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Ebb&FlowThe Division of Ecological Restoration Ebb&Flow #4- August, 2010 An electronic newsletter from the Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration Welcome Letter
Greetings, Ebb&Flow Readers - As a Greek philosopher said, “everything flows, nothing stands still”, and in that spirit the Division of Ecological Restoration announces that a new team member has joined us and a colleague (and friend) has left. Franz Ingelfinger joins the Division from The Trustees of Reservations where, for the past nine years, he was their Northeast Regional Ecologist, working throughout Essex County. He received his masters from the University of Wyoming, Laramie. Franz is a project manager/restoration ecologist with a background in wildlife biology, endangered species management, and habitat restoration. He will be coordinating various fresh and saltwater wetland restoration projects throughout the state. If you have a chance, please welcome him; he can be reached at franz.ingelfinger@state.ma.us or at (617) 626-1549. Many of you know that Margaret Kearns, our longtime watershed ecologist and program coordinator, has left state service to pursue personal interests. Margaret helped to create Riverways’ River Instream Flow Stewards (RIFLS) Program and raised the profile of flow restoration to statewide prominence. For eight years she educated volunteers, watershed associations and state agencies about the importance of the master variable: stream flow. We will miss her, as will the dozens of volunteer flow monitors and other colleagues she worked with. Margaret played a major supporting role in the story told in Ebb&Flow #4’s feature article: the Town of Scituate’s ongoing effort (using RIFLS data, the Water Evaluation and Planning (WEAP) model and other means) to determine the feasibility of achieving a sustainable public water supply while restoring the herring run to First Herring Brook. DER staff will continue our involvement in this worthy endeavor, in partnership with the Division of Marine Fisheries. To take the edge off the sultry weather, the Division of Ecological Restoration continues to keep its feet wet with multiple restoration projects under construction. As well, staff are monitoring aquatic restoration sites and providing timely technical assistance to watershed stewards. Check out this edition of Ebb&Flow to find out more about projects and initiatives recently completed or underway. Long summer days are upon us and our memories of a remarkably wet spring are now replaced by concerns of low flows and whether there is enough water to sustain stream health. Restoration of natural steam flows, through responsible dam management, the removal of barriers, and timely technical assistance, helps to mitigate the impact of these dry periods and builds ecosystem resilience. We look forward to continuing to help our partners restore and protect their wetlands and streams to ensure that “everything flows, nothing stands still.” See you on the water soon.
Tim Purinton, Acting Director
Hunt Durey, Acting Deputy Director [The following article appeared in the Boston Globe’s South Weekly edition on July 22 (click here for the link). We thank reporter Robert Knox (rc.knox2@gmail.com) for his permission to reprint his article in our newsletter.] Water Bans May Restore Herring Run By Robert Knox, Globe Correspondent July 22, 2010 SCITUATE - As the dry summer triggers outdoor watering bans in many communities south of Boston, Scituate officials are working with a volunteer committee on plans to restore the herring run in a Scituate river named for what was once the region’s most abundant fish. Following a three-year study of water levels in Scituate’s First Herring Brook and in the town’s public water supply system, those who want to restore the herring are counting on conservation and new strategies for managing town water to make sure there’s enough for both people and fish. First Herring Brook, which drains a 5-square-mile watershed, has failed to sustain river herring for generations, according to a study prepared by the town’s Water Resources Committee and the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, with help from experts. The main problem is the town drains off the stream’s water into two large reservoirs for public use. River herring are a diadromous species — fish that live part of their lives in rivers and ponds and part in saltwater environments. Their spring run upstream from the sea to freshwater spawning areas has long been a feature of coastal life in South Shore and Buzzards Bay communities, though populations have declined by about 90 percent along the Eastern seaboard in recent decades. Restoring herring to the brook would not only be good for the fish but would also show that things are well in a body of water relied on by the town for its drinking water, officials said. “It’s not only the right thing to do,’’ said Selectman Rick Murray, “it’s an overall indicator of water abundance and quality.’’ At a public meeting last month, residents heard the results of the study that examined stream flow at various times of year, the water needs of both fish and people, potential sources for new water supply, and the effect of hot, dry summers on the river. The results of the study suggest that herring restoration depends in large measure on reducing the amount of water reserved for human needs in the crucial late summer period when the fish need it to get back down the river to the sea. In Scituate, as in many suburban communities, water demand nearly doubles in the summer. While the town’s average annual water use is approximately 1.3 million gallons per day, in the summer months it’s more than 2 million, said Jeff Rosen, chairman of the Water Resources Committee. The problem is timing, Murray said: “We have enough water. We just don’t have it at the right time.’’ Since outdoor watering drives up summer’s peak demand, reducing the amount of water people use on their lawns in hot weather months is the first goal of conservation efforts. Rosen’s committee meets today to work on a new, more aggressive water conservation plan. Under consideration are a watering ban that would take effect earlier in the summer and a water rate structure that would reward low levels of use and make higher levels of water use more expensive. Murray said he favors requiring sensors on private automated sprinkler systems to prevent them from turning on in the rain. “We see that in town,’’ he said. The town put restrictions into effect two weeks ago, banning use of municipal water for lawns, washing cars, hosing driveways, and filling pools, every day from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fines are $50 for a first offense; $100 thereafter. While the need for restrictions may make some question whether the town can spare water for the herring, Rosen said dry summers have been taken into account. “These years of drought are part of the study,’’ he said. The need to reduce summer water use is echoed by Samantha Woods, director of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, who said state policy requires communities to take no more water than “a sustainable yield’’ for the environment. She pointed out that Scituate is required to apply to the state for renewal of its water withdrawal permit this year. “They’re talking the talk,’’ Woods said. “We’ll hold them to it.’’ The town is also looking into increasing water storage capacity by reclaiming the old Damon Galen reservoir on Scituate-owned property in Norwell, which may allow it to store an additional 50 million gallons when the river is running high and save it for the summer, Rosen said. That would allow the town to release water in timed “pulses’’ in late summer, when fish populations have built up behind the dams, to push them downstream, then close the dams until the population builds up for a second pulse. Al Bangert, the town’s public works director, said scouring the town’s ground-water wells to increase their capacity is another step the town can take to improve its water supply and leave enough for the herring. Officials are also planning to undertake first steps such as replacing nonfunctioning fish ladders needed to help fish get over the town’s dams in the spring. River Restoration Project Updates The following updates are provided by DER Restoration Specialist/Project Manager Alex Hackman. DER has 70 active river, wetland and flow restoration projects; included here is a sampling of river restoration projects. Interested parties are welcome to contact Beth Lambert or Alex at alex.hackman@state.ma.us or (617) 626-1548 for additional information or discussion on any of the projects below.
Amethyst Brook Restoration Project/Bartlett Rod Shop Dam Removal (Pelham): Preliminary engineering designs were recently completed for this new Priority Project by Stantec Consulting Services under contract with DER. The project team includes DER, the Town of Amherst, US Fish and Wildlife Service, American Rivers, and others working together to remove the aging structure, restore fish passage, and improve water quality. The dam currently prevents a variety of migratory and resident fish – including sea lamprey, eel, salmon, trout, and slimy sculpin – from moving upstream. Funding for final engineering design has been secured from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and DER hope to start the permitting work later this summer. Dam removal is tentatively scheduled for summer 2011.
Wellingsley Brook Restoration Project ( Plymouth ): Preliminary engineering designs were recently completed on this new Priority Project by Inter-fluve, Inc.under contract with DER. The project will involve the removal of three small dams on this small coastal stream, as well as in-stream habitat improvements to benefit resident brook trout. DER is partnering with the Town of Plymouth, DFG's Divisions of Fisheries and Wildlife and Marine Fisheries, NOAA, and American Rivers on this restoration project. Funding for the final engineering design was recently secured from NOAA's partnership with the Conservation Law Foundation and Restore America's Estuaries. Construction is tentatively planned for this fall. Stay tuned for updates, including a potential fish monitoring initiative with the Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition.
Thousand Acre Brook Restoration Project (Athol/Phillipston): Preliminary engineering designs were recently completed by the firm Fuss & O’Neil (under separate contracts with DER and the Town of Athol ) for two dams located in the Thousand Acre Brook Watershed. DER is working with the Town of Athol, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Millers River Watershed Council to remove both dams, and create a free-flowing stream from its headwaters to its confluence with the Millers River . Final design work and permitting will commence later this year; removal of the upstream structure is planned for summer 2011.
Little River Stream Naturalization Project (Gloucester): This project involves the removal of a deteriorating fish ladder and concrete sludge lagoon adjacent to the river, and reconstruction of a natural stream channel in this head-of-tide area of West Gloucester. The project will create smelt habitat, improve upstream passage for herring and other species, and reduce flooding risks. DER has been working with the City of Gloucester, Mass Audubon, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and NOAA for several years to complete the design of and permitting for this project. Fundraising is in progress (approximately $200k is needed for construction), and the project team hopes to start construction in summer 2011. We hope to include future news of fundraising success in upcoming Ebb&Flow issues!
Eel River Headwaters Restoration Project (Plymouth): After nearly 10 months of continuous construction activities, this precedent-setting restoration project is nearing completion. To date, seven water control structures have been removed from the river, two culverts replaced, one dam removed, two miles of new stream channel built, 1000 plus pieces of large wood installed for in-stream habitat, and over 20,000 plants placed in the former cranberry bog. Stay tuned for news of the official ribbon-cutting ceremony marking project completion later this summer. DER is extremely grateful to all of the project partners who have worked together on this project for years, including the Town of Plymouth, US Fish and Wildlife Service, the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), American Rivers, The Nature Conservancy (TNC), UMass, MassDEP, and others. Inter-fluve, Inc.has provided construction oversight, and SumCo Eco-Contracting has performed the earthwork, planting, and site restoration activities. Great work team!
