began to explore th4,lant_commufiM-es of the 7. 7 park acreage@-A f the N.H. Natural Areas I a meeting 0 ForuT,-'@he,gaXe ripiion of thearea as having an exceptional var@ty-of plant habitats, from edge of the shore, to upland forests. It was suggested that, as a State Park, it should therefore be preserved as a nat- ........... ural area, and that the designation of "recreation" could be compatible with environmental education. 4 Attending that same meeting was Annette W M Cottrell, representing the New England Wildflower t1V Society. To urge-the-"Natural,Area" status for Fort Dearborn,'shj_in&t-with-P* Director Russell B. Tobey. He listened with interest to Amettesdescrip- WALLIS BANDS LIFE SAVING CREW IN 1891 tion of the range of natural features, and his response Front row, left to right--Capt. Selden F. Wells. Walter Rand. John Berry. Orville Varrell. Second row, left to rigbt, George 0. Remick, No. I surfman. William Odiorne and William Rafidall. Only two of the group are now living. Wal- was, "Prove it." Annette met tl@at-challenge b ter Rand resides In Massachusetts and William Randall - at RY6 narbor. captain wells was wen known in the old Life y com- Saying Service. Ile was stationed at the Jerry's Point station at Now Castle and in September.,1990, went to the Wal- piling essays on Odiorne's natural and cultural hi@stq- lis Sands station when that was placed in commission. ry that are still a useful reference today. An important part of this initial park habitat compilation was the Odiorne Point Pla Part park plant list. In an extensive study, Dr. Clotilde Strauss explored and described each of the seven basic plant habitats. Specimens were gathered and in the Lifesaving ervice mounted professionally for a herbarium collection. Social history had not been contemplated origi- e Lifesaving Service began in 1848, when Point because of seas breaking over the path in the nally, but discovery that Odiome was the first settle- an amendment to the Lighthouse bill vicinity of the Drowned Forest. The night hours ment in New Hampshire in 1623 made the story of secured an appropriation of $10,000 from were divided into three watches. At the beginning the people who lived here and how they used the the Congress. This was to provide surf boats, rock- of each watch two men set out from'the station on land another unique feature of the park. ets, carronades, and othe' e essary apparatus for patrol duty going in opposite directions along the Land ancants Change the better preservation k e and property from shore until they met men from the adjalq@' ta- n the years since the plant study was initiated, shipwrecks on the coast of New Jersey. tions. Upon meeting, tokens were exchanged as t-he upland areas of Odiome liave chang6& At The servive-grew, and in-1S88-,The-goverff- proof that-the patrols had been faithfullTexecuted. ithat tim"ch of the area was at the half-way ment attempted to buy for a lifesaving station In 1894, the government bought a piecegLland at point betweWeld and forest. Today, many plants at Wallis Sands, just so f 0diorne Point. Not Odiome Point from Mr. Eastman for thw@pose that require sun have been lost to shade and crowd- being able to buy land of erecting a small life- ing. Some of the invading woody species are sumac, that year, the Lifesav- saving substation to store poplar, alder buckthorn. Poison ivy is all too com- ing Service made an he shores were constantly patrolled, no a gun, lifeline and other mon. The Army is largely responsible for the bitter- arrangement with Mr. matter what the weather the patrol necessary equipment sweet, planted as camouflage on the "bunkers." Cyrus Eastman of from Wallis Sands was sometimes pre- should a ship be in dis- A positive 'contribution to the current diversity Odiome Point to use ventedfrom reaching 0diorne Point tress off of the Point. are the cultivated plants persisting on the old e I states. his stable to store because of seas breaking over the path. This building became the Samples of varieties have been propagated and used their lifesaving appa- northern end of the in the perennial bed at the SSC. Wildflowers also ratus and gun. This would keep the equipment beach patrol from the Wallis 'Sands station. add their attractive color and form. Through the readily available should a wreck occur between According to Mr. Brown, the patrol from summer we can enjoy the sparkle of Deptford Pink 0diorne Point and Rye Harbor. Wallis Sands carried a time clock into which they along the trails. A related perennial, Maiden Pink, Eventually land for the lifesaving station was inserted a key located at the Odiorne Point substa- has been put into the bed, as well as Canadian Bur- acquired and at midnight on August 31, 1890, the tion. The key caused a mark to be made on the net. This plant was was introduced to the park in the Wallis Sands Lifesaving Station was opened. The paper inside the clock which noting the time. gravel used for the parking area, and has beautiful man in charge of the station was called a keeper There were four Lifesaving Stations along foliage and five foot high candle-like stalks of white and under him were six surfmen making up the the short New Hampshire coast. They were locat- ,lifeb oat crew. The Wallis Sands Lifesaving Station ed at Jerry's Point on New Castle island, Wallis fuzz. A favorite miniature is the Red Sand Spurrey that borders sandy trails. Other plants underfoot may was a 11/2 story building with space inside for the Sands, Straws Point, and Hampton Beach. In have beautiful form, such as Carpetweed. crew to eat, work and sleep. The equipment 1915, the Lifesaving Service became a part of A recent new discovery is the' Pig Sty Daisy housed at the station was the surf-boati beach cart, the U.S. Coast Guard. The Wallis Sands station that grows in the center of the driveway circle and Lyle gun, breeches-buoy, hawsers, hauling lines, was discontinued on April 15, 1939. blooms between mowings. Surprise guests to the sand anchors, and many other items. This article is an overview of the Seacoast flower bed are the Thin Leaf Sunflower, providing The men at the station were on duty ten Survivors flip book exhibit which features pho- welcome summer color, and wild Mint. months of the year. With the exception of the tographs and illustrations of the men, equipment, It is important to identify and protect the special keeper they were off (without pay) during June and locations listed here. Plan some extra time plants of the park. The Heritage Garden has had res- and July. When on duty, their days were spent for this exhibit the next time you.visit the Center. cue and maintenance since 1975; you can view the drilling in the various methods of lifesaving and in The History Comer is prepared by the Friends bulbs that bloom in Spring and the old-fashioned maintaining their building and apparatus. At night of Odiome Point History Committee, and high- roses late in June. Throughout the park, the fine old the shores were constantly patrolled, no matter lights aspects of Odiome Point history. Should you apple trees are being adopted for care, and look for what the weather. It is reported by Mr. Ralph discover inaccuracies, have additional informa- the rare Mountain Mint with its blue-gray bloom Brown that the patrol from Wallis Sands was tion, or possess photographs that you would like to next to the bike trail, south of the entrance. sometimes prevented from reaching Odiome share, please call Howard Crosby at 431-5936. Theconcept of Odiorne as a "Natural Area7 did not start with just tidepools-it started with the vari- ety of plant habitats. As a couple from Manchester N A Reminder who walk the park weekly expressed, "Where else If you want to keep up with the Seacoast Science Center by getting the Sun, rcmember to send do you have so much natural variety to see?" an' in your SSC membership form. If you did not receive a membership application in the mail, Louise Tallm you can pick one up at the front desk the next time you come in, or call us at (603) 436-8043. % The Seacoast Sun Vol. I No. 2 Page 3 article from Foster'S Daily Democrat, AUgUSt 10, 1994 Naturalist to lead tour's in August at Seacoast Science Center in Rye RYE - Special programs are running throughout the month of August at Seacoast Science C en- ter, Odiorne Point State Park. Visitors are invited to join natur- alist Bernadette Heffernan who will lead the Awcomin Marsh and Coatal Resources Tours. On the Awcomin Marsh Tour, an undisturbed marsh will be com- pared with a disturbed one. Partic- ipants will learn about the restora- tion work going on at this site. Wetlands perform a variety of eco- logical functions and are home to countless species. This tour is free. Participants meet at SSC and from there are shuttled over to Awcomin Marsh in Rye. Space is limited to 12. Reg- ister by calling 436-8043. The Awcomin Marsh Tour will be conducted at noon or 3 p.m. on the following dates: Aug. 12, 17, 20 26, 28 and 31. The Coastal Resources Tour will explore the coastal resources at Odiorne Point State Park. Partici- pants will visit various habitats and discuss the coastal issues that V affect their health And conserva- tion and learn about how these flM ecosystems are valuable resources to wildlife and humans alike. This free tour will be conducted on Aug. WN, 011F 10, 19 and 24. The tour will begin at 2 p.m. and last approximately an hour. Participants meet at SSC. Naturalist Bernadette Hef- The tours are supported by the fernan will lead the Awco- New Hampshire Coastal Program of the New Hampshire Office of min Marsh and Coastal Re- State Planning and Benjamin Al- sources Tours at Seacoast len Rowland Cultural and Environ- Science Center, Odiorne mental Fund of the Greater Pisca- State Park in Rye, through- taqua Community Foundation. out the month of August. 