Thursday, June 24, 2010

Photographers and Writers Wanted

The Bremen Conservation Commission is looking for volunteer writers and photographers to cover a variety of topics for our blog. Whether your passion is kayaking the Medomak, hiking, birdwatching, recording weather, keeping a journal of your summer in Maine, covering local events, writing poetry or photographing wildlife we need you. Maintaining a conservation blog requires fresh perspective from a variety of individuals and to be interesting we need people actively engaged in contributing material. If you have something you'd like to share on a part time or regular basis please let us know by emailing bcc@tidewater.net or calling Dennis at 529-2987.

Hope to hear from you!

Monday, June 14, 2010

The Importance of Vernal Pools

What are vernal pools?

A vernal pool is a natural, temporary to semipermanent body of water occurring in a shallow
depression that typically fills during the spring or fall and may dry during the summer. Vernal pools have no permanent inlet and no viable populations of predatory fish. In Maine, vernal pools are also defined by the animals that use them for breeding,
including:
Three amphibians:
Spotted salamander
Blue spotted salamander
Wood frog
And one crustacean (invertebrate):
Fairy shrimp

In dry seasons, vernal pools may appear as small, grassy openings in the forest. They may also have compacted, water-stained forest floor litter. A search through the forest floor may reveal insect-castings, fingernail clams, snails and/or caddisfly cases.

Why are vernal pools important?

Vernal pools provide essential breeding and nursery habitat for several organisms. Salamander larvae consume live animal prey including mosquito larvae. Adult and juvenile amphibians are mostly terrestrial, and account for a substantial amount of the animal biomass (collective weight) in the forest floor surrounding vernal pools. They have several important roles in the forest ecosystem:

They are food for higher predators (snakes,turtles, birds, and mammals).

They consume a large quantity of forest floor insects and other invertebrates.

They play an important role in dispersing and releasing aquatic nutrients into the surrounding
forest system.

Vernal pools are also important habitats for several of Maine’s rare, threatened and endangered species including state-listed turtles, snakes and dragonflies.

When connected by intact forest, vernal pools can serve as stepping stones within the forest landscape between larger wetlands. They function as resting and feeding refugia for many amphibians, birds and mammals.

Why do vernal pools need to be fishless?

Many amphibian eggs have toxic compounds or physical properties that help deter predators such as fish. Vernal pool-dependent amphibians lack these protections and their eggs and young are vulnerable to aquatic and terrestrial predators. Not all vernal pools go dry every year, but they must have some feature that excludes fish such as annual drying, low oxygen concentrations in the summer, or shallow conditions that permit winter freezing to the pool bottom.

How do vernal pool-dependent organisms survive if pools are seasonal?

Vernal pool-dependent organisms have several strategies for survival. Fairy shrimp have an
extremely short adult life cycle and a long-lasting desiccant-resistant egg stage. Adult amphibians only use the vernal pools for a few weeks in the breeding season. Once they have mated and the eggs have been deposited, they move into the surrounding forest where they spend ≥90% of the calendar year. A complete lifecycle (transformation from egg􀃆 larvae􀃆 juvenile􀃆 adult) takes approximately 3 to 5 months.

Where are vernal pool amphibians when they aren’t in the pool?

After breeding, adults leave the pool and disperse into the surrounding forest. Their permeable skin is vulnerable to desiccation and they require the cool, damp places provided by overstory shade, uncompacted fallen leaves and decaying fallen logs. Adult wood frogs travel as far as ¼ mile from pools, and often forage in nearby forested wetlands. They hibernate in well-drained soils of upland forests. Salamanders are generally found within 750 ft of the pool perimeter. They shelter in root channels, under logs, and inside small mammal burrows. Juvenile wood frogs and salamanders disperse into the forest, and may be concentrated within 100 ft of
the pool perimeter during the first months after metamorphosis. They will feed, shelter and overwinter in this “nursery zone”. Juveniles require the same shaded damp refugia as the adults.

How can I help conserve vernal pools on my property?

The amphibians that breed and develop in vernal pools rely on the pool itself as well as the immediate surrounding forest to complete their life cycle. Limiting impacts in these areas is important. The key habitat qualities that should be conserved within 750 ft of the pool basin are:

Water quality
Forest cover
Uncompacted soil
Woody debris

The Department of Environmental Protection has rules that govern activities adjacent to ”Significant Vernal Pools“ (Chapter 335). In addition, detailed guidelines for forestry and development activities near vernal pools are available from the Maine Audubon Society. Some general recommendations are summarized below. Within the pool itself: Maintain the basin depression and its vegetation and water quality in an undisturbed state. Disturbance can reduce the pool’s ability to support amphibian and invertebrate life. To investigate the pool on foot, limit activities within the pool. Be particularly careful to:

Minimize disturbance to the pool bottom(especially, discourage entry by dogs).
Do not put objects (hands, clothing, footwear) that have been chemically treated (for example with insect repellant) in the pool. Leave egg masses undisturbed. Do not conduct harvesting or development activities within this area.