Ox Pasture Brook Lower Dam Removal (Rowley): Now almost seven months after the dam removal, the former impoundment is greening up with new wetland vegetation (see photo). A new stream channel has formed – naturally – and fish are now able to swim upstream with the tide above the old dam site. Ecological monitoring is underway, including insect and fish surveys, to track to the re-establishment of riverine organisms in the former pond area. DER is completing permitting requirements, testing sediment, and tracking the changes in physical structure at the site, along with organizing the biological monitoring. Future updates will include the results of this work. DER is excited about the progress of channel and floodplain evolution, and hopes this dam removal project will serve as a model for letting Nature (not excavators) do this type of work in the future at other dam removal sites.
Green River Ecosystem Restoration Project (Greenfield): The project involves the removal of the two lowest dams on the Green River in downtown Greenfield . DER is serving in a technical support role to a large partner team – including the US Fish and Wildlife Service, NOAA, Connecticut River Watershed Council, MassDEP, American Rivers, TNC, and others. The project team is pleased to announce the recent selection of Princeton Hydro as the design engineering firm for final design work, which is beginning now. A good deal of complex engineering and permitting work remains, but partners hope to see dam removal activities begin in summer 2011.
Tel-Electric Dam Removal (Pittsfield) and Columbia Mill Dam Removal (Lee - photo above): DER is working on two dam removals on the Housatonic River . Both are complex, multi-year projects involving challenging sediment management and other engineering issues. DER hopes to work with project partners to make a substantial push forward with engineering design work this fall. The City of Pittsfield, Housatonic Valley Association, and American Rivers are all involved in moving these projects forward.
Coastal Wetland Restoration Project Updates [The following updates are provided by DER Acting Deputy Director Hunt Durey. Included here is a sampling of coastal wetland restoration projects.]
Clark Pond coastal wetland restoration project, Manchester Construction is planned to commence this fall on the Clark Pond Tidal Restoration Project in Manchester, a coastal salt pond located on The Trustees of Reservations’ Coolidge Point Reservation. Impounded since the early 20th Century, the project is part of an ambitious tidal restoration to improve hydrologic conditions throughout Clark Pond and its 1,200-foot drainage. Primary goals are 1) to improve the tidal connection between Clark Pond and Kettle Cove, thereby restoring a 12-acre coastal wetland system to a coastal salt pond and salt marsh that supports wildlife habitat, fisheries, nutrient production and export, and biodiversity; and 2) to protect public property and safety by reducing the frequency and severity of freshwater flood events. Project funding and assistance is being provided by DER, the FishAmerica Foundation, Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment – NOAA Habitat Restoration Partnership, NOAA Restoration Center, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program. [Click here to read a recent news article on this project.]
Newman Road Salt Marsh Restoration Project, Newbury The final touches were recently completed for this project, which restored full tidal flow to 33 acres of salt marsh adjacent to The Trustees of Reservations’ Old Town Hill Reservation in Newbury. The project involved the replacement of an undersized culvert under Newman Road with a new 6-foot by 12-foot box culvert. The restoration was funded in part from a $1 million federal grant secured by Essex County Greenbelt Association and DER from the North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA). Other federal funds to restore the marsh came from NOAA – through their partnership with the Gulf of Maine Council on the Environment and a NOAA - Restore America’s Estuaries – Conservation Law Foundation Partnership Grant. [Click here to read a recent news story on the project.]
Somerset Marsh Restoration, Somerset With the recent replacement of an undersized and failing culvert, the town of Somerset has completed the restoration of full tidal flow to 11 acres of degraded salt marsh off of Labor-in-Vain Brook – a tributary of the Taunton River. In the 1940s, Somerset Marsh was fragmented from the main marsh adjacent to Labor-in-Vain Brook when a parking lot was constructed across the wetland. A 24-inch culvert was installed through the parking lot to maintain drainage, although this was insufficient to allow for natural tidal flow. In June, the old culvert was replaced with a 4-foot concrete box culvert set one foot below grade to create a “fish friendly” natural channel bottom. The project also included 70 feet of restored tidal channel created by removing portions of the parking lot at either end of the new culvert and a tide control berm to prevent flooding of adjacent properties. The project was funded by multiple grants, including $70,000 from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, $40,000 from the Fish America Foundation, $25,000 from the National Estuary Program, $10,000 from the Dominion Foundation through the MA Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, and $30,000 from DER. Project partners include: Town of Somerset, DER, The US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife and Coastal Program, MA Office of Coastal Zone Management, Save the Bay (Narragansett), NOAA/Restore Americas Estuaries Partnership, The US Fish and Wildlife Service/Coastal America Foundation Partnership, Fish America Foundation, The Dominion Foundation, Mass Corporate Wetlands Restoration Partnership, NOAA/Association of National Estuary Programs Partnership, and the Lloyd Center for the Environment.
Broad Meadows Marsh Restoration, Quincy The City of Quincy, in partnership with the Army Corps of Engineers and DER, is restoring over 40 acres of degraded and former tidal wetlands in a highly-developed urban environment adjacent to the Broad Meadows Middle School . In the mid-1900s, federal navigation projects in the Town River deposited dredge spoils on top of 106 acres of salt marsh, turning the area into a highly-degraded, Phragmites-infested landscape. The restoration project will excavate and re-locate 420,000 cubic yards of dredge material to re-create salt marsh, tidal creeks, ponds, and other natural habitats. Total project costs exceed $6 million, with the City of Quincy contributing over $1.2 million in non-federal matching funds. Construction began in the spring of 2010 and is expected to be substantially complete by the end of the year. Restoration of this site will generate very significant social and environmental benefits for the local community, as well as for birds, fish, and other wildlife in the region.
Straits Pond Restoration, Hull, Cohasset, and Hingham Much progress has been made on the Straits Pond project to replace an undersized culvert and failing tide gate and restore tidal flow to 94 acres of salt pond and other estuarine habitats within the Weir River Area of Critical Environmental Concern. Construction began in Fall 2009 to relocate utilities, and over the past several months the new twin culverts (see photo) have been installed beneath Route 228. Remaining phases include installation of new tide gates and other road and utility work. Project partners expect that the new culverts will be operational and passing the ebb and flow of the tides this fall.
Recent Funding and Partnership News Gulf of Maine Council – NOAA Partnership Renewed In July, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the award of a new three-year Habitat Restoration Partnership grant to the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment (GOMC). Funding for the first year totals $450,000 matched by $450,000 in non-federal contributions. Funding for years 2 and 3 will be determined based on annual appropriation levels up to a possible three year total of $1,950,000. The funding will be administered by GOMC in partnership with NOAA and representatives from the three US states and two Canadian provinces that make up the Gulf of Maine watershed. The grant will be matched by an equal amount of non-federal contributions provided by restoration partners. For 2010, a total of approximately $350,000 was made available for restoration grants throughout the Gulf of Maine. Two Massachusetts projects received grant awards that are described below. Broad Cove Restoration Project Feasibility Analysis, Hingham Modeling for hydraulic, hydrologic, flow velocity and salinity will be used to develop options for restoring tidal flow to a 45-acre salt marsh complex. GOMC-NOAA Partnership Award: $45,000. Clark Pond Tidal Restoration, Manchester Removal of a tidal restriction at the outlet of Clark Pond will, along with other planned barrier removals, collectively lead to enhanced flow that benefits a 12-acre tidal wetland and coastal pond system. GOMC-NOAA Partnership Award: $22,775. $190,000 Grant Completes Funding for Tidal Restoration at World’s End, Hingham In July, 2010, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ Estuary Habitat Restoration Program awarded The Trustees of Reservations $190,000 to complete Phase 2 of the Damde Meadows Tidal Restoration. Together with funding from the Gulf of Maine Council / NOAA Restoration Partnership and The Trustees of Reservations, this project will fully restore tidal flows to Damde Meadows—a 15-acre salt marsh located in the heart of the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. The overall project involves replacement of two undersized concrete box culverts between Hingham Harbor and Damde Meadows with 20-foot wide open channels. The primary goals are: 1) improvement of the tidal connection between Damde Meadows and Martin’s Cove, thereby restoring a 15-acre coastal salt marsh; and 2) reduction of erosive and dangerous water velocities by replacing enclosed, submerged culverts with day-lighted channels. Phase 1, removal of the lower culvert and open channel construction, was completed in August, 2009 through a partnership between The Trustees of Reservations, Massachusetts Division of Ecological Restoration, Gulf of Maine Council , NOAA Restoration Center , and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service. Phase 2 includes the replacement of the upper culvert with an open channel and construction of a wooden footbridge to maintain public access to the site. With funding secured, Phase 2 is ready to move to construction in May 2011. By fall of 2011, after more than 300 years, Damde Meadows will once again be subject to the full natural ebb and flow of the ocean. Grant, Prize, Contest, Award, Fundraising, etc. Opportunities (presented in rough chronological order by application/nomination/entry deadline) An Ashoka initiative, Changemakers - The Strong Communities: Engaging Citizens, Strengthening Place , Inspiring Change competition seeks to identify and support innovative projects that engage citizens to steer change and build strong communities across the United States and Canada . Solutions from a variety of disciplines are encouraged, including conservation, planning, economics, politics, education, deliberative democracy, and the arts. The competition is open to all individuals and organizations (nonprofit organizations, private companies, and public entities). A panel of independent judges will select eight finalists from all of the entries submitted in the competition. From among these