0 Progra s &Education EDALHAB Weekend Program Highfights June-July - , 0 1 SATURDAY SUNDAY 'is Coming, 6/3 6/4 DALHAB (Engineering Design and Analysis BOC Wrap Up 1-3prn Adopt a Tree 2pm Laboratory HABitat) is an underwater habitat Join us as we conclude the series on the BOC Part of understanding nature is learning how to make Challenge: the around-the-world solo sailing race. critical observations of the environment. Children will Ethat was designed and built by seven under- N .ational Trail Day 9am-2pm take a guided walk to learn about nature and choose a graduate engineering students at the University of Make a difference in the park. Join us for trail tree they will observe throughout the summer. New Hampshire in 190. This habitat allowed divers I maintenance and clean-up. Additional saws and to live at sites from 30 to 50 feet under water for ArtShow tree-trimming tools would be helpful. Wear your The Seacoast Art Association opens their monthly Art extended periods of time. In a project spearheaded boots and bring work gloves. Lunch and T-shirts Exhibition. by the Friends of Odiome Point, with enthusiastic will be provided for those participating in the effort@ Please call to sign up for work teams. Don't forget the Seacoast Garden Trail! cooperation from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, Sponsored by Eastern Mountain Sports. To enter your garden, pick up entry blanks at SSC. EDALHAB is now being renovated. It will soon be on its way to 0diorne Point State Park and will be 6/10 6/11 sited outside, the Center. Tidepool 1, 2, &3pm Coastal Resources Tour noon Explore Odiorne's dynamic tidepools with an SSC Explore Odiorne's natural habitats and learn about EDALHAB will become the centerpiece of the naturalist. Take advantage of the low tide to see what their value to wildlife and human beings. ongoing marine exploration programs at the Center. is happening on our shore. Families welcome. Awcomin Marsh Tour 2pm Program Director Steve Miller was part of a UNH This is a Stick-Up! 10arn Learn about Salt. Marsh restoration. Call to sign up or research team last summer which spent ten days liv- Dave Dupee, a seasoned birder and craftsman, leads for more information. ing in the NOAA Aquarius Habitat off Key 4argo this program on shorebird decoys or "stick-ups." Dave The Awcomin Marsh and Coastal Resources Tours Florida. Steve has been using that experience to will demonstrate the art of painting shorebird decoys are sponsored by the Office of State Planning. develop new and exciting programs. The Center along with the history of their use. hopes the EDALHAB will "strike a spark7 for 6/17 6/18 young and old visitors alike, and interest them in fur- Wildflowers and Watercolors 10am Fish Print T-shirts l, 2, & 3pm ther study of the undersea world. Learn to paint wildflowers with Sylvia Jones. Bring Design and make your own colorful T-shirt. $5 for paints, brushes, hat and a bag lunch. Class size is lim- childretV$7 for adults. Call the sign up for this popular ited. $3 charge for paper. Call-to reserve a place. program- Rye Middle School's A Walk Where New Hampshire Began 2pm Coastal Resources Tour noon From the first NE settlement to farms, estates and Explore Odiorne's natural habitats and learn about Invention Convention forts, Odiorne is rich in history. Dick Maclntyre and Stephen Miller bring the past to life again in this walk their value to wildlife and human beings. n April 11, Ms. Ellwood's eigh .th grade sci- around Odiome Point! The Coastal Resources Tour is sponsored by the ence class at Rye Middle School held its Concert and Clam Bake-by-the-Sea 5:30-10pin Office of State Planning. Ofirst Invention Convention. Eighteen student A wonderful evening is planned for this fund raising event. A only. Call to receive an invitation. teams put the laws of physics to work esigning A A Rube Goldbergesque machines that p0othpaste 6/24 6/25 on a tooth brush. The teams competed for three Tidepooling 2pm Toobeirs and Zots 2pm prizes (points towards their final grade). The entire Explore 9Ak9rne's dynamic tidepools with an SSC Bring your imagination to J@k using soft sculpture advantage of the low tide to see what materials. Kids will love Vands on activity. Please school assembled for the final demon on and is happening on our shore. Families welcome. call to reserve a place. judging of the 18 machines. @ 9 7/1 7/2 Each machine was rated according to how well Art in Nature 1-4pm Folklore and Medicinal Uses of Wildflowers 2pul it met prescribed criteria including size, number of Explore the impact of spirals on our everyday lives. Learn where the names of wildflowers originated and working elements used (e.g. lever, inclined plane, Join us for an afternoon of discovery and instruction in why, and how they continue to be important in society. screw) as well as creativity and whether the sculpture, drawing, watercolors, geology, and marine machines worked or not. Center Executive Director life. The program is supported in part by a grant from Wendy Lull and Visitor Services Director Peter the NH State Council on the Arts and the National Lareau were among the 10 judges for this competi-* Endowment for the Arts. tion. According to Lull, "A lot of thought and work 7/8 7/9 went into each machine. The students used a remark- This is a Stick-Up! 10am Rhythm and Strings 2pm able range of materials, from the chemical reaction Dave Dupee, a seasoned birder and craftsman, leads The Dulcimer and rhythm instruments are part of our of baking soda and vinegar (creates quite an exuber- this program on shorebird decoys or "stick-ups." Dave musical history. Join "Patches" as she goes back in time will demonstrate the art of painting shorebird decoys and tells their story. Bepart of the music as you sing ant foam) to a golf ball return; ftom a fan to move a along with the.history of their use. and play along. V charge. Please call to reserve a space. sail boat that pushed a lever, to a weight falling on 7/15 7/16 scissor handles to cut a string. The ingenuity,was Seacoast Garden Trail Seacoast Garden Trail refreshing and fun. What a great way to really find Take part in this Seacoast-wide event. Odiorne!s Take part in this Seacoast-wide event. Odiome's out how the laws of physics can really be used.'? Heritage Gardens will be featured as one of the many Heritage Gardens will be featured as one of the many gardens along the coast. Follow the trail to tour many gardens along the coast. Follow the trail to tour many splendid private gardens throughout the Seacoast. splendid private gardens throughout the Seacoast. The Seacoast Sun Wildflowers and Watercolors 10am V10 0 Vol. 2 No. 3 June-July 1995 Learn to paint wildflowers with Sylvia Jones. Bring p7lEditors: Wendy Lull, Dick McIntyre, Patricia Miller, paints, brushes, hat and a bag lunch. Class size is lim- and the SSC Staff ited. $3 charge for paper. Call to reserve a place. Design and Production: PMDesign The Seacoast Sun is published regularly by the Seacoast Science 7/22 7/23 Center at Odiome Point State Park, which is solely responsible for its content. Any portion of this newsletter may be reproduced Nature Walk 2pm Natural Writing and Art 2pm for educational purposes without permission, but please credit Explore the uplands and the life that calls this area Lindsay Barret George, author and artist of children's the SSC. Reproduction of material for non-educational uses can home. Plan for a long walk and beautiful views, books about nature, tells her story and provides inspi- be requested; call or write to the SSC at 570 Ocean Blvd, Rye, ration and a wonderful outlook into animals and their NH 03870; (603) 436-8043. lives. Please call to reserve your place. 01995 SSC/ASNH The SSC is managed by the Audubon Society of New Hampshire 7/29 7/30 under contract with the State of New Hampshire, in affiliation with A Walk Where New Hampshire Began 2prn This is a Stick-Up! 10am the Friends of Odiome Point, Inc. and the University of New From the first NH settlement to farms, estates, and Dave Dupee, a seasoned birder a Ind craftsman, leads Hampshire Cooperative ExtensionJSea Grant Program. forts, Odiorne is rich in history. Dick Maclntyre and this program on shorebird decoys or "stick-ups." Dave The nuission of the Seacoast Science Center (SSQ is to Stephen Miller bring the past to life in this walk will demonstrate the art of painting shorebird decoys interpret coastal natural and cultural history through around Odiome Point! along with the history of their use. Q �r, programs 'and exhibits. The SSC is open throughout the year; hours vary seasonally. Call (603) 463-8043 for This is only a taste of SSC programming! Call 603 sl program and daily schedules. -436-8043 or pick up a flyer at.the SSC front desk for more details. sd@ Programs are scheduled from noon-3pm each weekend and will run daily starting in July. Unless noted otherwise, the Ceta For SSC membership information, call (603) 436-8043. programs are free to SSC members. Please support the SSC by your donation or membership. Thank you! Printed on acid-free, 100% recycled paper with soy ink. Page 4 Vol. 2 No. 3 The Seacoast Sun Nonprofit Org. 040, U.S. Postage PAID Permit No. 522 Rye, NH MINIM V: Notes and News from the Seacoast Science Center June-July 1995 SSC Legis, ation Pending 0 f the two bills to support the Center, one met But they were wrong. A vigorous 45 minute a predictable fate, and the other became sur- debate about how to fund the Center followed. prisingly dramatic. The bill requesting Some saw the fee as a tax, others felt the Center $400,000 for the Center building (SB 72-FN-A) should be funded through a General Fund approprii- was not approved by Senate Public Affairs Commit- ation. Although supported by both the Republican tee. According to Center Executive Director Wendy and Democratic leadership, SB-91 lost a roll call Lull, given the State's current vote by three votes, fiscal condition, SB-72's failure lth Rep. Neal Kurk (R- assing this bill will ensure a hea Y was no surprise and the Center Seacoast Science Center Weare) moved the bill is likely to try again. inexpedient to legis- -Rep. Howard Dickinson However, what happened N late which would to SB 9 1 -FN (to increase the have killed it for two park entrance fee to support SSQ was unexpected. years. However, an eleventh hour motion to table On April 4, supportive testimony for the bill was the bill by Minority Leader, Rick Trombly (D- given to the House Resource, Recreation and Boscawen) saved SB-91. Development Committee (RRDC) by Bill Bartlett, The next day the RRDC amended the bill autho- Beverly Shadley was recently promoted to Educational Commissioner of the Dept. of Resources and rizing ASNH to collect up to $ 1, as long as they had Program Coordinator Photo by Tim Kerwin. Economic Development; Richard McLeod, Acting the Center management contract. During the May 9 House session, Dickinson moved to take the bill off Director of the Division of Parks; Senator.Burt Keeping'Aft with Cohen (D-New Castle); Representative Jane the table, and it passed with a resounding voice vote. Langley (R-Rye); Representative Martha Fuller It then went to the House Finance Conu-nittee to Beverly Shadley Clark (D-Portsmouth); and Richard Moore, De- approve the amendment. velopmenMctor, Audubon Society of New It was expected to r ve Finance's approval at everly Shadley was the third p hired to Hampshire`@MNH). Testimony against the bill press time. It then goes 0 to the House. Before it 'S