ANEP: Publications- ANEP Update

Publications:
ANEP Update

October 2003

NEP NEWS

Contents:

Indian River Lagoon | Click Here
Maryland Coastal Bays | Click Here
Center for the Inland Bays | Click Here
Mobile Bay | Click Here
Delaware Estuary | Click Here
New Hampshire Estuaries | Click Here
Casco Bay | Click Here

Meetings and Conferences | Click Here

Indian River Lagoon

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In the 1960s, Kennedy Space Center and its support industries fueled a population boom on Merritt Island. At that time, even environmentally sensitive lands were fair game for what was then considered urban "improvement." One such spot was a 50-plus acre salt marsh on the western fringes of north Merritt Island. A canal was dug to provide boat access to the Indian River Lagoon, and the excavated spoil material was pumped onto the adjacent marsh to provide high, dry land for the planned suburban enclave. The grand plans were never realized, and the land eventually became part of the St. Johns River Water Management District's 850-acre Pine Island Conservation Area.

Now, the District is partnering with the Brevard County Parks and Recreation Environmentally Endangered Lands (EEL) Program to restore the salt marshes in what may be the largest restoration project of its kind in the lagoon's 156-mile-long watershed. The first phase of the project encompasses 10 acres and required the removal of thick clots of invasive Brazilian pepper trees that dominated the landscape. Then came the temporary storage and removal of roughly 50,000 cubic yards - nearly 3,000 dump truck loads - of spoil material. Crews were also saddled with the task of scraping down spoil mounds - nine feet high in some instances - to the level of nearby salt marshes. Long-term plans call for construction of a boardwalk with interpretive educational materials to explain the restoration process to the public. Funding for this phase of the restoration totaled $194,196 and came from a combination of the District's Money-For-Mitigation Program ($57,346) and from a Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) mitigation project ($136,850). The total project cost is estimated at $1.2 million.

Maryland Coastal Bays

As the new school year begins, so do the Maryland Coastal Bays Program's in-class activities. These programs are geared towards children in every grade ranging from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. "Let the Cattail Out of the Bag (pre-K-3)" allows students to become aware of wetland inhabitants by using all of their senses. "Make it Rain and Watch It Drain (Grades 4-12)" is a hands-on activity involving an Enviroscapes Coastal Watershed Model that allows students to describe wetland functions and landscapes unique to our coastal watershed. A new addition to the in-class program list this year is "Tabby the Terrapin (PreK-3)." Tabby the Terrapin will teach students about the importance of respecting plants, animals, and wildlife through a puppet show and craft-making. Other programs that are offered include "Critter Corners (Grades 5-12)" where students recognize similarities and differences between humans and animals and identify local critters, their habitats, and lifestyles; "Marsh Market/Food Web (Grades 4-8)" in which students construct a living food web and discuss the role and effects that humans have on the food chain; and "Coastal Bays Jeopardy (Grades 5-12)" where students watch a video and then play jeopardy to answer questions about historical, ecological, and environmental facts about the coastal bays watershed. For more information, contact Julia Early at (410) 213- 2297.

Center for the Inland Bays

The Center for the Inland Bays' Scientific & Technical Advisory Committee recently entertained a presentation by UEK (Underwater Electric Kite) Corporation from Annapolis, Maryland. UEK has proposed installing bi-directional hydro turbines in Indian River Inlet to provide power generation for local communities. Such a system would be the first of its kind in the United States. The UEK concept has spawned local interest and enthusiasm and an exploratory committee to consider the proposal was created by state Senator George Bunting.

Mobile Bay

The rapid assessment of plant and animal species in Mobile Bay by the Alabama-Mississippi Rapid Assessment Team (AMRAT) was completed on Friday, September 5, 2003 and preliminary results are in. All that remains are classifications of plankton and some bacteria. A single Asian clam, Corbicula fluminea was found and two new state records for mollusks, a marine snail (Turbonila puncta) and an oyster (bi-color purse oyster) not previously noted in Alabama were found. In addition, the discovery of a juvenile Permit in waters off Cedar Point was also unexpected. However, with these exceptions, preliminary results indicate no new non-native aquatic species were found, although the algae, plankton and bacteria results won't be available for a while.

"We found most of the same native and non-native plant and animals that we have long known were present in the bay but with the exception of the mollusks, we didn't find any new ones", said Mark Van Hoose, a biologist with the Alabama

Justin Meunier of BTNEP participating in the MBNEP rapid assessment, held September 2-5, 2003.