finalists, the Changemakers’ online community will vote for three winners, who will each receive a $5,000 grant. Competition submissions will be accepted until August 11, 2010. Click here to review the eligibility, guidelines, and criteria for the competition, as well as view some of the already-submitted ideas. The Foundation for MetroWest recently announced the availability of grant funds for its MetroWest Fund for Environment for 2010 grant program. The purpose of the grant award is to provide support for programs that protect and preserve the environment in all its forms, land, air, water, plants, wildlife, in the MetroWest region (i.e., the 33 towns loosely bounded by Routes 128 and 495 on the east and west, Route 2 on the north and Route 109 on the south). Preferences will be given to proposals which address significant community issues, present innovative, entrepreneurial, practical and achievable projects, present clear work plans illustrating the ability to achieve the project’s goal(s), focus on strategic innovations that encourage collaboration, cooperation, create efficiencies, and reduce duplication of services. Proposals may be submitted for new or existing projects, programs, or operating purposes. To encourage collaboration, two or more organizations may submit a joint proposal in addition to a proposal exclusively for their own purposes. You must email the completed application, along with your project and operating budgets; to info@foundationformetrowest.org by the deadline of August 19th at 5:00 PM. Click here for more info. The Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program, authorized in the 2008 Farm Bill, is a new program that will provide matching federal grants for purchase of local forestlands by local governments, tribes, and qualifying nonprofits. The program will ensure funding for the creation or expansion of community forests that can meet local needs for recreation, economic development, watershed protection, and other ecosystem services. The Forest Service is currently developing a more detailed set of guidelines on implementation of the program. They expect to release those guidelines for public comment by August 30, 2010. After public comments are considered and any revisions are made, it is expected the program will be ready for consideration of grant applications in the fall of 2010. Click here or contact Patricia S. Palmer at patriciapalmer@fs.fed.us or (703) 605-4776 for more info. The Conservation and Research Foundation provides seed grants, normally not more than $5,000, for efforts to promote the conservation of energy and natural resources and the limitation of population growth in countries around the world. The foundation encourages study and research in the biological sciences including the biodiversity of plant and animal species and their terrestrial and aquatic habitats, and seeks to deepen the scientific understanding of the relationship between people and our environment through environmental education and community action. Although grants are small, projects are often supported that are not normally funded by conventional sources. The Foundation particularly looks for opportunities to seed new conservation efforts and research that may lead to new collaborations and stimulate larger investments. The Foundation responds to an initial 1 to 2 page letter of inquiry, followed by a full proposal by invitation only. Grant proposals are due by August 31st and are reviewed in the fall, although letters of inquiry will be reviewed throughout the year. Click here for more info. The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF)’s Freshwater Fish Keystone Grants Program focuses on species and habitats that occur in the U.S. that have been identified as high priorities for the nation (these include the Eastern Brook Trout). Freshwater fish (including anadromous and catadromous species) and associated aquatic life such as mussels, crayfish, and other invertebrates are included in this Keystone. NFWF’s Marine & Coastal Keystone Grants Program focuses on building conservation partnerships to overcome the most important challenges to the health of the marine and coastal environment. NFWF’s goal in the Marine & Coastal Keystone is to find the best conservation investments, fund the best solutions, and deliver measurable results for a broad cross-section of fish and wildlife representing marine and coastal ecosystem health. The pre-proposal deadline for both of these programs is September 1, 2010, with full Proposals due November 1, 2010. Click here to apply or for more info. For the first time ever, the Mass. Division of Fisheries and Wildlife’s Massachusetts Wildlife Magazine will devote an issue to a public photography competition: the 2010 Massachusetts Wildlife Photo Contest. Other than bragging rights, prizes are modest: a free, 2- year subscription to the magazine for the first-place winners in each category; and an award citation and four copies of the #4, 2010 issue of Massachusetts Wildlife (featuring the prize-winning photos) for all first-, second-, and third-place winners. The contest is open to amateur photographers, who may submit up to ten images. Photos must be taken in Massachusetts . There are eight entry categories: flora, scenic, outdoor activities, invertebrates, fish, herps (reptiles and amphibians), birds and mammals. The deadline for entry submission is September 1, 2010 . Click here for more info. The Massachusetts Audubon Society is holding its first-ever Picture This: My Connection to Nature Photo Contest, open to all participants. New England ’s largest conservation organization welcomes striking digital images that highlight the beauty and diversity of Massachusetts wildlife, habitats, and people in nature. National Geographic award-winning photojournalist (and Massachusetts native) Brian Skerry will be on the panel of judges that will select up to 24 winners (12 adults and 12 students). Two Grand Prize Winners’ photos will be featured on the cover of a Mass Audubon publication, which reaches more than 100,000 people throughout New England and beyond. Entries are due by September 6 - click here for more info. The Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA) recently announced a Request for Proposals for 2011-2012 AmeriCorps funding. Americorps is a federal program that engages thousands of individuals in intensive service to the community. This past year more than 2,100 individuals helped hundreds of nonprofit organizations, faith-based groups, schools and local agencies in Massachusetts meet local needs in education, the environment, public safety, disaster preparedness, and other critical areas (click here for details). Four technical assistance sessions are scheduled in August to answer questions from potential applicants. The “intent to apply” deadline is Friday, August 27, and all applications are due to MSA on Wednesday, September 15, 2010 by 12:00 noon. Click here, here or contact Lindsay Snyder at lsnyder@mass-service.org for more info. The Department of Environmental Protection (MA DEP)’s FY11 Drinking Water Supply Protection Grants Program assists municipalities and public water suppliers in acquiring land to protect public drinking water supplies. Land projects must be located in existing drinking water supply areas and may be acquired through fee simple purchase or a conservation restriction. Although land trusts are not eligible to receive direct funding from this program, they can assist in other aspects of the project, such as negotiating with landowners, providing bridge financing, etc. To access the official Request for Responses go to Comm-pass.com, click on “Search for Solicitations” at the bottom of the page, and then enter BRP 2010-04 into the “Keywords” box. Applications are due September 24th, 2010. Click here or contact Catherine Sarafinas-Hamilton at (617) 556-1070 or Catherine.Sarafinas@state.ma.us for more info. The Gulf of Maine Council for the Marine Environment is currently (until September 24, 2010) seeking nominations for their 2010 annual awards. Consider nominating a deserving volunteer or professional individual or group for a Visionary Award, an individual volunteer for the Longard Award, a professional for the Susan Snow-Cotter Leadership Award, and a business for the Industry Award. Click here or contact Michele L. Tremblay at (603) 796-2615 or info@gulfofmaine.org to submit a nomination or for more info. BoatUS is seeking nominations for its fourth annual BoatUS Recreational Boating Access Awards to recognize those individuals or groups who have succeeded in preserving or improving public waterway access. Examples of solutions could include creative public/private partnerships, changes in land-use planning or permitting processes, tax incentives, legislation or public ballots, publicity, or public education. Eligible activities must have been undertaken in the last three years. Nominations are due by October 1, 2010. The Nature Conservancy (TNC) invites you to enter your stunning nature photos to its 5th Annual Digital Photography Competition. TNC is looking for beautiful nature photography representing the diversity of life on Earth. Your own original digital images of lands, waters, plants, animals and people in nature are all eligible for the competition. The winner’s image will be printed in the 2012 Nature Conservancy Calendar - reaching nearly 2 million households worldwide, and will be featured on TNC’s website, nature.org, which is visited by more than 3 million people annually. To enter one or more images, upload your photo(s) to the Conservancy's Flickr™ group and tag them with PhotoContest-TNC10, or, if you prefer, you can complete the online form and e-mail each photo, one at a time. Photo submissions must be uploaded by 11:59 PM PST on October 4, 2010. Please review the full rules before entering. Click here for more info and here to check out past winning entries in this competition. The Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET)recently announced that the Request for Responses (RFR) for its FY2012 General Grants is now open. To access the RFR, go to Comm-Pass.com, click on “Search for Solicitations” and then enter EEA 11 MET 01 in the Document Number field or the “Keywords” box. Letters of inquiry for this grant round are due on October 15, 2010. Click on www.mass.gov/eea/met or contact Bill Hinkley at (617) 626-1177 or william.hinkley@state.ma.us for more info. The Northeast Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE)’s Sustainable Community Grants Program seeks to reconnect rural revitalization and farming. Projects must address key issues such as farm finance, marketing, land use, water use, enterprise development, value-added product development, and labor. Other substantive topics may also be addressed, provided farmers and the farm community benefit. All proposals must show a strong link to farms and the economic issues that affect them, and all projects must support appropriate growth, improved farm profits, a cleaner environment, or improved farm stewardship. Eligible recipients include community nonprofits, Cooperative Extension, local governments, educational institutions, planning boards, farming cooperatives, and incorporated citizens’ groups. The deadline for projects seeking funding (up to $25,000) in 2009 is October 19, 2010. Click here for more info. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s FY 2011 North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) grant instructions and deadlines are posted here. Although the FY11 Standard Grants deadline has passed, the NAWCA small grants (up to $75,000 in grant funds) deadline isn’t until Thursday, October 28, 2010. Grants are available to partners who can provide at least a 1:1 in non-federal match in support of wetland and associated upland habitat protection, restoration and enhancement. Atlantic Coast Joint Venture staff (contacts below) are available to help you assess the competitiveness of a project, provide information on bird conservation plans and priorities in your area and develop grant applications. Please contact one of them soon if you are considering submitting an application or if you have any questions. The contacts are: Andrew Milliken, (413) 253-8269 andrew_milliken@fws.gov or Mitch Hartley, (413) 253-8779 or mitch_hartley@fws.gov. The Mass. Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) and the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) are inviting communities, state agencies, and tribal governments and territories to submit applications for the FY11 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Assistance grant programs. It is expected that $10 million in federal funds will be available for competitive grants to assist applicants with hazard mitigation planning and the implementation of hazard mitigation projects to reduce or eliminate the loss of life and property due to natural hazards (click here for more details on eligible applicants, projects, etc.). Dam removal projects are potentially eligible for funding if they would clearly result in the reduction of flooding that causes damage to homes, infrastructure, roads, etc. While full applications aren’t due until November 1, submitting applications beforehand gives MEMA/DCR staff the opportunity to review them and suggest improvements and revisions that can be incorporated before it is officially submitted to FEMA. Generally, once MEMA submits the applications to FEMA there will be no opportunity to revise, amend or submit additional supporting project information. Click here and here, or contact Hazard Mitigation Grants Coordinator Scott MacLeod at (508) 820-1445 or Scott.MacLeod@state.ma.us for more info. The Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)’s Recreational Trails Grants Program recently announced its next grant round. The Program provides grants ranging from $2,000 to $50,000 on a reimbursement basis for a variety of trail protection, construction, and stewardship projects throughout the Commonwealth (click here for info on projects funded during the last round). The application deadline is November 1, 2010. E-mail amanda.lewis@state.ma.us with your current contact information to make sure you receive the grant application details once they become available. The mission of the America Honda Foundation is to help meet the needs of American society in the areas of youth and scientific education by awarding grants to nonprofits, while strategically assisting communities in deriving long-term benefits. Its grant focus is on youth education, specifically in the areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics, the environment, job training and literacy. Grants are typically in the range of $20,000 -50,000. Application deadlines are quarterly (the next one is November 1). Click here to take the applicant/ project eligibility quiz and here for additional info. An announcement recently went out indicating the availability of FFY 2011 funding for the Open Rivers Initiative (ORI), which seeks to enable environmental and economic renewal in local communities through the removal of dams and other stream barriers that help restore riverine ecosystems, enhance public safety and community resilience, and have clear and identifiable benefits to diadromous fish populations. “Diadromous” fish migrate between freshwater and saltwater during their life cycle. Examples include alewife, American eel, American shad, blueback herring, salmon, shortnose sturgeon and striped bass. NOAA also recognizes the importance of dam and river barrier removal for the benefit of riverine ecosystems and all life stages of aquatic organisms. Successful applications will be those that (1) are able to achieve a net gain in diadromous fish-accessible stream miles, increase the number of barrier removals within a watershed, and yield measurable long-term ecological and economic outcomes; (2) document community benefits related to increased business opportunities, removal of potential liability, reduced flood impacts, and/or improved opportunities for recreation, park use, or other tangible community benefits; and (3) demonstrate collaboration among entities such as public and nonprofit organizations, citizen and watershed groups, industry, corporations and businesses, youth conservation corps, students, landowners, academia, and local government, state, and federal agencies to cooperatively implement barrier removal projects. Funding of up to $6,000,000 is expected to be available for ORI Project Grants in FY 2011. The NOAA Restoration Center within the Office of Habitat Conservation will administer this grant initiative, and anticipates that typical awards will range from $200,000 to $750,000. Applications must be received and validated by Grants.gov, postmarked, or provided to a delivery service by 11:59 EST on November 17, 2010. Click here or contact Tisa Shostik at Tisa.Shostik@noaa.gov or (301) 713-0174 x184, or Cathy Bozek at Cathy.Bozek@noaa.gov or (301) 713-0174 x150 for more info. The Disney Worldwide Conservation Fund (DWCF) was established to promote wildlife conservation through partnerships with scientists, educators, and organizations committed to preserving Earth's biodiversity. DWCF supports projects around the world, including North America, Central/South America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. (Applying organizations must have U.S. nonprofit status; NGOs can apply in partnership with a U.S. organization.) Funded projects should clearly contribute to the conservation of endangered or threatened species and their habitats. Preference is given to projects that target specific wildlife issues, including efforts to explore sustainable aquaculture, address sustainable seafood, or to control illegal wildlife trade. Letters of inquiry may be submitted via e-mail at any time. An invitation to apply will be sent to approved inquiries and previous grantees during the first week of November, with an application deadline of January 25, 2011. The DWCF also has a Rapid Response Program, providing emergency funding of up to $5,000 for deserving groups/projects with immediate funding needs – click here for more info on that, and here for more info about DWCF’s funding criteria and guidelines for submitting letters of inquiry. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced its intent to release funding for the Voluntary Public Access and Habitat Incentive Program (aka “Open Fields”), a new effort to encourage owners and operators of privately held farm, ranch and forest lands to provide public access to their lands for wildlife-dependent activities such as hunting and fishing. Authorized by Congress for the first time in the 2008 Farm Bill, Open Fields will provide states $50 million in federal monies to create or enhance voluntary hunter-access programs on private lands and encourages landowners who enroll their properties to employ best-management practices for fish and wildlife. Landowners can receive a financial incentive in exchange for opening lands to the public for hunting, fishing and other outdoor recreation. Click here, here or here for more info. The Lawson Valentine Foundation supports natural resources preservation and protection, with a focus on grassroots efforts. Past grants have included support for forest preservation, wildlife protection and environmental justice. Click here or contact Valentine Doyle, Trustee, 1000 Farmington Ave, Suite 105 - A, West Hartford, CT 06107, (860) 570-0728, valentinedoyle@sbcglobal.net for more info. The Norman Foundation supports efforts throughout the United States that strengthen the ability of communities to determine their own economic, environmental, and social well-being, and that help people control those forces that affect their lives. The Foundation's Environmental Justice grants provide funding to nonprofit organizations that work to prevent the disposal of toxics in communities and to link environmental issues with economic and social justice. Programs that can serve as a model for other organizations and communities are encouraged. In addition, priority is given to organizations with annual budgets of under $1 million. Click here to review the process for submitting letters of inquiry, which may be submitted at any time. The New Bedford, MA-based Garfield Foundation supports holistic solutions in environmental sustainability and community revitalization (click here to read a recent newsletter). Garfield Foundation grants stimulate action – to educate, influence and mobilize to help achieve a more equitable, prosperous and sustainable global society. While the Foundation only very rarely considers unsolicited proposals, take a look at the Foundation’s grantmaking priorities, and if your project reflects the Foundation’s interests, you can send a brief e-mail summarizing the project concept to inquiry@garfieldfoundation.org. The mission of the Overbrook Foundation is to improve the lives of people by supporting projects that protect human and civil rights, advance the self-sufficiency and well being of individuals and their communities, and conserve the natural environment. While the Foundation does not currently accept unsolicited requests for new project or operating support, they welcome news from organizations working in those areas of human and rights and the environment presently of priority to the Foundation. Click here and here for more info. The mission of the Cathay Bank Foundation is to enhance the growth and success of communities the bank serves in California, Illinois, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Texas, and Washington. The Foundation's ultimate objective is to create opportunities in the areas of affordable housing, community and economic development, and education. The Foundation will also consider supporting cultural and arts, health and welfare, environmental and human services programs that benefit the bank’s communities. Grants generally range from $1,000 to $10,000. While the Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, initial letters of inquiry may be submitted at any time. Click here for to learn more about the Foundation’s focus areas and the application process. Last but not least: The Foundation Center offers excellent, free on-line training courses for nonprofit organizations -- on everything from proposal writing to foundation and corporate grant seeking and major donor cultivation. Click here for more info. (sorted chronologically by date of event, submission deadline, etc.) The Mass. Association of Conservation Commissions has issued (until August 30) a Call for Workshop Topics and Speakers for its 2011 Annual Environmental Conference, to be held on March 5, 2011 at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester. Click here (scroll down to p.18) or call the MACC at (617) 489-3930 for more info. The Center for Watershed Protection (CWP) is sponsoring a webcast entitled Permeable Pavement Design, Installation, and Maintenance on Wednesday, September 1 from 12:00 noon - 02:00PM. Click here or write to webcast@cwp.org to sign up or for more info. [Click here to read the most recent edition (Summer 2010) of the CWP ’s Runoff Rundown quarterly newsletter, which includes several feature articles on flooding and flood damage prevention, and here to read a Call For Articles (until 9/28/10) for the Spring 2011 