work at the Center in 1972. Aks WCenter was given by Representative Warren Goddard can get to th -e Governor, it needs to return to the Bevolved and grew, -so did her responsibilities. (R-Portsmouth), Chair of the orIgina-ting Senate Fish,- Oame and The Sun caught up with Bev between phone calls to After gftill, was reviewed in subcommittee, Recreation Committee. -J&proved, it then goes to camp parents, summer staff, teaching teers and the RRDCJWsed the bill, with a minor amendment. the Governor who can AW sign or veto it in five the Gulf of Maine Secretariat. The amended bill made a quick trip back to the days. If he does not sign it in five days, it becomes Sun: When did you first come to Odiome Point? Senate for approval, and was voted on the House law. All indications look positive ... but we've heard BS: In 1990, when I was a student in UNH's envi- floor May 2. No one expected a floor fight. that before! ronmental education course, LMT 743. We were responsible for opening the Russell B. Tobey Visitor 0 Center (RBTVC) for the upcoming season, so we did everything from building exhibits, getting the n'dian A i rfifad Mystery Part 11 tanks up and seawater running, and cleaning, to n the last issue, UNH student Jason Drebitko tile points. If I wanted to investigate the collection's finding grant money as well as teaching. reported on his research of a collection ofpro- relevance to the Seacoast region, I still needed to Zum Was this your first exposure to marine science? ectile points which had been donated to the verify @yho collected the points, and exactly where 15-0 No, I had spent ILWo summers working on Center by Betsy Baybut ofNew Castle. His research the points were found. a whale watch boat out of Provincetown, MA. has taken some interesting turns. Fortunately Jason On a Thursday afternoon, I met with Strawbery As a sophomore, I worked for Dr. Fred Short as a will be at the Center teaching Safari this summer, Banke Archeologists Martha Pinello and Mary research assistant at UNH's Jackson Estuarine Lab. and will be continuing his investigation on the col- Dupr6, and Carl Crossman, Senior Research Fellow, In the summer of my senior year, I accepted the sea- sonal naturalist position at Odiorne, funded by the lection. Updates will be published as new informa- to discuss the collection. First, I wanted to know tion is unearthed. about the excavations that Strawbery Banke had Audubon Society of New Hampshire (ASNH). A]- done at the Wentworth Coolidge Mansion. Pinello though my work was essentially a continuation of en I left off in the last issue of the Sun, stated that the purpose of the excavations was to LMT 743, 1 dealt with visitors more and helped with I had made arrangements to meet with look for the Wentworth's formal gardens. She men- the Seasons of the Sea lecture series. When the visi- Strawbery Banke Archeologist Martha tioned-that a variety of prehistoric artifacts were tor center closed for the fall, I took a position as, a Pinello to see if she could offer any inforrnation as unearthed, including one projectile point. Since graduate teaching intern at the New Jersey School to the artifact collection's context. This remained the only one point was found, I began to question the of Conservation (NJSOC). There I learned more most significant factor in my research of the projec- idea that all 62 of the points came from the about upland environments, and how to teach field Wentworth Coolidge Mansion area. programs without an intertidal zone. I also learned how much I inissed marine habitats. Next, I needed to know why I couldn't get in Underwriter touch with Betsy Baybut. Crossman mentioned that Sun: Was there much difference between the Betsy often spent the winters elsewhere. This ex- RBTVC and NJSOC? 850, Yes! The NJSOC was a much older, larger, plained my unanswered calls and letters. I would have to wait until Spring to get in touch with her. year-round facility. At RBTVC we taught only two I decided to check back with Dr. Robert Goodby school day-programs, compared to NJSOC with at the University of New Hampshire. Goodby was about 50 over-night school programs. It was fun; working on verifying the typology of the points by NJSOC had an established programming foundation taking quantitative measurements and examining the with well-honed lesson plans, so I learned a lot EaAeM Moulltam sports - materials that were used to fashion the points. He about how environmental courses should be done. will be attempting to draw some conclusions about Sun: What did you do after the internship? EMS is proud to support the Seacoast Sun as part of the collection's context from this examination. BS: I went to work at the Chewonki Foundation in 0 Th Seacoast Sun National Trails -Day 1995 at Odiorne Point State Park. continued on page 2 continued on page 2 Page 1 The Seacoast Sun Vol. 2 No. 3 0 Noteworthy News SSC Wins First Art Grant rt and science will come together during the we ek of June 26, thanks to a grant awarded X0 1, to the Center by the New Hampshire State Council on the Arts and the National fp@ Endowment for Arts. Artist and Center 4 staff member Joyce Zarins will lead a multi-media art project J with a fellow artist, sculp- tor Mark Ragonese. The project links the artistic and scientific investigation and interpretation of the spiral. Using natural materials, On April 22, 1995, members of the Odiorne family dedicated two park benches in the park in honor of the artists will. create a spontaneous work-a giant John and Mary Odiorne, who settled here in 1660. The benches were constructed by Parks employees, horizontal spiral using the rocks from the shore. The using oakfrom Nancy Condon's woods. Nancy hopes that others will be inspired to contribute benches opportunity to pai-ticipate in building and then walk- to the park so that visitors can enjoy the coastal views so loved by her late mother and 12 generations ing through the sculpture makes this art form acces- of Odiornes. 'Here the Odiornes "give " the benches to the park. Left to right: Wendy Lull, SSC Executive sible and engaging for@ everyone. Director; Tom Mattson, Superintendent of Parks, Seacoast Regibn;, Rich McLeod, Acting Director, NH Div. of Parks; Gail MacGregor; Barbara Kerr; Cynthia Carone; Nancy Odiorne Condon; and Barbara To compliment the main project, sea kayakers MacGregor Photo by Neil Gallagher from Adventure Learning and- other local kayaking groups will create a spiral in the sea. Students in SSC's June Safari session (K-5) will further explore Spring Clambake- Our New Address the concept of the spiral through art, science, and performance projects. By-The=Sea o, we haven't moved, but we have outgrown This is the first artistic grant the Center has our post office box! Thanks to the patient applied for and received. Zarins"wrote it during her emem er the first Annual Nefforts of volunteers Dick Maclntyre and winter hiatus from working at the Center. Members, Clambake-By-The-Sea is Step hen Miller, our new mailbox is installed and we volunteers, and Nature Store mavins know her work: un6 17th. This Friends of have a new mailing address. Although we will con- she led the art workshop during last November's by Odiorne Point'fundraising event tinue to keep the post o"ox through the sum Volunteer Conference and painted thq& marine supports children's programming mer, mail is being delivel*o the new mailbox, so still-life pieces reproduced in the CenOlffnatural at the Center. The Seacoast Wind please note our new address! notecard series. You can meet Joyce on Tuesday Ensemble will be playing from when she works in the Nature Store. It is a tribute to 5:30-7pm, followed by the clam- Seacoast S * me Center the Center that sheput so much perso"ort into bake. A ra or movies, related items and trips will 570 .0c:3toulevard developing the spiral project concept aWell as' be on-goin Jickets are $37.50/person. For ticket and researching and writing the grant. The next time you 9 D'affft NH 03870 see her, be sure to give her a special thank you! raffle information, call the Center at (603) 436-8043. INY Keeping Up With Beverly continuedfroni page I Arfifact Mystery Part 11 continuedfrom page I Maine. Their program focused on outdoor experien- the Safari program this year. On April 7th, I received word from SSC Executive tial environmental 'education, like rope courses, hik- BS: One change is the addition of a 5th session for Director Wendy Lull that she had received a letter ing and canoeing. I also co-led their nature camp the K-5 program. We found that most summer pro- from Mr. Ralph Brown indicating that he may be program. After that, I came back to Odiorne. grains ended too soon for working parents. But the able to help with my research of the collection, and Sun: How did you manage that? changel 'am very excited about is our brand new she suggest 'ed that I talk to him. Mr. Brown had BS: I knew I would be moving black to the area to Steward Session for children in grades 6-9. It 'gets worked for the Coolidges for many years and knew get married, so I kept tabs on the development of the students -out into the field working With environmen- the family and mansion grounds very well. I con- new SSC. Fortunately, while I worked as ASNH's tal professionals. This accomplishei three things: it tacted him, and soon after had the pleasure of Seasonal -Naturalist my boss was Jeff Schwartz, allows the students to actually experience the work spend 'ing an afternoon listening to his wonderful who was overseeing opening the Center-including itself; it exposes them to environmental careers; and stories and historical recollections. "If there were hiring. I was in the right place at the right time. most importantly, it shows them that they.have the 9,000 year old artifacts down by the boat launch, Sun: What were the early days of the Center like? power to make positive environmental ch Ianges. I would have found them," stated Mr. Brown. He BS: Crazy! We were starting from scratch. We had Sun: But you do-much more than camp. Tell us continued by telling of his days at the Mansion a strong volunteer base plus school and summer about your other projects. - with near perfect recollection. "Each year, rough programs, as well as ASNH's camp format to build BS: Although I still teach, I spen4a lot of time storms would wash the gravel that lined the upon. But other than the volunteers and me, the driving a desk. Especially sincell@ieceived the grant Co olidge's boat .ramp out to the harbor, and each entire staff was brand new. We had four weeks to from the Gulf of Maine Counci I on the Marine year the Coolidges would have gravel brought in prepare lesson plans