Department of Marine Resources. Scientists throughout the Gulf are paying particular attention to the potential introduction by, accident or intent, of non-native species. They pose potentially large economic and biodiversity impacts by damage to native plant and animal populations. Other non-native species that have been noted at various times in our area include the giant land crab (Cardisoma guanhumi) found in a yard on the Fish River, Alabama in 2002 and the unusual crab (Callinectes bocourti) found in the Perdido area last year. No evidence of the Australian jellyfish (Phylloriza punctata) was noted at this time in the bay or nearby waters during an aerial surveillance conducted by Dr. Monty Graham. Many invasives are tropical species and the semi-tropical climate in the Gulf offers very conducive conditions to colonization and even adaptation by many no-natives species. Therefore the results of this survey can be seen as surprising.

David Yeager, Director of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program sees nothing but good in the survey result. "This is a good news story. Proof of the negative is a very important data point. This survey and good historical data provide us a baseline for future evaluation and comparison. Even though I'm pleased that we found no evidence of a new invasive threat, we also have to remember this is only a snapshot. This year has seen a heavy fresh water inflow into the Bay but conditions can change as rapidly as the seasons. You only have to look back a year or two to the Australian Jellyfish invasion to see that." A complete list of all the species identified during this survey is being compiled and will be accessible through a database maintained by the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission. It will also be available through the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program's Data and Information Management System (DIMS) and accessible through the MBNEP Web site (www.mobilebaynep.com).

Tom Kelsch of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and Peter Evans of Delaware Estuary NEP present a teacher and students from Camden Academy Charter High School in New Jersey with $15,000 for invasive plant control at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge at Tinicum in Pennsylvania.

Delaware Estuary

On September 29, 2003, the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation announced $500,000 in funding to help a wide variety of community groups, schools, and agencies with projects that protect our natural resources and increase awareness of the positive connections between our economy, our lifestyle, and the Delaware Estuary watershed we call home. Funding for the first year of this program has been provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the William Penn Foundation, and ConocoPhillips.

Refreshed from the contact with other NEP leaders in Seattle, the Delaware Estuary Program management committee is honing a revised set of priorities to guide funding and staff commitments during the next 3-5 years. These priorities will guide future efforts into additional monitoring of habitat and living resources, development of non-point source and stormwater pollution controls, refinement of habitat protection priorities, building legislative relationships and development of an invasive species strategy (not necessarily in that order). These new priority areas will get increased attention as our commitment to existing projects us the necessary afford capacity.

New Hampshire Estuaries

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The New Hampshire Estuaries Project released its 2003 State of the Estuaries report in October 2003. The report offers data that suggest New Hampshire's estuaries are in generally good condition, but are under threat. The 32-page report examines 12 environmental indicators of estuarine health, such as bacteria levels, nitrogen concentrations, toxic contaminant levels, abundance of shellfish and land use in the coastal watershed. By examining long-term data sets complied by a variety of organizations, the report clearly describes the current status of NH's estuaries and suggests trends for the future.

According to Phil Trowbridge, the NHEP's Coastal Scientist, the report suggests that "New Hampshire's estuaries are still in relatively good condition. Due to lots of hard work by the NHEP and its partners, water quality has improved and over 40,000 acres of land have been protected from development." Even though many aspects of estuarine health appear positive, Trowbridge points out that not all of the news is good. "Despite these successes, there are still problems and new threats. The oyster fishery in Great Bay is at an all time low because of an oyster-specific disease. In the watershed, development, especially along shorelines, and the creation of new impervious surfaces is accelerating. Finally, nitrogen concentrations in Great Bay are increasing, which may foretell future changes to the ecology of the Bay."

Copies of the 2003 State of the Estuaries Report will be sent to all NEPs and more copies can be requested from the NHEP office at 603-433-7187.

Casco Bay

On October 21 and 22, the Casco Bay Estuary Project, Maine Department of Environmental Protection, and Audubon International, co-hosted two training workshops to promote environmental stewardship on golf courses in Maine. The first training workshop targeted environmental professionals who want to work with golf courses. The second training day hosted nearly 50 golf course superintendents and managers from around the state. Both training days ended with a 2-hour tour of environmental practices at the Portland Country Club, the state's only Audubon certified course. As a follow up to the training workshops, Casco Bay Estuary Project will organize a watershed team of environmental experts to work with interested courses to provide technical assistance.

Meetings & Conferences

Second National Conference on Coastal and Estuarine Habitat Restoration, September 12-15, 2004 at the Washington State Convention & Trade Center in Seattle, Washington --- Restore America's Estuaries is thrilled to announce that the Habitat Restoration Community for our coasts and estuaries will be gathering together again - this time in Seattle. The Second National Conference will advance the knowledge, pace, practice and success of coastal and estuarine habitat restoration. While addressing restoration challenges and successes around the U.S., the Second National Conference will also highlight the unique resources and restoration efforts in and around the Pacific Northwest. For more information about the conference, contact Nicole Maylett at nmaylett@estuaries.org, or visit our website at www.estuaries.org. (Please check the website for the Call for presentations)