edition of the CWP -sponsored Watershed Science Bulletin.] The Northeastern Transportation and Wildlife Conference will take place at UMass/Amherst from September 12-15, 2010. The conference theme is “Sustainability in an Uncertain Landscape.” Conference presentations will be on various aspects of transportation/wildlife-related research, planning, monitoring, design and/or active conservation, with a focus on the Northeast region. Click here or write Sandra.sprague@state.ma.us for more info. [Click here to see a related article and videos of The Nature Conservancy/Massachusetts Chapter’s Critical Linkages project., done in partnership with UMass/Amherst.] For more than a decade, the National Ground Water Association has sponsored National Ground Water Awareness Week, to promote groundwater and water well stewardship to the public. On Tuesday, September 14, NGWA will launch its first annual Protect Your Groundwater Day, focusing solely on groundwater protection. NGWA will emphasize preventing contamination and water conservation as ways to protect groundwater resources. NGWA invites you to participate, so mark your calendars and visit the link for more info actionable steps you can take to protect your groundwater. A course entitled Succeeding with a Dam Removal Project is scheduled to take place from September 20–22, 2010 in Philadelphia, PA. Obtain the latest information on dam removal and increase your knowledge and skills by attending this practical, comprehensive course. You’ll focus on a range of critical topics, including: the key decision points; how to remove a dam efficiently and maximize environmental endpoints; engineering and management issues associated with various dam types; sediment management and water quality issues related to dam removal; and practical approaches to remove both large and small dams. You’ll also have the opportunity to consider dam removal case studies and lessons learned from dam removal projects. Click here or contact Patrick Eagan at (800) 462-0876 or eagan@engr.wisc.edu for more info. Upcoming courses sponsored by the Eagle Hill Foundation/Humboldt Field Research Institute, in Steuben, ME include: Ecostructural Design in Ecological Restoration Projects, with John W. Munro, from Sept 19-25 and Integrated Ecological Restoration of Rivers and Streams, Including, Design of Native Vegetation for Water Quality, in Floodplains, Riparian Zones and Waterways, with John W. Munro, from Sept. 26-Oct.1. Write/call office@eaglehill.us or (207) 546-2821 for more info. Project Native will host its 2nd Annual Native Knowledge Conference & Eco-Exhibit at Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington, MA on Saturday, September 25, 2010. This day-long environmental conference will feature presentations by award-winning author and illustrator John Himmelman, Catherine Renzi and Peter Heus. Topics include: Discovering Moths: Nighttime Jewels in Your Own Backyard, the History of Native Plants, and Underused Natives. In addition, Project Native's Founder, Raina Weber, will give a brief presentation on the History and Future of Project Native. Click here or call (413)274-3433 for more info. Your participation and leadership is sought for COASTSWEEP 2010. With more than 1,500 miles of the Commonwealth’s coastal shoreline to clean, your help is needed as a volunteer, local coordinator, or sponsor of this annual effort. Volunteers throughout Massachusetts turn out in large numbers each year for COASTSWEEP, part of The Ocean Conservancy’s International Coastal Cleanup, where participants all over the world collect marine debris and record what they find, and the data collected is used to help reduce future marine debris problems. While the 2010 kickoff event doesn’t take place until Saturday, September 25 (check back here for more details, including location and time), local coordinators are welcome to schedule their cleanup events for any day throughout September and October. To help in this effort and learn a bit about marine debris and how to prevent it, see the CZ-Tip - Help Clean Up Massachusetts Shores at COASTSWEEP 2010. To get involved, see the COASTSWEEP website or check out COASTSWEEP on Facebook. Founded by British Columbia-based river activist Mark Angelo, the annual celebration of World Rivers Day takes place on Sunday, September 26, 2010 - click here for more info. Nonprofit Innovation: Doing Things Differently - Doing Different Things, the title of a conference co-sponsored by the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network and Associated Grantmakers, is scheduled to take place on Monday, September 27, 2010 from 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM at the Sheraton Framingham Hotel & Conference Center. The conference will bring together nonprofit organizations as well as consultants and foundations to bolster their knowledge of effective practices, thus strengthening their ability to carry out their mission and work. Click here to register or for more info. Tapping into Solutions: The Future of Water Conference, co-sponsored by the Environmental Leadership Program and the Switzer Foundation and scheduled to take place on Monday, September 27, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, Milwaukee, WI, will focus on the key issues of water quality, quantity, with integrative discussions related to climate change, and infrastructure. Click here or contact Errol Mazursky at errol@elpnet.org or (202) 422-9193 for more info. A conference entitled Working Waterways and Waterfronts: National Symposium on Water Access 2010 is taking place from September 27-30 at the Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland, ME. Click here for the agenda, here for a list of presentations, and here to register. This conference has been located and timed to coincide with a Sustainable Coastal Community Development Network meeting as well as the national NEMO U (Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials) conference. Massachusetts is “greening” its economy and its workforce. The second Massachusetts Green Career Conference, conference, scheduled to take place on Friday, October 1 in Marlborough, strives to answer the question “What is My Role in the New, Green Economy?” by connecting stakeholders from business, education, and government, and offering career guidance to job seekers from throughout the Commonwealth. This is a unique opportunity to reach these important constituents all in one place, grow and green your career, and help accelerate the greening economy in Massachusetts. Click here or contact conference organizer Jen Boudrie at (508) 481-0569 or Jen@GreenWorkforceTraining.com for more info. The Connecticut River Watershed Council (CRWC) will be hosting its 14th Annual Source to Sea Cleanup on Saturday, October 2. Join the CRWC staff and hundreds of individuals, clubs, troops, students and businesses along the banks of the Connecticut River to take part in the cleanup. This one-day event is rewarding, makes a tangible impact and has become huge – last year, despite predictions for heavy rains and thunderstorms, 2,000 people showed up and removed 600 tires and 85 tons of trash. Click here to sign up or for more info. The Land Trust Alliance is hosting Rally 2010: The National Land Conservation Conference: Celebrating Heritage, Embracing Change from Saturday, October 2 to Tuesday, October 5 in Hartford, CT (with some field trips extending into Mass.). Click here or here for more info, or click on the following to go directly to that topic: Workshops, Seminars, Field Trips, Special Events, Schedule-At-A-Glance, Seminar Faculty Bios, Plenary Speakers. The 2010 Biological Control for Nature Conference, Biological control of pests in forests and associated habitats, is scheduled to take place from October 3-7, 2010 at the Hotel Northampton, in Northampton, MA . This international conference will explore classical biological control for invasive insects and plants in natural forests, wetlands, grasslands, and deserts. Applications to islands and other natural systems will also be included. The conference features a multitude of presentations on topics such as: documenting benefits, risk assessment, and a panel discussion between conservation biologists and biological control specialists. Click here or contact Roy Van Driesche at (413) 545-1061 or vandries@nre.umass.edu for more info. The first-ever New England Bike-Walk Summit, sponsored by the East Coast Greenway Alliance, is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 7 in scenic, historic downtown Providence, RI. A broad range of topics, of interest to professionals in private practice, grassroots advocates, agency personnel, and retailers, will be addressed. Included will be panels discussing the economic development potential of biking & walking; the relationship between advocates & agency personnel; how to encourage greater walking and biking for transportation and health; sources, process, and expectations regarding project funding; connecting underserved communities with the bike-pedestrian movement; and much more! The day will finish with a guided walk of walking facilities in scenic downtown Providence, to be followed by a reception. Click here for more info and here to submit a presentation proposal (until August 13). A one-day symposium entitled Challenges and Successes: Working Cooperatively to Manage Invasive Plants, presented by the Connecticut Invasive Plant Working Group (CIPWG), is scheduled to take place at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT on Thursday, October 14, 2010. This conference will address the importance of native habitats, how invasive species harm these habitats, and why cooperative efforts are vital to understanding and managing our natural landscapes. Click here or contact Donna Ellis at (860) 486-6448 or donna.ellis@uconn.edu for more info. The Annual Conference on Soils, Sediments, Water and Energy, taking place from October 18-21, 2010 at UMass/Amherst, has become the preeminent national conference in this important environmental area. The conference attracts 700-800 attendees, which includes a wide variety of representation from state and federal agencies; military; a number of industries including railroad, petroleum, transportation, utilities; the environmental engineering and consulting community; and academia. This year’s theme is Expediting and Economizing Cleanups. Click here for more info. The Center for Watershed Protection is sponsoring a webcast entitled Rooftop Disconnection, Filter Strips & Rainwater Harvesting on Wednesday, October 20 from 12:00 noon - 2:00 PM . Click here or write to webcast@cwp.org to sign up or for more info. [Click here for related DIY info.] The Environmental Institute at the UMass/Amherst and the U.S. EPA Office of Superfund Remediation and Technology Innovation have issued a call for presentation abstracts (until Nov. 1) for the International Conference on Sustainable Remediation 2011: State of the Practice, to be held in Amherst, Massachusetts from June 1-3, 2011. The conference will bring together researchers and practitioners from around the globe to address the state of the practice and future needs in sustainable remediation across the themes of green chemistry, human health, and environmental response. Click here, write to conferences@tei.umass.edu or call (413) 545-2842 for more info. The American Water Resources Association (ARWA)’s 2010 Annual Water Resources Conference will be taking place from November 1-4 at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia. The conference includes 75 Technical Concurrent Sessions, 10 Panel Presentations and 49 Poster Presentations (click here for more details).