and materials for our first win- Enviroriment (see Sun Vol. 2, No. 2). from the pits next to the South Street Cemetery in ter camp. All this without furniture, a photocopier, Sun: You certainly have a lot on your plate. Portsmouth. We would fill the boat ramp up about program supplies, or a registration system in place. BS: All of Us do; fortunately, I have had some work three inches with gravel and rake it all through," But we did it! And that summarizes my first year relief. John Skafidas has taken on the volunteer res- stated Mr. Brown. "If there was. anything near the here; shooting from the hip and trial-and-error. After ponsibilities (see Sun Vol. 2, No. 2). Additionally, boat ramp, we would have found it." that I was promoted to Senior Program Naturalist. our bumper crop of teaching volunteers and non- Mr. Brown shared great, stories with me that Sun: What changed with the promotion? staff naturalists, who Steve Miller has recruited will afternoon, and was able to help me in researching BS: The biggest change was being assigned the carry a tremendous part of the teaching load. the context of the collection. As I was getting camp programs. That meant making sure that these Sun: What's on deck for the upcoming year? ready to walk out of the door of his fannhouse, programs continued to grow and improve while BS: As part of the grant, I am helping to organize he exclaimed, "One thing I can say for sure is that teaching, overseeing budgets, hiring and supervising an international Gulf conference for marine educa- there is no way all 62 of those points could have a summer staff which now numbers 13. I'm pleased tors. For me -this is another learning experience and been found at the boat slip. There is no way!" that the camps have become so successful;. last year opportunity to grow professionally. Opportunities I will be continuing my research on the artifact Safari booked 100% with a waiting list. . like this, and tackling new projects, are what keeps collection through the summer. Be sure to look for Sun: You have made some significant additions to the Center so exciting for me. future developments in upcoming issues of the Sun. A l(ip- Jason Drebitko N F Page 2 0 Vol. 2 No. 3 The Seacoast Sun he History Corner Neale Departs A Colonyin Transition, 0 diome's history during the settlement years palle fort." Later to be known as Fort William and and in the meantime the stewards and servants of the must be pieced together-from several Mary and Fort Constitution, this fortified elevation Piscataqua settlements appropriated the land and sources, which sometimes differ widely. was always to "command a place in New Hamp- other assets for themselves. When preparing the Seacoast Science Center history shire's budget and in the defense of the'harbor." Mason had indeed supported the colony fully as exhibits, the line most often repeatedfrom source to In a letter inJune of 1634, John Winter, an agent evidenced by a 1635 inventory: 24 cows, 34 other source, or the interpretation which seemed most, rea- on Richmond's Island in 'Ma'ine, wrote: "Heare bath neat cattle, 92 sheep, 27 goats, 64 hogs, plus 21 hors- sonable, was chosen by the exhibit committee and not bin to this Rand one Indian all these yeare, nor to es and colts. By way of food-stocks were: 220 bush- ,now by the writer of these articles. the maine to our house, that brought any skins to els of corn and meal, 20 bushels of oatmeal, 15 bar- Dick MacIntyre trade.... I sent out a boate twyse this last winter and rels of malt and 29 of peas, 610 pounds of sugar, 512 got not one ounce of bever from @he Indians." pounds of tobacco, 6 pipes (a cask equal to 4 barrels) y 1632, Captain Walter Neale felt confident As in the fur trade, the adventurers of the of wine and 2 of brandy. The inventory also num- in leaving the Piscataqua settlements in the Laconia Company soon discovered that the valuable bered among other items:,26 arguebuses (muskets), Bhands'of his aides and heading inland with' minerals they sought were not to he found. However, 4 murtherers (cannons), 46 fowling pieces, 12 pistols, Henry Jocelyn and Darby Field. However, the search they were forced to agree with John Smith's assess- and 61 swords: all these matched with 13 barrels of for the riches of the "Crystal Hills" proved fruitless ment that fish and lumber were "as good gold as the gunpowder and a thousand pounds of bullets and and Neale returned to Rendezvous. mines of Potosi (in Bolivia) and Guiana." Perhaps shot. Finally, to cheer the settlers, 2 drums and no Late in November of 1632, according to one hig- frustrated by the failure to find sources of immediate less than 15 hautboys (oboes) and "soft recorders." torian, a pirate bolder than most raided the wealth, Walter Neale returned to England in 1633. As we noted previously, some of the stewards Piscataqua fishery, destroying several small vessels. Ferdinando Gorges and Captain John Mason and servants purloined quantities of these supplies "Four pinnaces and shallops, with forty men aboard" divided their holdings in 1633 drawing the line after the departure of Neale and the death of Captain sailed in search of this pirate, Dixy Bull. They "gave "down the middle" of the Piscataqua. Thus, the set- Mason. One Captain Francis Morton is said to have chase to eastward, but were forced to lay windbound tlement at Pannaway became Mason's sole responsi- driven cattle to Boston and there sold them for 20 in Pemaquid for nearly three weeks" and failed to bility to promote and support. pounds per head. The Great House at Strawbery capture the attackers. Mason wrote Ambrose Gibbons in 1634 that he Banke was seized and occupied until 1644 by As a reaction to this raid or simply because of had "disbursed agreat deal of money in the Thomas Warnerton, who in that year appropriated the growing importance of the colony, "foure grete Plantation and never received one penny ...... When some of the arins, ammunition, and other goods guns were given by a merchant of London for the he died in 1635 Mason's holdings in the settlements' from the Mason estate and accompanied them to defence of the river ..... Captains Neale and Wiggin were valued at 10,000 pounds. He left the house at Port Royal (Nova Scoria), disposing of them there. made "a choise of the most convenient place in the .Pannaway to -grand ,son Robert Tufton and the bal- The Great House with its thousand acres then was said river to make a for.tefecatyon for the defence ance of his Piscataq s@areto grandson John taken by Sampson Lane until 1647, when Richard - @ua@e thereof,... and they gave it the'name of Fortpoynt, TuftQn on the condition that each adopt the name Curt with his descendants came into possession of and allotted it so far backe into the island (New Mason. While John died young, Robert fulfilled the the property until the house fell into ruins (c. 1685). Castle) abo bow-shoat [shot] to a gfete high condition and became he* Next in the Sun: Life as Part of Ma, usetts. *all these holdings. He rocke whewas, intended in time to set the princi- failed to claim them fox time, unfortunately, istorpy Book Review OF or Foe' Staghorn Sumac* riend Written in Stone, A Geological History of the Northeastern United States erever you walk at Odiome you will The most popular use of the sumac, however, was By Chet Raymo and Maureen E. Raymo 0 n c e ass the all-intrusive, the lemonade that its fruit produced. From mid- s 0 om cro en in all the rocks and stones in the Wever_invasive Rhus typhina, or Staghorn June to mid-August, the fruit is just dripping with rit' Sumac (not to be confused with Poison Sumac). a tart juice that is delicious and thirst quenching. Wnortheast is the history of our landscape. T .his large shrub has pm*- Chet and Maureen Raymo's book Written nately compound leaves, in Stone explains the geologic history of the north- 11<7 and furry looking branch- east. They make geology exciting, beginning their story when the only life on earth was microscopic esAts fuzzy plumes of I . and living in the sea. They tell how plants and ani- redfruit ripen in in mid- summer. Despite her best mals invaded the land and dinosaurs dominated the efforts to keep it in check, globe until their perplexing disappearance. R. typhina always seems to be one step ahead of scape which makes geology come alive. Written in The Raymos have a true affection for the land- Stone will captivate the interested layperson. park horticul-turalist Louise Tallman's trim- ming blade (see relat ed story in the April-May air-- Summer Hours issue of the Sun (Vol. 2, No. 2) eginning June 1 the Center will be open 10am-6pm. Visitor Services Director It is difficult to be- BPeter Lareau explains that although the lieve that this . trouble- Center has always had extended summer hours, some shrub was once av.ery important source this is the first time the Center has been open Drawing of Staghorn Sumac (Rhus typhina) by Sylvia Jones, 1994. of medicine to Amen- after 5pm. "The evening hours are for people can Indians and early who enjoy the park after work in the summer. European settlers. The Indians made a tea from the The Gilmour household has been making "Indian Traditionally there has been a little peak of visi- bark to treat digestive disorders and the settlers Lemonade" for many years. The recipe? Come to tors about 4:30, and those people were never made a tea from the sumac's leaves for sore throats the Science Center in July and we'll make some! able to enjoy all our exhibits in the half hour and lung ailments. The red fruit was crushed and It will be a treat you will not soon forget, and may before we closed. Early evening is a beautiful simmered to make a cough syrup, and the leaves want to try at home. time to come to the shore and now it's a good were smoked to control asthma attacks. -Marilyn Gilmour time to visit the Center as well," T I% The Seacoast Sun Vol. 2 No. 3 Page 3 Seacoast 2000 An Interactive Lecture Series Where: Seacoast Science Center Odiorne Point State Park Rye, NH When: September 15, 22, 29; October 6 and 13 Time: 7 pm - 9 pm Price: Free! Join experts from the Seacoast region in lively discussions on the future of coastal resource issues such as habitat destruction, marine pollution, and fisheries decline. Lectures will precede each discussion; background materials will be available. Explore the issues relevant to your coastal future. Please call the Seacoast Science Center for more details and to register. at (603) 436 - 8043. Seacoast 2000 is supported by the NH Coastal Program of the NH Office of State, Planning, and the Benjamin Allen Rowland Cultural & Environmental Fund of the Greater Piscataqua Community