This past April, President Obama signed a memorandum initiating the America’s Great Outdoors (AGO) initiative, a national dialogue about conservation in America to learn about some of the smart, creative ways communities are conserving outdoor spaces. Your (personal and/or organizational) ideas are currently being sought on the following topics:
The target date for report back to President Obama summarizing the AGO’s findings is November 15th, so the sooner you submit your ideas, the more likely they are to be reflected in that document. Click here to read and comment on ideas that have already been submitted, as well as submit your own ideas, and here to share your story about the places you love (including links to photos and videos of those places), or visit the Land Trust Alliance or Mass. Land Trust Coalition’s AGO’s web pages for more info. Watershed Associations, Land trusts and other nonprofit organizations may find it helpful to visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)’s Stay Exempt “micro” website, created especially for §501(c)(3) organizations. Whether you are new to the world of tax-exempt organizations (EO), an old hand at managing them, or someone who works with them, there should be something of value at this website, which includes EO tutorials, mini-courses, tips on filling out Form 990 forms and more. Click here or here for more info. [Regarding the IRS ’s recent decision to revoke tax-exempt status from certain groups failing to file Form 990s or other forms, click here to download a new report from Guidestar entitled Automatic Revocation of Nonprofits' Tax-Exempt Status: What Nonprofits, Grantmakers, and Donors Need to Know.] The most recent (June 2010) edition (#90) of the U.S. EPA’s Nonpoint Source News-Notes is chock-full of informative articles on a variety of topics, including: NOAA’s Digital Coast website, which, among many other tools, contains elevation data enabling anyone to visualize the impact of sea level rise; new tools for managing nonpoint source pollution developed for the Chesapeake Bay watershed but widely applicable elsewhere; the Ocean Conservancy’s new report on marine debris entitled From Our Hands to the Sea, Around the Globe, and Through Time, documenting the adverse impact discarded plastic and other items have on coastal and marine organisms and habitats; Streambank, a unique and innovative web-based platform developed by the Oregon-based The Freshwater Trust that enables landowners and restoration professionals to efficiently fund, permit and implement restoration projects and speed up the pace of stream restoration in the state; Depave, a new, Portland, OR-based volunteer group that acts to remove unnecessary asphalt and concrete areas and replace them with gardens and natural areas; and a Wetlands Reading List of book titles compiled by the EPA to provide summer reading opportunities for children from pre-K–12. Click here to read NN #90 on-line and here to search and access content in previous editions of Nonpoint Source News-Notes. Building Green: A Success Story in Philadelphia, a new video produced by the EPA’s Office of Wetlands, Oceans and Watersheds (OWOW), highlights innovative efforts by green builders who are helping protect and restore environmental quality and beautify the city. By installing cisterns, green roofs, porous pavers, solar panels, and Energy Star appliances, the builders are capturing rainwater, reducing stormwater runoff, and saving energy. In the video, Howard Neukrug, Director of Philadelphia’s Office of Watersheds, explains the importance of green stormwater infrastructure. The city is now offering incentives to builders and developers to use green techniques to help meet clean water and other environmental goals. Click here to view or download the video in vasious formats. [Click here to view EPA Region One/New England’s Low Impact Development (LID) page, with similar “building green” examples from this region, and here for info on a Wed. August 11 webcast entitled Re-Visioning Landscapes with LID: The Houston Experience.] “Water You Waiting For”, a new 12-minute video produced by the EPA as part of the Agency's efforts to promote water sector careers as green jobs, shows vocational students with internships at drinking water systems located in the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut, and highlights the many different types of jobs available at water utilities. The video highlights the water profession in four areas—the value of water, job responsibilities, career successes, and environmental contribution. The video is designed so that each of these chapters can either be viewed separately, appealing to that student’s curiosity, or can be viewed in its entirety. Click here to view and/or download the video. The EPA’s WaterSense® program recently kicked off its new multi-year We’re for Water campaign to educate consumers about water-saving behaviors and WaterSense-labeled products. We’re for Water shows consumers that saving water can be as easy as check, twist, replace. Consumers are encouraged to adopt one or all of these water-saving behaviors and take the “I’m for Water” pledge on the WaterSense website. Lastly, the EPA encourages you to follow “Flo”, the We’re for Water “spokesgallon”, as she takes a road trip across the country to launch the campaign and educate people about water efficiency. (Flo also regularly posts on WaterSense’s Facebook page.) One of the major findings of Effects of Urbanization on Stream Ecosystems, a recently published report by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), is that aquatic insect communities show little, if any, initial resilience to low levels of urban development that were previously thought to be protective of aquatic life. The study showed, for example, that by the time a watershed reaches about 10 percent impervious cover in urban areas, aquatic insect communities are degraded by as much as 33 percent in comparison to aquatic insect communities in forested watersheds. The USGS determined the magnitude and pattern of the physical, chemical, and biological response of streams to increasing urbanization and how these responses vary throughout nine metropolitan areas: Portland, OR; Salt Lake City, UT; Birmingham, AL; Atlanta, GA; Raleigh, NC; Boston, MA; Denver, CO; Dallas, TX; and Milwaukee, WI. Comparisons among the nine metropolitan areas show that not all urban streams respond in a similar way. Land cover prior to urbanization can affect how aquatic insects and fish respond to urban development and is important to consider in setting realistic stream restoration goals in urban areas. Click here to access the report, along with video podcasts and other info on how stream ecosystems respond to urban development. The USGS’s Northboro, MA-based MA/RI Water Science Center’s web page has a wealth of interesting and useful content related to various aspects of the region’s surface and groundwater resources, including: photos of and reports on the flooding events of this past March and April; real-time streamflow and other data collected at USGS gages on rivers and streams; DroughtWatch maps and data; and links to abstracts and on-line and/or downloadable editions of recent MA/RI Water Science Center-sponsored publications. These include: Indicators of Streamflow Alteration, Habitat Fragmentation, Impervious Cover, and Water Quality for Massachusetts Stream Basins; The Massachusetts Sustainable-Yield Estimator: A decision-support tool to assess water availability at ungaged stream locations in Massachusetts; and the just-released Preliminary Assessment of Factors Influencing Riverine Fish Communities in Massachusetts, which includes a finding showing that as streamflow depletion and/or impervious surfaces increase, the relative abundance of fluvial (river) fish decreases. Lastly, the page has a link to the USGS’s new WaterAlert service, which allows subscribers to receive instant, customized updates about water conditions. Users can set notification thresholds for any USGS real-time stream or raingage, water quantity or groundwater monitoring site and then the USGS sends e-mails or text messages to subscribers whenever the threshold conditions are met. Whether you are watching for floods, interested in recreational activities, or concerned about the quality of water in your well, WaterAlert allows you to receive daily or hourly updates about current conditions in rivers, lakes, and groundwater. The Mass. Well Drillers Program, charged with administering the state well driller law and long housed at the Dept. of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) but (since Oct. 2009) relocated to within the Dept. of Environmental Protection, has successfully migrated much of its extensive paper-format database on drilled wells in Massachusetts into a computerized, on-line database called Searchwell. The database is searchable by town, well type (domestic, irrigation, geothermal, monitoring, etc.), well depth (depth to bedrock and total depth) and more. The data is also viewable in GIS , overlaid onto an aerial photograph, with 24K surficial geology data layers available for downloading onto the map. This tool is of potentially great value in learning about ground water usage that is not reported via other means, such as the Mass. Water Management Act. Click here to access this on-line database and here to read a status report from DEP regarding the current extent and reliability of data accessible via SearchWell. This summer, boaters will participate in a survey to determineimportant recreational routes and destinations in Massachusetts coastal waters to ensure that these areas can be given appropriate attention in future management decisions. Thank you to the more than 1,300 boaters who volunteered to participate in the study, which will extend through October to cover the 2010 boating season. The Urban Harbors Institute (UHI) of the University of Massachusetts (UMass) Boston is leading the study in partnership with the Massachusetts Ocean Partnership, Massachusetts Marine Trades Association, Massachusetts Harbormasters Association, Massachusetts Boating and Yacht Club Association, Sailors for the Sea, and the Mass. Office of Coastal Zone Management (MCZM). This project is in response to an identified priority of the Massachusetts Ocean Management Plan. See the Massachusetts Recreational Boater Survey website for more info. A related topic (for inland as well as coastal waterways): the Mass. Office of Fishing and Boating Access (OFBA, formerly the Public Access Board), within the Department of Fish and Game (DFG), publishes an on-line atlas of boat ramp, cartop, and other waterway location maps throughout the Commonwealth. These location maps have long been available online as .pdf files but have now been replaced with a Google user interface. This improvement will provide a familiar front end for users, will print from all browsers, and will allow for easy updates by DFG GIS staff. Take a look – OFBA Boat Ramps, click the Facility Name to see the associated map. Mass. Department of Fish and Game (DFG)’s Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (DFW) has recently posted a searchable biological monitoring database that provides survey information on plants, animals (primarily songbirds), vernal pools, natural communities, and other natural resources found on some of the agency’s wildlife management areas (WMAs). Some of the collected information includes plant surveys conducted before and after habitat management activities. The database may be of interest to anyone who has visited particular WMAs and wants to know more about the natural resources on those lands; anyone who plans to visit WMAs and wants to know more about the plants and animals they can expect to see; or anyone who is curious about the types of natural resource data the Division collects on its lands. The DFW Biomonitoring Database is hosted on Mass.gov (the state government website)’s Open Data Initiative Wiki Space, a web tool utilized by state agencies to help make public data available and accessible to the citizens of the Commonwealth. Click here for more info. Last but not least: A Special Commission Relative to Designating 1000 Great Places in Massachusetts was created by an Act of the Legislature and signed into law by Governor Deval Patrick on January 15, 2009 . Its mission was to identify and recognize the 1000 most truly special places in the Commonwealth, in order to celebrate pride in our history and culture, increase knowledge of our natural surroundings, and encourage regional and international tourism. A few weeks ago, former state representative and Commission Chair Erik Turkington announced the final selections (whittled down from over 12,000 nominations submitted by the public earlier this year) for the 1,000 Great Places in Massachusetts, all of which are open and accessible to the public. River- and wetland-related places on the 1,000 Great Places list include: Robinson State Park in Agawam (with extensive frontage on the Westfield River); the Powow River in Amesbury; the Nashua River Rail Trail from Ayer to Dunstable; Signal Hill, a former Native American encampment along the Neponset River in Canton; and the Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield. Click here to access the entire list, which is maintained on the Mass. Office of Travel and Tourism (MOTT or massvacation.com) website. Non-government On-line Resources (in rough alphabetical order) Are you looking for ways to give back to your community? All for Good makes it simple to find and share volunteer activities with friends and family. Inspired by the call of President Obama to engage more Americans in service, a group of individuals from the technology, marketing and public sectors came together to build an open source application that allows you to find and share volunteer activities. All for Good lets you browse activities and find events based on your location or interests. Sign in with your primary social network to connect with friends, and discover and share interesting activities. Doing good is more fun together! If your organization is interested in reaching a wider audience by distributing your volunteer activities through All for Good, visit this page with instructions on how to get started. Read All For Good’s Help and FAQ pages for more info, and if you still need to contact AFG directly, you can do that by clicking here. Charity Blossom Charity Blossom’s mission is to help your favorite charities serve the needs of their communities via social networking and the Internet. The website makes it simple for non-profit organizations and charities to get visibility online for free. Charity Blossom has aggregated millions of listings (click here for a current listing of Mass. groups) and made them easily visible and searchable in Charity Blossom and throughout search sites like Google, Bing and Yahoo, which makes it easy for potential supporters and donors to find and connect with worthy causes. These people can simply say they are a fan of your cause, leave you positive feedback, or even donate to your organization. Click here to read their blog and here for the FAQ page. eBay Giving Works http://www.ebaygivingworks.com This charitable arm of this popular on-line auction website enables eBay buyers and sellers to help causes and nonprofits that matter to you. Blue-and-yellow ribbons identify listings that support nonprofits through eBay Giving Works. Shoppers also can donate to a worthy nonprofit at eBay checkout (click here to find EBay Giving Works items). Sellers can commit to donate a percentage of their listing's final sale price to the nonprofit of their choice. Missionfish, an independent nonprofit organization, provides crucial services to eBay Giving Works: screening nonprofits that wish to become members, processing the millions of dollars in donations that result through eBay Giving Works, and more. Click here for more info on EBay Giving Works and here for more info on how your organization can become eligible to receive donations via this mechanism or other MissionFish-managed fundraising programs. [Click here for info on the related PayPal for Nonprofits program.] Conservation Leaders Network (CLN) http://www.conservationleaders.org CLN is the only organization in the country that focuses on working with county commissioners to protect America 's natural resources. Resources on CLN ’s web page include the new report Clean Water For All: County Leaders Speak Out for Clean Water, in which county officials across the country explain the importance of clean water and why water resources need and deserve the full protections of the 1972 Clean Water Act. Currents From Source to Sea: The Last Green Valley 's Watershed Newsletter http://hosted.verticalresponse.com/592703/b3ae0f7153/288564909/7192852c10/ Produced by The Last Green Valley, the nonprofit organization which administers the Quinebaug and Shetucket Rivers Valley National Heritage Corridor, located in south-central Massachusetts and eastern Connecticut, the new Currents electronic newsletter is designed to provide up-to-date info on paddles and river events, “water trail” development, issues of concern, and success stories throughout the watershed. Freelanthropy For participating non-profit organizations, Freelanthropy provides free services that generate new donation revenue while improving visibility and interaction with constituents. Freelanthropy’s customized browser toolbar helps nonprofits stay connected with your constituents and helps them to support your cause financially every time they go on-line. Freelanthropy Search Portal provides your employees, volunteers and supporters with another simple way to generate money for your cause just by searching the Web. Click here for more info and here to see which charities have already signed up to receive funds through Freelanthropy. [Click here for more help on on-line fundraising.] Google News Search and E-Book/.pdf Search Engine http://news.google.com and http://www.search-ebooks.com Google News enables you to search for on-line newspaper and other print media references to subjects that interest you and/or your organization (just enter the appropriate words into the “search” box). Google News’ archive feature enables you to look back at three to four decades’ worth of newspaper accounts, which can provide some helpful historical context to environmental and other issues of interest. The E-Book/.pdf search engine uses a similar keyword search function to locate on-line references to your searched-for words or phrases in books and .pdf documents. The Jones River - A Ducks-eye View http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsbaLTWo2w0 Clicking on the link above takes you to a highly-entertaining and informative YouTube video, produced by the Jones River Watershed Association and intended for young viewers. The Jones River in Kingston, MA is the largest river in Cape Cod Bay. Historically it was one of the most productive river herring spawning sites in Massachusetts. A series of dams, impaired water quality, and mismanagement of water supplies have contributed the severe decline of herring populations in modern times. The Jones River Watershed Association is working to restore the river and save the fish. The 9-munute video features a rubber ducky “narrator” and aerial and underwater photography to present a “duck’s-eye” perspective on the river and its watershed. Kickstarter Kickstarter is an on-line tool designed to broadly promote and raise funds for creative ideas and ambitious endeavors. Motivated by the belief that a good idea, communicated well, can spread fast and wide; and that a large group of people can be a tremendous source of money and encouragement, the Kickstarter web page enables anyone to pitch an idea, set a fundraising goal for that idea, and then see if there’s a sufficient positive response to that idea to meet the fundraising target by a certain deadline. Kickstart is powered by a unique all-or-nothing funding method where projects must be fully-funded or no money changes hands. Examples of recent river- and/or wetland-related projects that successfully employed Kickstarter to meet their fundraising targets include: Mermaid, Octopus and Fish, a multi-screen video piece that was projected to the water and concrete wall of the Hoosic River as part of the Hoosac River Lights Festival; LED Floaties, a proposal to fund the raw materials to put together multi-colored, light-emitting-diode-powered helium balloons, to be released to and successfully retrieved from the Hoosic River, also part of the Hoosac River Lights Festival; and funding the publication of a book entitled When Land Meets the Sea – a pictorial story of our East Coast tidal ecosystems, consisting of a compilation of coastal and other landscape paintings by artist Cathy Harville. Click here to read the FAQ page, here for the Guidelines, and here to see new, featured and successful Kickstarter projects, or to browse the entire Kickstarter project portfolio. Massachusetts Congress of Lake and Pond Associations (MA COLAP) http://www.macolap.org/documents/Summer2010WaterWisdom.pdf MA COLAP’s mission is “to preserve, protect, maintain and enhance the environmental, aesthetic, recreational and economic values of lakes and ponds, and to promote watershed management” within the Commonwealth. The link above takes you to an on-line version of the Summer 2010 edition of MA COLAP’s Water Wisdom newsletter, which contains informative articles on the zebra mussel infestation of Mass. waters and “Forming Your Own Lake or Pond Association - Nine Steps”. New England Wildflower Society (NEWFS)’s Plant Identifier New England (PINE) http://flora.newenglandwild.org:8080 NEWFS’ recently-released electronic key to the native and naturalized woody plants of New England is now available for testing. The Plant Identifier New England (PINE) - Woody Plants is a prototype for a complete electronic flora of New England , which is based on the upcoming field manual to the region being prepared by Arthur Haines, NEWFS’s Research Botanist. Take PINE out for a spin, and please be sure to fill out the on-line survey located on the website. Your comments will help them produce the best identification tool possible. Click here to access PINE and here to read an article about PINE in NEWFS’s Summer 2010 newsletter. Paperless Post The Paperless Post website enables anyone to send on-line versions of custom, personalized invitations and announcements on fancy (albeit electronic) stationery. Paperless Post's eye-catching invitations and announcements have the beauty and thoughtfulness of traditional cardstock, with the convenience and accessibility of today. The service also has the ability to keep track of undeliverable (e)mail, responses to invites, etc. River Network Webinar on the Clean Water Act’s Section 401 water quality certification policy http://www.rivernetwork.org/resource-library/401-certification-webinar Section 401 is a powerful but underutilized regulatory tool that allows states to review and then veto or place conditions on activities requiring a federal license/permit that may result in a discharge of pollution. The 401 certification process is a rare chance to fundamentally change the way in which an activity is conducted (e.g. requiring riparian buffers, revegetation, time restrictions on activity during spawning, etc.) or to stop it all together when the activity will violate water quality standards. The link above takes you to a recently-posted webinar on this topic. Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition At one time there were approximately seventy streams in Massachusetts which supported teeming populations of wild sea run (aka “salter”) brook trout, fish that spend much of their lives in salt water but return to coastal streams to spawn. Habitat alteration and other adverse impacts have since reduced the known number of Mass. waters holding native, wild, sea-run brookies to just nine. The mission of the recently-formed Sea Run Brook Trout Coalition is to promote the restoration and enhancement of healthy sea-run brookie populations and habitat. The coalition’s web page serves as a conduit for sharing successful restoration efforts as well as raising funds to support further efforts. Take Back the Tap Guide to Safe Tap Water Tap water is thousands of times cheaper than bottled water and better for the environment. And despite what bottling companies want you to think, tap water standards are actually more stringent than those for bottled water. Your local water utility is required to provide a water quality report (aka “Consumer Confidence Report” or CCR) each year, which includes information about the source of your drinking water and any detected contaminants. While this report includes important information, it can be hard to decipher if you aren't sure what to look for. As part of its Renew America’s Water campaign to boost public confidence in, support for and investment in public water supply systems, Food and Water Watch recently produced an on-line guide to help citizens interpret the local water quality reports they receive from their water suppliers. Click here to download the Guide and/or share with others. Ten Ways Conservation Commissions and Others Can Help Protect Coldwater Streams and Their Inhabitants http://commonwaters.org/documents/10_Ways_to_Protect_CFR.pdf “Coldwater” streams (i.e., those that do not normally exceed 68ºF and/or support naturally-reproducing populations of wild trout and/or similar fish species) are among the Commonwealth’s most precious freshwater resources. They, along with the biota they support, are highly sensitive and vulnerable to being adversely impacted by many human activities, most notably the removal of streamside vegetation and the discharge of heated and/or polluted stormwater runoff. The link above takes you to a document prepared by Russ Cohen of DER , with the assistance of environmental consultant Glenn Krevosky. Originally prepared as a handout to accompany a PowerPoint presentation Russ made at the Mass. Association of Conservation Commissions’ Annual Environmental Conference several years ago, the document has since been updated, spiffed up with images and posted on-line courtesy of the Mass. Watershed Coalition (MWC). [You might also want to check out the related presentations made at a 2/11/10 MWC-hosted workshop entitled Community Stormwater Solutions: Keeping Your Streams Alive.] Tinypic® Tinypic is a fast, simple, reliable and free video and image hosting site that easily enables anyone to share such items with friends, family, groups, etc. There is no registration or log-in required, just access to the Internet and to the files and/or devices where your electronic images are located. Simply go to tinypic.com , upload your video or image and the website provides you with a simple, unique URL which you can then copy and paste into IM or e-mail messages, message boards, blogs, journals, etc. You can also search the Tinypic website for already-posted images/videos under various categories. [N.B.: As with all similar sharing sites, remember that the items you post may be viewed by others beyond the original recipients you select – click here to read TinyPic’s Terms of Service.] Water - Adapting to a New Normal The link above takes you to the chapter appearing in a forthcoming book published by the Post Carbon Institute entitled The Post Carbon Reader: Managing the 21st Century's Sustainability Crisis. Authored by Sandra Postel, leading water policy thinker and founder of the Global Water Policy Project, Water - Adapting to a New Normal takes a fresh look at the world's water challenges and offers some new approaches to solving the seemingly intractable supply problems we now face. As always, she employs her deft writing style to present ideas and a vision for a better water future based on hard facts and a practical worldview. http://www.yourwateryourdecision.org Established by the Source Water Collaborative (http://www.protectdrinkingwater.org/), Your Water, Your Decision is a new interactive tool to help organizations reach out to local officials and land use decision makers. The tool helps users create a professional-looking guide that highlights their community or state's specific source water protection needs by customizing subject matter, content, cover photos, contacts and resources. In addition, organizations can brand their guide by adding their own logo and contact information -- making the guide unique for every organization. Use the guide to start a conversation with local officials about what can be done in your community by presenting best practices, people and resources that can help them protect their sources of drinking water. Click here for more info.