Foundation. Foster's Daily Democrat, Dover, N.H. Friday Evening, September 16, 1994 Fish game goes swimmingly UNH students learn first-hand about industry By DIANE SCARPONI vironment too," he said. "By cost, less. Democrat Staff Writer planned growth. you can have Transactions were handled a sustainable natural re- on a computer, and also ac- RYE -Fifteen people source." counted for the fish taken.. learned how to bankrupt the The game, developed by their reproduction rate, and fishing industry and wipe out UNH professor Dennis Mead- weather variables. the fish population in about an ows, divides participants into In order to "maximize as- hour Thursday night. teams to represent fishing sets," most teams bought be- By playing a game called companies. tween 10 and 13 boats and de- "Fish Banks," participants, The companies are told to ployed them in deep water: including University of New "maximize your- assets," and The companies caught fish Hampshire students, learned are given money to buy boats and made money, which the first-hand how the fishing in- and put them out to sea. teams used to buv more boats dustry has recently reached Money is extracted for oper- and deploy into deep water. crisis proportions. ating costs, interest on loans Team Two believed they Robert Burnett-Kurie, an and purchase of boats, but were in competition with other education consultant who teams can earn money by sell- teams, and members decided tours the country exhibiting ing fish or boats. to leave their 15 boats in deep the interactive games to ev- Teams must decide how water to catch as many fish as eryone from high school stu- many boats to buy ahd where they could. dents to federal regulators, to deploy them. In the deep The team members rea- told the participants not to feel sea, boats catch more fish, but soned that they would make a badly about the loss.' the long trip costs more to op- lot of money in the first few --You can attain the inter- erate each boat. ests of your company, and In the coastal waters, boats Fish game have your economics and en- catch less fish, but the trips -Please turn to Page 15 Fish game Continued from Portsmouth Page rounds, arid then would trade and the Pacific sardine trade. economic resource needs to be sus- sell their boats when the fish stocks After the game was over, partici- tained.'' started decreasing. pants seemed troubled by the re- Team Three, on the other hand, re- sults, but noted that there are few The teams played the game at the alized after the second round that simple answers to such complex Seacoast Science Center in Rye as stocks were decreasing in the deep problems. part of the Seacoast 2000 lecture se- sea, so they moved all 13 of their "I need to learn more about it," ries on the future of the Seacoast. boats to coastal waters, where stocks said UNH student Cicely Buckley. The event was sponsored by the Off- were still strong. "Our real assets are the environ- ice of State Planning and the Greater ment and the food chain, while the Piscataqua Community Foundation. In the end, Kurie said all teams would have gone bankrupt. except for Team Three, if they were able to sell their boats to more competitive teams. Even Team Three's scenario was dangerous. he said, and is similar to local fishermen's fear of the closing of Georges Bank, which will drive deep-sea fishing boats into local wa- ters. Kurie told the teams, after bank- ruptcy and environmental destruc- tion was Imminent, that the teams should not have assumed they were in competition with each other. He also said that the teams should have included the value of the fish at sea as an asset instead of only seeking to maximize profits. The game's scenario has actually happened in many places, he said. including in thre Peruvian anchovy Ad APPENDIX E I Seacoast Science Center Outline of Awcomin Marsh Tour 1. Before Starting Out Introduction/Welcome - hand out binoculars 1111. Shuttle Over 111111. Marsh Tour A. Wetlands Discussion: What are they & why are they important? (See sheets "All About Salt Marshes".) B. Common plants & animals of a salt marsh (See field guide component of Teacher Guide#2 "The Salt Marsh") C. Salt Marsh Disturbances (See "All About Salt Marshes") D. Awcomin Marsh Restoration Project (See sheet with this title.) IV. Wrap-Up Answer questions V. Shuttle back to SSC 0 Seacoast Science Center Outline of Coastal Resources Tour 1. Before Starting Out Introduction/Welcome hand out binoculars [11. Exploring the Coastal Habitats A. Fresh Water Marsh B. Salt Marsh C. Rocky Shore D. Gulf of Maine (See sheets with these titles.) 111. Wrap-Up Answer questions IV. Back to SSC The list of speakers and reading materials for the evening lecture series, Seacoast 2000 September 15 Robert Burnett-Kurie, Certified Trainer, Fish Banks, Inc. The Tragedy of the Commons September 22 Frank Richardson, Senior Inspector, NH Dept. Environmental Services Life and Death of the Salt Marsh, John & Mildred Teal, @ 1969 September 29 Dr. Janet Campbell, Research Assoc. Professor, Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans and Space, University of New Hampshire (UNH) Mission to Planet Earth, by Isabell Abrams, in Current Health, April 1991. October 6: Dr. Richard Langdon, Mgr. Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, UNH Pollutants in Long Island Sound (copy on file at SSC) October 13: Phil Colarusso, Marine Biologist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Creating and Restoring Wetlands in Wetlands Issues, Environmental Issues Forum, North American Association for Environmental Education Restoring Seagrass in Systems in the United States by Mark Fonseca, in Restoring the Nation's Marine Environment, Symposium Coastal Issues Slide Show SLIDE TEXT Coastal views (1 & 2New Hampshire's 18 mile coastline is rich in resources. Our waterways and harbors, salt marshes and estuaries, and rocky shores in the Gulf of Maine provided early coastal settlers with most of the resources they needed for survival. Today we still count on these resources to provide food, transportation, recreation and a place to live. In this presentation we will examine how humans have utilized each of these resources in the past and what the future holds for our ability to utilize them conscientiously. River shot (3) Waterways have always played vital roles as territorial boundaries, food and water sources, avenues for transportation and recreation. In the 15th century, Indians of the Merrimack Valley area gathered at seasonal fishing sites in large numbers. The fish they dried and smoked during the harvest sustained them through the winter. In addition to using this river resource for food, the harvest was a time for communicating with large gatherings of families who lived apart the rest of the year. It was also a festive time, with group sports, gaming and making marriage contracts. iscataqua River (4) European explorers were always on the lookout for waterways that would provide access to the interior and its rich timber and fur resources. The Piscataqua River was first explored in 1603 by Capt. Martin Pring, who ran his ship, the Discoverer, 12 miles up river. Like the explorers who preceeded him along the coast, he looked for deep rivers that went far inland. The Piscataqua fit the bill. The first European settlement in New Hampshire was established by David Thomson in 1623, on the coast near Odiorne Point, and the mouth of the Piscataqua River. Thomson's objectives were to establish trade relations with the Indians, provide fishermen and lumbermen a year- round base, and to establish a community. Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM Old Ports. Harb. (5) Portsmouth Harbor and its waterways served as an access port to the riches of the interior from the sea. Pring noted evidence of Indian use, of the river, but did not elaborate. They launched ocean-going canoes from here, fished along the coast and at the Isles of Shoals, 9 miles off- shore. Although the Shoals were already an established fishing ground when Captain John Smith surveyed the area in 1614, he named them after himself. Smyth.s Isles. His description of them reflects their rich fishing resource: "...barren rocks ... in the heart of the strangest fish-pond I ever saw..." Although the islands were given to Smith a few years later, his name never stuck; the islands were too well known as the Isles of Shoals (shoals referred to schools of fish). Falkland frigate (6) Until the steam engine and reliable overland transportation were developed, ships.were the primary method of transporting goods and people throughout human Iiistory. American Indians built ocean going canoes, as well as canoes for in-shore and in-land use. It is not surprising that shipbuilding was among the first industries Europeans established here, especially since shipwrights were needed to support the area's first industry: fishing. Shipbuilders set up shop along the shores of the harbor and the Piscataqua River. This is the frigate Falkland. She and her sister British warship, the Bedford Galley were built in 1690 marking the birth of naval shipbuilding in America and the beginning of a shipbuilding industry that thrived in. the Portsmouth Harbor area until 1829. Portsmouth Harbor not only provided a deep water port for the ships and yards, the coastal lands provided much needed timber. In the 1600s white pines, 200 feet tall and 24 inches in diameter were marked as the Kings Mast Trees, to be used only for building His Majesty's ships. The mast trees were an extremely valuable resource for England because most of its forests were depleted. The importance of trees becomes clearer when you realize that it took 2,500 trees to make a 200 foot long warship in the 1770s. Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM 2 Fort Constitution (7) Portsmouth Harbor's strategic importance was quickly recognized. Near herethe first cannons were placed to protect early settlers from pirates and the French (at that time the Indians were still friendly). On this site the British built Fort William and Mary in 1635, renamed Fort Constitution during the Revolutionary War. This fort was active in all subs e'quent American wars from the War of 1812, the Civil War, and World Wars I and If. Today, it is an active Coast Guard Station. During President Bush's term (1988-92) over 60 men were on active duty here to protect the coast around his home in Kennebunkport, Maine. Usually the station has 20 crew on active duty. Shipyard river front (8) The Harbor's strategic value was greatly increased when the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard was built in Kittery, Maine in 1800. This photo shows the shipyard-built USS Portsmouth which was taken in the 1880s. Yard built ships served in every American conflict, from the War of 1812 to Vietnam. The yard's motto is "from sails to atoms" because their construction record stretched from sailing ships to nuclear submarines. Yard today (9) The first fast attack nuclear submarine, the Sand Lance, was launched here in 1969. Today the shipyard no longer builds submarines, but overhauls and repairs them. Its economic value to the community is significant and Portsmouth is fortunate that the Yard was not recommended for closure in 1995. LPG tanker (10) Portsmouth Harbor is an active commercial port for transoceanic ships; some of which, like this Liquefied Petroleum Gas tanker, carry hazardous or potentially environmentally damaging cargo. Coal, fuel Oil, salt, scrap metal and cable are among the other regular cargoes carried by ships here today. That these cargoes are carried upriver to Newington while we still have such a clean'coastal environment is a testament to how humans can utilize a resource without damaging it-- so far. Gundalow (1.1) How many of you think that carrying explosive cargoes, like LPG, or potentially damaging cargoes like oil is more hazardous to the coastal environment than the way this resource was used in 100 years ago.? The cargoes of the 1780s to 1830s included molasses, rum, sugar, salt, Xoral, coffee and brandy, so it would seem that we are taking greater --risks today. Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM 3 However, increased industrial activity and population expansion in the 19th century brought on many problems to these waters that we do not have today. Sewage, fisheries and slaughterhouse wastes were some of the biological pollutants entering the waterways. Outbreaks of yellow fever, tuberculosis, cholera and smallpox occurred because of these unsan; itary practices. Sawmills disposed of large amounts of sawdust into the estuaries, smothering them. Dyes from cotton mills and tanneries were also dumped into the tributaries, contributing chemical pollutants to the waterways. Hampton Beach (12) We still have problems related to pollution and over-development. While sewage and control has improved, non-point source pollution, such as fertilizer run-off from lawns, and trash from boats, continues to be a problem. As our understanding and awareness of the interrelationships between our actions, our environment's health and human health increases, we make better choices and even find more responsible ways to have fun. Little Harbor (13) The recreational value of Little Harbor and near-shore waters is significant. Day sailors, cigarette boats, wind surfers and private ocean- going yachts all ply these waters. The marinas and launching areas built for them impact on the second coastal resource. group we are going to discuss today: estuaries and salt marshes. Estuary (14) The ecological importance of estuarine and marsh systems is just now being appreciated. Estuaries are where fresh and salt water mix. This is part of Great Bay estuary, formed where the fresh waters of the Piscataqua and other rivers meet saltwater at high tide. These brackish waters sustain many kinds of life. Rivers also provided sources of power and transportation, so that towns were often sited near them. Since estuarine systems are so ecologically important, it is critical that we utilize this resource carefully. Among the Great Bay's resources was the blue marine clay found' along its shoreline. It could be used to make very high quality bricks.. Two dozen brickyards eventually were built along the Bay's shores. By 1900 over 20,000 bricks were manufactured here per year and shipped throughout the east coast. The industry died when the clay source. was exhausted. Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM 4 Estuary (15) The waters of an estuary are always moving. Tidal action causes the fluctuation of temperature, salinity, water clarity and current speeds. This state of constant flux brings in nutrients and takes away' wastes and sediments. You might think that the plants and animals that thrive in estuarine *systems would be able to tolerate wide ranges of temperature, salinity, and suspended sediments, and thus b e less sensitive to pollution and disturbances caused by boat traffic and propeller blades. Not necessarily. Eelgrass bed (16) Eelgrass bedsare important sub-habitats of the open water an'd.tidal creek habitats in an estuary'. Unlike marine algae, Eelgrass is a flowering rooted plant that has adapted to live partially submerged. Since it needs sunlight for photosynthesis it is only found in the shallow soft bottoms throughout the Bay. Eelgrass beds are extremely productive.. Many creatures find refuge in these thick stands; others eat the living plants or consume them after they have died. Eelgrass & lobster (17) Eelgrass needs sunlight to photosynthesize. When the water becomes too turbid for light to penetrate, the plants die. Running small boats through Eelgrass beds not only stirs up sediment, blocking sunlight, but propeller blades cut the plant, often uprooting it. This type of disturbance not only affects the Eelgrass, but has negative impact on the entire Eelgrass bed community. Osprey (18) Estuarine systems sustain over 60 plant and animal species that are listed as rare, threatened or endangered or are candidates for such listing. Here in New Hampshire osprey (shown here), the piping plover, the common tern and short-nose sturgeon are just some of the species on the infamous list. These animals have experienced significant population decline primarily from habitat loss and the effects of pollution. Marsh creek (19) Although many people still think of salt marshes as bug-ridden wastelands, we now know that marshes serve many important ecological functions. By definition, they are subject to daily tidal flow. Tidewater brings in marine organisms and nutrients and exports other nutrients and organisms to the ocean. Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM 5 Marsh zone shot (20) Marshes can be- divided into High and Low marsh zones, defined by the vegetation found in each. High marsh plants (those closer to the freshwater source) have a low tolerance for saltwater; low marsh plants 0 have a low tolerance for fresh. The run-off from our streets and lawns not only carries fertilizers and toxic pollutants, it is fresh water. Even too much clean water run-off can offset the chemical balance of the marshes if it floods the low marsh with fresh water. Marsh creek bank (21) Like estuaries, they are nurseries for many fish and the habitat for many shellfish. Two-thirds of the commercially harvested fish and shellfish utilize marsh-estuarine systems at some point in their life cycle. Salt marshes'provide flood, storm and erosion control. They buffer and absorb water and energy, minimizing coastal erosion and damage. Marshes serve as water filtration systems, trapping sediments; marsh vegetation can take up some organic pollutants, converting them to useful nutrients. Mud flat (22) Mud flats are sub-habitats in the Low Marsh. Although mud flats don't look like much at first, they are very productive biological systems, alive with different species of microscopic algae. Snails and zooplankton are attracted to this rich food source. Certain species of bacteria are also well adapted to this environment Anaerobic bacteria metabolize sulfur instead of oxygen. The strong odor associated with mud flats is caused by this bacteria's release of hydrogen sulfide. Phragmites (23) Other species are indicators of a marsh's condition. Phragmites and purple loose strife are two problematic plants which indicate that the system is going through ecological change. These plants cannot tolerate salt water, therefore their presence indicates a reduction in salinity, which may reflect changes or damage to water circulation within the marsh. Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM 6 Loose strife (24) Some people find the presence of these plants aesthetically pleasing but these plants provide little food value for wildlife and are not part of a healthy salt marsh flora. Historically, people have utilized salt marshes and estuaries prim arily as a food resource. They were fished and harvested by American Indians. When the European settlers arrived, the Indians showed them how to harvest the marshes. The marshes made quick pastures for cattle in a land that was heavily forested. Marsh grass (25) During the 1800s the marshes were extensively harvested for their "hay." Spartina alterniflora and S. patens are the two primary marsh plants. S. patens thrives in the high marsh and along marsh creeks, and was preferred by cattle. Farmers dug trenches through the marshes to enco urage the spread of S. patens. Staddle (26) Harvested hay was stored on concentrically arranged wooden staddles, shown here. Two factors were instrumental in the decline of commercial salt marsh haying. Tractors could not be used in the soft marshes, and tractors rapidly replaced the horse or ox teams. American tastes were changing as well, and milk was becoming a popular beverage. Milk from cows that grazed in salt marshes tasted salty. As soon as dairies began to refase milk from salt marsh pastured cows, the practice ceased. Dumping. in marsh (2 7) Human. population growth and development had greatly affected wetland habitats. In fact, in the mid-19th century the Swamps Land Acts was established to encourage agricultural development on these habitats. In a 1990 Report to Congress, the Department of the Interior gave an estimate of 53 percent loss of original wetlands since the 1780s. Remaining wetlands have suffered from other human activities. This picture was taken in 1986. Fortunately, it's a scene we should not see often anymore-at -least not legally! Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM 7 Power plant & marsh (28)Although marsh systems are able to absorb some pollution, their filtering capability is limited. It is unlikely that the marsh system could absorb radioactive waste, although some deep ocean sediments have been shown to absorb it. Using the marsh as a site for the Seabrook nuclear power plant was very controversial when construction began in 1976. (Construction was completed in 1986; full power production began on. August 19, 1990.)Power plant (29) The plant uses ocean water for cooling and as a repository for the heated water. A 17,140 foot intake tunnel brings seawater in from 7,000 feet offshore. The 16,500 foot long discharge tunnel discharges the heated water 5,500 feet from shore. The surface water temperature increase over the discharge area is about 3' F. The long term effect of this "heat pollution" is unknown. Today the plant's safety record ranks it in the top 25% of the safest in the country. Whether or not building the power plant here is a good use of the marsh and coastal resource'is as problematic as shipping liquefied petroleum gas up the Piscataqua River. An accident in either case would be disastrous. If an LPG tanker exploded, the damage would impact a large, densely populated area. What would be the effect of a melt-down. at the power plant melts down? And yet hazardous cargos have been transported by ship up and down Piscataqua River for hundreds of years. The Seabrook Plant has been on-line for 5 years, generating power for 1 million homes (40-50% of the area's electrical power). Are these uses worth the risk? Marsh and harbor (30) The State of New Hampshire estimates that half of its coastal wetlands have been destroyed since colonial times. Much of that destruction was caused by development, rather than storm damage. As we.have described, waterfront property has been a prized resource, and as solid ground was developed, people found ways to build on marshes. Today New Hampshire's seacoast is one of the fastest growing areas of the state. Seacoast population has grown 31% over the last 18 years. Meeting the demands for this growth without negatively, impacting coastal resources is a challenge we must meet. Fisherma.n statue (31) When we discussed human use of the harbors and waterways you probably noticed that fishing played a large role. Fish have been the primary.commercial resource of the last coastal resource we will discuss today: the Gulf of Maine. Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM 8 Gulf of Maine map (32) The Gulf of Maine extends from Georges Banks of the shore of Cape Cod, (USA) north to include the Bay of Fundy in Canada. It is often called a "sea within a sea" because its waters are separated from the Atlantic Ocean by the submerged plateaus of Georges Bank and , Browns Bank. As a result, the Gulf's temperatures and salinities differ from that of the Atlantic. Where temperature variation, tides, currents and bottom topography combine and bottom and surface waters combine, biological productivity is at its highest. These physical characteristics make the Gulf a prime feeding ground for fish, and thus a prime fishing ground for humans. By 1616, 200 European fishing boats were working in the Gulf. Two years later, 138,000 pounds of fish were landed from Gulf waters. One of the compelling reasons David Thomson gave for funding his settlement in 1620 was that fishermen could take advantage of the second (fall) cod run if they could survive winter on the coast. In modern times, lobsters, shrimp, herring, bluefish, whiting and bluefin tuna are some of the commercial species that are harvested from these waters. Fishing boats (33) Better and more efficient ways of catching more and more fish were constantly being developed. Eventually people became too efficient. A decline in the fisheries was felt as early as the mid-18th century. In the 1970s Russian fishing trawlers crossed into American waters at night to fish Jefft-eys Ledge, 20 miles east of the Isles of Shoals. In 1977 the United States and Canada pushed back their t 'erritorial waters boundaries to 200 miles off shore. This reduced factory ship access to fish populations, which should have allowed those populations to rebound. However, this was not enough and fish landings continued to decrease. Cod catches dropped from 200,000 tons in 1977 to 22,000 tons. Drastic measures were needed. In 199X Canada closed its fishing grounds in the Gulf, the United States closed its grounds in 1994. It is hoped that this drastic measure will give the fish stock a chance to recover. Live & kicking (34) As the fishing industry collapses, the survival of many coastal towns is threatened. Towns with no other industry and few other commercial reslources to utilize, face very hard times and even harder decisions. Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM 9 Shore & Shoals.(35) The Gulf of Maine provides more than food. Like all coastal waters.it is used for transportation and recreation. Its beauty captivated early explorers like Pring and Smith, and captivates tourists and residents today. Nearly half the US. population lives within 50 miles of the coast. There is another population that lives along the coast-@-the plants an&animals that live in the intertidal zone--the land exposed at low tide. Zonation (36) Plants and animals dominate each area because of their tolerance to exposure at low tide and submersion at high tide. At low tide, these zones look like colored stripes, as you see here. The highest part of the rocky shore is called the splash zone, its only contact with sea water is the occasional splashing of waves. This zone is also called the black zone, because of the black cynobacteria (once called blue-green algae) that dominate here. Below the splash zone is the barnacle zone, named for the dense populations of barnacles that live here. Seaweeds dominate the middle or brown zone. This area is submerged with every tide. The lower orrred zone is only exposed during very low tides and marks the end of the intertidal. Tide pooling (37) Throughout the inter tidal zone, there are areas where the outgoing tidewater is trapped in tide pools. In these sub-habitats plants and animals that cannot withstand prolonged exposure to air thrive. These include amphipods, nudibranchs, flat and coiled worms, sponges, anemones, sea stars and sea urchins. Beach trash (38) As the human population increased along the coast its impact on the intertidal and near-shore plant and animal communities was increasingly detrimeAtal. Dumping from ships, on-shore litter and trash were not only ruining the esthetic value of the coast, they created health hazards. Negative human impact on coastal areas was significant enough in 1972 for Congress to pass the Coastal Zone Management Act (CZMA). The CZMA addresses coastal 'resource issues by having states develop comprehensive coastal man Iagement programs with federal guidance from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12-.24PM 10 Trash display (39) Coastal clean-ups, which are now international. On specific dates around the world people volunteer to clean up the trash on their communities' c O*ast. The trash is classified and quantified; the results tallied and published annually in the Center's report, Coastal Cleanup Results. New Hampshire communities have participated in the clean-up since it began 'in 1988. Current trash trends show that beach goers contribute more trash than ocean goers. Cigarette butts and food containers on sandy beaches account for more trash than found on rocky shores. Rocky shore trash is mostly from that which washes ashore from boaters-including fishing boats, ocean liners and recreational boats. Fishing boat (40) The future of our ability to live near and utilize coastal resources is mixed. We are much more aware of the impact our actions have, and no longer use waterways as waste disposal sites. However, the human population continues to grow, putting more and more demands on finite resources. There are no easy or simple answers; no known quick fixes. However, there are positive signs. The eagle has returned to Great Bay and is no longer endangered. We are beginning to take drastic steps to prevent further degradation, such as closing economically valuable fishing grounds we have fished for ov'er 300 years.-Let's put the same amount of energy, zeal and resources into conserving our resources as we do utilizing them! This presentation was funded by the Office of State Planning, New Hampshire Coastal Zone Program, as authorized by the national Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Grant Award #NA470ZO237. Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 12:24 PM References Center for Marine Conservation, 1993 National Coastal Cleanup Results. center for Marine Conservation, Washington, DC, 1994. 275 pp. Crosby,..MacIntyre & Lull, 1994. Foo: tprints in Time. Alan Sutton Ltd. Bath, England. 104 pp. Stewart-Smith, David, 1994. Pennacook Lands and Relations. Masters thesis unpub. Stewart-Smith, David, 1993. Pennacook-Pawtucket Relation.s: The Cycles of Family Alliance. on the Merrimack River in the 17th Century. Union Institute Graduate School, Norwich University-Vermont College. Whittaker, Robert H. 1994. Portsmouth Kittery Naval Shipyard. Alan Sutton Pub. Inc. Dover, NH. 160 pp. Whittaker, Robert H. 1993. Land of Lost Content. Alan Sutton Pub. Inc. Dover, NH. 221 pp. Photo credits: Richard Cook: Wildlife & Wetlands Director, ASNH Tim Kerwin: Kerwin Photography, Somersworth, NH 0 Wendy Lull: Executive Director, SSC svteve J. Miller: Program Director, SSC C. Raymond Dr. Fred Short: Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, UNH Lee Yoeman: graduate, SSC/UNH RMP 743 class Coastal resources slide show rev date 6/30/95 2:03 PM 12 What You Can Do To Help The Audubon Society OSPREY of New Hampshire Pandion haliaetus Contribute to our understanding of the is an independent nonprofit organization Osprey's distribution within New Hamp- with active programs in land preservation, shire by reporting any sightings to the envirorimental education, legislative action, Audubon Society of New Hampshire or and non-game research and management. 0 0 the NH Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program, N.H. Fish and Game Department. V1 Shooting or harassing threatened or endangered wildlife species is against the law. Report any illegal activities to the N.H. Fish and Game Department or your local conservation officer. � Learn more about the habits and needs of native wildlife so that you can help to educate others. How Can I Identify an Osprey? � Share your knowledge and concern . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. about birds of prey to help dispel myths The Osprey is a large, long-legged, fish- that lead offietstQ ,harm th Iem I,j eating raptor. Because of their large size, Osprey are sometimes mistaken for the more � Urws.,tatp ar4 leeislatorsand, massive Bald Eagle, although at two feet tall your local.,cons'eiTy.ation commission.to. Further information about ASNH with a six foot wingspan, they are consider- protect critical habitat.for Osp can be requested from- ably smaller than eagles, but larger than reys and 0 th @r,:Tijd ife" Audubon Society of New Hampshire most hawks. Seen in flight, the Osprey's 3 Silk Farm Road prominent features are its white or slightly Concord, N.H. 03301,8200 mottled underparts, dark brown back, the Support organizations working to''pr'o- . ,, 1'' 603,224-9909 pronounced crook in its long wings high- tecteridangpred species and offier.non-' game wildlife. lighted by distinctive black wrist patches. This brochure was funded in part by a grant from Seen from closer proximity, the Osprey's the New Hampshire Coastal Program, as authorized bright yellow eye and broad, dark eyestripe by National Oceanic and Atmospheric help to distinguish it from other birds of Administration (NOAA). prey. Life History After migrating south their first fall, young Current Status of New Ospreys spend the next year and a half on Ospreys arrive in New Hampshire their winter grounds. They do not return to Hampshire's Ospreys during April, returning year after year to the the breeding grounds until the spring of same breeding grounds. An osprey nest is their second year. Since the early 1980's, Ospreys have generally placed in the flattened top of a The Osprey is a truly cosmopolitan maintained active nests in the North Coun- live or dead tree, but may also be placed bird. It is able to take advantage of water try region of New Hampshire. This popula, atop man-made structures such as power bodies suitable for its fishing way of life on tion has experienced steady growth through transmission poles, waterfront pylons, every land mass on earth except New the period, and now produces 20-30 young channel markers and specially erected Zealand and Antarctica. Populations here each year from an average of 25 nests. nesting platforms. The nest is up to five feet in the northeast generally migrate to the in diameter and is made with a large accu- warmer climates of Central and South In 1989, a pair of Osprey made Great mulation of various sized dead branches up America. Bay their home. After an early nesting to five feet long. Both sexes gather the failure that year, they have successfully nesting material, but the female does most Historical Review raised young in subsequent years. Great Bay of the nest arrangement. Softer materials now has at least two successful breeding such as sod, seaweed or marsh grass line the In the two-decade period from 1950- pairs with the addition of a nest on a utility nest. Nests are often used in successive years 70, the Osprey population was severely tower along the Squamscott River. Each and the addition of nesting materials in diminished, especially in the eastern United year brings more Osprey sightings and each season cause them to become very States. Ospreys initially declined because of nesting attempts to the seacoast region. heavy and bulky, sometimes growing as high pesticides such as DDT and other persistent You can observe Osprey in southeastern as eight feet. chemicals in their food chain, which caused New Hampshire from late March through infertility and thinned egg shells. Since the mid-October. The Great Bay estuary system Male and female Ospreys court each banning of DDT in the United States is a prime area. The marshes, harbors and @ I . . ) @1 beach areas along the seacoast can also be other with's''pectaculaeaind vbical s 6aring, in 197 2, the Osprey has made a steady rewarding observation sites, especially div,ing, and swoop.ing.. The male may hover comeback. Osprey may still be threatened, during migration. high -6ver his teff itibliy ca trying@ 15 hsh or a however, by pesticide use near their winter- stick; "a display tha t's'6r'v` es- to f a@v6 rably' ing areas in the tropics. influ6n`c'e'his mate'and alis'60-1 'Y' al _n oge potend rivals. The female lays frori@ I-A' .blotched, Osprey face threats even before they oval eggs in two day intervals. Incubation hatch. Great -homed owls, gulls, raccoons, by b6ih the @rnale and fema'k @ @ontinu'eis for and fishers may prey on eggs left unattended about five weeks. The [email protected] hitch-'rely in nests. Food availability directly affects on the adults to feed them, but in 4-5,Weeks chick survival. Declines in fish populations they can eat, by themselves, the prey that or water quality may reduce the size of local both parents bring to the nest. At around 8 Osprey populations. although Osprey are weeks, they are capable of flight and begin protected under state and federal laws, to follow the adults to their fishing grounds. illegal shooting still occurs. What You Can Do To Help Contribute to our understanding of the The Audubon Society COMMON distribution of terns within New Hamp- of New Hampshire shire by reporting any sightings of is an independent nonprofit organization TERNS Common, Arctic or Roseate Terns to with programs in wildlife conservation, the Audubon Society of New Hamp- Sterna hirundo shire or the NH Nongame and Endan- environmental affairs, land protection, and gered Wildlife Program, N.H. Fish & environmental education. Game Department. Shooting or harassing threatened or endangered wildlife species is against the law. Report any illegal activities to the N.H. Fish & Game Department or your local conservation officer. Urge state and federal legislators and your local conservation commission to protect What Are Terns? sensitive coastal areas from development, pollution and exploitation. Among the most elegant of seabirds, Stay away ftom areas where terns are terns are smaller and more slender in build known or thought to be nesting and than the closely related gulls and are distin- . . . . . . . . . . .. keep pets away from these place, to guished by long, narrow, pointed wings and avoid disturbing the birds or leaving deeply forked tails. They all have black scent trails for predators. caps during the breeding season, and long, tapering bills. The varying length of the � Discourage gulls in beach areas by properly tails and the colors of their bills can be used disposing of garbage and trash. Never dump Further information about ASNH to tell the species apart. wastes of any kind into the ocean. can be requested from: Terns flit gracefully over the water, � Learn more about the habits and needs Audubon Society of New Hampshire bills pointed downward, their long wings 3 Silk Farm Road lifting them easily and swiftly 30-40 feet. of native wildlife so that you can help to Concord, NH 03301-8200 When they spy food below, they plunge educate others. 603-224-9909 headfirst into the water, often disappearing � Volunteer to assist with tern protection completely under the surface. These birds at a nesting area near your home. This brochure was funded in part by a grant from sometimes gather in huge numbers over a the New Hampshire Coastal Program, as authorized school of fish, swirling in the air, screaming � Support organizations working to pro- by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric and diving again and again. Fisherman can tect endangered species and other non- Administration, (NOAA). often locate schools of fish by observing the game wildlife. tem's activities. Terns can be aggressive when they are increase in the open dumping of garbage driving potential predators away from the and an enormous growth, in ihe fishing.,. nesting colony, especially-Auring the: height industry. These'largeri: more. aggressive @k, of their breeding season when. they are birds compete, with iteTns for nesting sites defending their eggs and young. An indi- and prey direictly. on tern eggs and chicks.. vidual who wanders too close to an active Terns are subsequently forced into more!,, Life History breeding colony is likel .y to be dive bombed marginal areas-for nesting and become more and "white-washed" by'crying birds. Keep vulnerable to predators and..human distur-@-: in mind that you have wandered into the bance. Terns arrive in New England during birds' nursery, and make a careful retreat. the first half of May, and usually breed in Terns have been greatly affected by colonies on barr ier beaches, offshore islands By late summer, large groups of terns coastal development and pollution. Shore- and in the salt marshes. After a brief court, begin to congregate on outer beaches and front development has reduced available ship, which may include ritualized flight islands. Most depart for their southern habitat and caused greater disturbance by displays and intricate caressing and preening wintering grounds in Central and South house pets, off-road vehicles and humans. of each other's feathers, mating ensues. America in September. Some Arctic Terns Human habitation has disturbed the bal- Common and Arctic Terns build vulnerable make incredible oceanic journeys 25,000 ance of predators as well, often exposing nests on open shores, scooping out shallow miles, roundtrip between the Arctic and tern colonies to increased numbers of scrapes in the sand, placing a few weeds on Antarctic via the coast of Africa and South raccoons, skunks and rats. bare rock or nestling atop the salt marsh America. grasses. Roseate terns conceal their simple nests among tall grasses or vegetation or in Historical R,gview rock crevices. The numbers,of terns breeding along Between late May and late July, terns Current,"Si'a'tu` .N* the New Hampshireco@@t,@ as'alork the 9f lay 2-3 oval eggs with various patterns of brown on a buff background; if one set of entire Atlantic, coast,'Iias fluctuated greatly Hamps hire @Tems - eggs is destroyed, terns may lay several in the last century. Once among the most times. The chicks hatch after about 21 days abundant nesting birds on the Atlantic and New'Ha .n@'pshire currently t@4-'P&ts Gulf coasts, th6y'have--sinc'e been plagued, by of incubation and within a few days seek Ka only small numbers of the'Com ri@'ori Tern. a variety of threats. tremendous numbers shelter in the grasses or other concealing This tern population includes scatt'e-r4 of terns were killed'in the late 1800's for the I , -.' @ vegetation. Although the young are well pairs nesting on rocky isl@' rids in'thecoastal millinery trade. Although protective laws developed when they hatch, they will stay bays and colonies" in the Ham' to* Harbor p n were eyentuallyp'assed'and te ms increased near the nest, cared for by both adults and temporarily in the early 1900's, their popu- Estuary. fed on small fish caught in the coastal Field s udi@s` 6iducte'd annu'a- lly since lations have de*eO drasticalky@ainceithe t shallows. Young terns are capable of short 1981 have do*cuthe'A&d seri6di iiikability in 1950's. flights three to four weeks after hatching coastal colonies, where marginal nesting and tend to gather in small groups by the habitat and heavy predation have signifi- Gull populations have increased water's edge, waiting to be fed. cantly hampered'pio(luctivity. dramatically in recent years due to the NOAA COASTAL SERVICES CTR LIBRARY I 111111111111 111111111 3 6668 14111150 2