The Eel Project combines American Eel conservation and citizen science by getting high school and college students out of the classroom and into the environment along the Hudson River to collect data on American eels. The data is used to create conservation and management plans for the eels, to ensure they survive long into the future. Click here to view an inspiring 5-minute video about the project, featuring an interview with 2009 TogetherGreen Fellow Chris Bowser. [TogetherGreen is a multi-year partnership between Toyota and the National Audubon Society. Click here to read the latest edition of the TogetherGreen Inside Scene newsletter where Chris’ work with The Eel Project is highlighted.]
The Summer 2010 issue of the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Sanctuary Magazine, entitled River Tops: The Life of Little-Known Streams, is replete with articles celebrating headwater streams and their associated flora and fauna, including: Shiners, Darters and Dace; A little tale of small fish by Cliff Hauptmann; Green Streams: Certain species of plants favor the moist banks of watercourses, by Teri Dunn; Small Waters: Small headwater streams are critical to mainstem river systems, but they remain unprotected, by Thomas Conuel; and Swimming with Stoneflies: A guide to aquatic insects by Michael Caduto. While many (if not most) of these and the other contents of this issue will eventually be accessible on-line, individual hard copies of the Sanctuary Summer 2010 issue may be requested by e-mailing Rose Murphy at rmurphy@massaudubon.org. [See also the “Ten Ways” coldwater streams protection document discussed earlier in this newsletter.]
Published by the Bainbridge Island, WA-based Positive Futures Network, the most recent (Summer 2010) issue of Yes! Magazine, “Water Solutions”, looks at the imminent fresh water crisis and explores what communities across the country are doing to ensure that there will be enough water for all, for generations to come, if we work together to keep it clean, use it wisely, and share it fairly. In this issue: 3 Big Ideas to Make Water Last; how we’ll grow food in dry times; a small town takes control of its water supply. Robert Kennedy Jr. talks about citizen Waterkeepers. 6 simple things you can do at home; and more. Click here to peek inside at the contents of this issue, or here for a special offer: a yearly subscription to Yes! Magazine for only $10, starting with this issue.
Recently published by the Charles River Conservancy (CRC) to commemorate its 10th Anniversary, River Stories is a 32-page treasury of poems and stories about the river and the parklands by the people who cherish them. Click here to purchase a hard copy ($10) or here to download in .pdf format. Also available for purchase ($15) from the CRC is a Charles River Parklands poster, a stunning display map (20.5" high by 39" wide) that captures the scale and dramatic impact of the Charles River Basin and its surrounding parklands. The river is boldly shown in blue, the great band of parklands is heralded in green, and individual buildings in neighboring communities are rendered in gray, making them fully recognizable.
Ever seen a park over a freeway? On a rooftop? In a cemetery? What about replacing an old railroad track -- or even supplanting an old airport? In Urban Green: Innovative Parks for Resurgent Cities, the Trust for Public Land (TPL)’s Peter Harnik shows that there's room for parks even in America 's most "built-out" urban centers -- you just need to know where to look. He also discusses the pitfalls of relying on traditional "planning standards" to determine how much parkland a city should have. Harnik draws on his experience as director of the Center for City Park Excellence to explore the frontier of urban park design and advocacy. Urban Green (208pp., $30) can be purchased from TPL by calling (800) 821-3464 or by clicking here. [Click here to read TPL’s City Parks blog and here for the LandNotes blog.]
Restoring Ecological Health to Your Land, the latest in the Society for Ecological Restoration (SER)/Island Press’s The Science and Practice of Ecological Restoration book series, provides step-by-step guidance for developing, implementing, monitoring and refining on-the-ground restoration projects. It provides a non-technical introduction to ecological restoration and gives readers from all walks of life and all levels of experience—from owners of small properties and land conservancy stewards to agency personnel responsible for restoring lands in their care—the tools and advice they need to champion restoration close to where they live and work—at home, on farms and ranches, and in parks and preserves. Authors Steven I. Apfelbaum and Alan Haney’s draw from their first-hand experiences restoring their respective properties in southern and central Wisconsin to illustrate how the same process of discovery, planning and implementation can be applied to all of North America’s major ecosystems and yield positive results with landscapes in any condition and at every scale. Restoring Ecological Health (264 pp., $30) can be ordered on-line by clicking here or by calling (800) 621-2736. [Click here for a review of the book in the SER newsletter (scroll down to p.12.)]
Also available from Island Press is Bottled and Sold: The Story Behind Our Obsession with Bottled Water, written by Peter Gleick of the Pacific Institute. The book explains how water went from being a free natural resource to one of the most successful commercial products of the last one hundred years – and why we are poorer for it. Every second of every day in the United States, a thousand people buy a plastic bottle of water, and every second of every day a thousand more throw one of those bottles away. That adds up to more than thirty billion bottles a year. Are there legitimate reasons to buy all those bottles? With a scientist’s eye and a natural storyteller’s wit, Gleick investigates whether industry claims about the relative safety, convenience, and taste of bottled versus tap hold water. Bottled and Sold (288 pp. $26.98) can be ordered by clicking here or by calling (800) 621-2736. [Click here to read an excerpt from the book and here to go to Bottled and Sold’s Facebook page.]
Prepared by the Pacific Institute and released by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) earlier this year, Clearing the Waters: A Focus on Water Quality Solutions, details how water quality is as important as water quantity for satisfying human and environmental needs, yet has received far less investment, scientific support, and public attention. “Improving water quality, whether by preventing pollution, treating wastewater before disposal, or restoring the quality of waterways, requires increased awareness and political will,” said Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute. “The consequences of inaction are stark: water-quality problems affect our health, reduce agricultural productivity, impose additional costs on industrial production, and degrade ecosystem services––with costs to local populations and governments.” Click here to download a copy of the report.
The UNEP’s recently released report, Dead Planet, Living Planet: Biodiversity and Ecosystem Restoration for Sustainable Development, provides more than 30 case studies on thousands of successful restoration projects in deserts, rainforests, rivers, and coasts. The report also provides recommendations on how to avoid pitfalls and minimize risks to ensure successful restoration. Hard copies of Dead Planet, Living Planet (109pp., $30) can be ordered by clicking here. You can also click here to download a .pdf version of the report and here to access an abstract of the report’s contents and interactive “e-book” format as well as related printed posters, PowerPoints and other materials. [Click here for info on a related UNEP-sponsored publication due out in September.]
First published in 1987, Ralph W. Tiner’s A Field Guide to Coastal Wetland Plants of the Northeastern United States soon established itself as the definitive work on its subject. Now Tiner (who once worked for the Mass. Wetlands Restoration Program, now the Division of Ecological Restoration) has prepared a revised and expanded edition, broadening the coverage both botanically and geographically. Field Guide to Tidal Wetland Plants of the Northeastern United States and Neighboring Canada - Vegetation of Beaches, Tidal Flats, Rocky Shores, Marshes, Swamps, and Coastal Ponds emphasizes plant identification and includes descriptions of over 700 species and illustrations of approximately 550 species. More tidal wetland types are covered (beaches, rocky shores, and tidal swamps), and the geographic scope extends as far north as Canada 's Maritime Provinces . Field Guide to Tidal Wetland Plants (416 pp., $98 deluxe hardcover, $30 paperback) can be purchased through the Association of State Wetland Managers (ASWM) website.
Connecticut’s Invasive Aquatic and Wetland Plants Identification Guide, recently published by the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station (CAES), provides crisp clear photos and keys to the identification of 22 species of invasive aquatic plants currently or potentially found in Connecticut lakes and ponds. As, once established, eradication of invasive aquatic plants is extremely difficult, preventing introductions by inspections, early detection and rapid response is critically important. Prepared by Experiment Station Scientists Greg Bugbee and Martha Balfour, it also explains what you should do if you find a plant discussed in the guide. A limited number of printed copies are available from CAES on request (email: Martha.Balfour@ct.gov) or you can click here to download a copy of the document in .pdf format. [Click here for links to many similar documents accessible via the National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) website].
><((((º>`•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸.•´¯`•...¸><((((º>¸.•´¯`•.¸. , . .•´¯`•.. ><((((º>`•.¸¸.•´¯`•.¸.•´¯`•...¸><((((º> The Mass. Watershed Coalition (MWC)’s “mwc-list” listserv is a great source of information on river- and watershed-related funding and job opportunities, upcoming events, recent articles and more. Many of the posted items are time-sensitive and can’t wait until the next edition of Ebb&Flow. You can access the mwc-list listserv at http://lists.topica.com/lists/mwc-list@igc.topica.com, where you can subscribe to receive the posted messages to your e-mail address, or simply read them on-line. Highly recommended!
Division of Ecological Restoration Staff : Tim Purinton, Acting Director ******************************************* Commonwealth of Massachusetts 251 Causeway St. Suite 400 Boston , MA 02114 617) 626-1540 http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/river Visit the DER Staff page
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The new book 
| Division of Ecological Restoration, Department of Fish & Game, 251 Causeway St., Suite 400, Boston, MA 02114 (617) 626-1540 (main line), (617) 626-1505 (fax) Visit the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs Visit the Department of Fish & Game |