Important: ATV’s are prohibited from vernal pools
except when pools are frozen and snow-covered
(12 MRSA §13157-A. subsection 27).

In a 100 foot radius around the pool:

Maintain a closed canopy forest (at least 75% cover) of trees generally larger than 5 inches
diameter to provide shade, litter (nutrients) and coarse woody debris.
Avoid soil compaction: limit entrance of vehicles
such as logging equipment and ATV’s.
Leave fallen and decaying logs and branches to serve as moist refuges for juveniles and adults.
Avoid using chemicals such as herbicides.

Beyond 100 feet: Maintain an intact forest in as large an area as possible within 750 feet of the pool. Avoid construction of trails and roads for motorized vehicles. Maintain at least 50% canopy cover; develop less than 25% of this area. Limit harvest openings to less than an acre. Do not disturb downed logs and debris and leave scattered older or dying trees for creation of
future moist refuges. Limit the use of chemicals; especially avoid using herbicides and insecticides in early spring and late summer/early fall when amphibians are
migrating.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Vernal Pools

SWOAM - Midcoast Chapter
Vernal Pools
When: Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Location: Bremen Town Center

Event is free and open to the public.
Contact Dick Koubek at (207)529-4132.

10 Biggest Mistakes

Tom Doak, Executive Director of SWOAM (Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine), gave an excellent presentation at the Town Office last Friday night on "10 Bigggest Mistakes Forest Landowners Make."   He said the idea for the presentation, which he has given throughout the state, grew out of many common questions SWOAM gets from landowners.  It was an eye-opening presentation and if you missed it here, you should try to catch one somewhere else.  For more information, check out SWOAM's website:  www.swoam.org
 
In brief, Tom said the 10 Biggest Mistakes are:
 
1.    Not knowing what you own; Not knowing  what you             have;
2.    Being Afraid To Do Anything;
3.    Misunderstanding Maine's Liability Law;
4.    Not Doing Estate Planning;
5.    Paying Too Much Income Tax;
6.    Not Understanding Current Use Taxation;
7.    Failing To Keep Good Records;
8.    Not Understanding How to Work with Foresters &         Loggers;
9.    Not Understanding Posting Law; and
10.    Not Staying Informed/Asking for Help
 

Alewife Update 6-11-10

Another alewife run is on in Muscongus Brook.  It is hard to guess the numbers this time as the brook is running quite high. Perhaps 500.  These fish surely came in during last nights extra high tide as I  found none yesterday.  By 2:30pm today they were already several found above the southern  culvert and dozens moving up the fish ladder and into the culvert.  With the water running so well in the brook, I can't imagine better conditions for this effort.  I bet more fish come in the next 2 nights as the tides will be yet  higher.

The fishing gear restrictions have been temporarily lifted for Bremen.  This was decided at the special town meeting on Wednesday by MEDMR Commissioner Lapointe.  Quite a bit of anger was being directed at our alewife restoration efforts, as it was felt that this work brought on the local fishing closures.  These new 
restrictions were a complete surprise to the fishermen. Credit is due to the local lobster community for rallying in such force.

A few poachers were spotted in the brook about a week and a half ago.  I suspect this was a result of the area closures.  Bait must be had one way or another.

David Wilkins

Friday, June 11, 2010

The Importance of Frogs


By Crede Calhoun

More than 5 billion humans live on the earth today, and for centuries mankind has believed that the environment was there for them to use. But today, you hear frequently about how mans lifestyle is harming the earth. Man is not alone, we share this earth with 80 million other species. The relationship between these species is connected in a complex web of interaction.

The German biologist Ernst Haeckel, in 1866, gave a name to the study of how organisms fit into their environment. He called it ecology. Ecology is the study of the interactions of organisms with one another and with their physical environment. Ecology examines biotic factors, or living parts of an ecosystem.

An ecosystem is a self-sustaining organization of a community of organisms and their physical environment or habitat. Ecosystems are very complex.

Water is the most important nonliving component of an ecosystem. The availability of water determines the diversity of animals in an ecosystem. Plants play an important role in the water cycle. 90 percent of the moisture that enters the ecosystem passes through plants and evaporates from their leaves in a process called transpiration. Water also evaporates from water bodies like oceans, rivers and lakes, returning to the environment. Water returns to the earth during precipitation (rain, sleet and snow), and all the water is connected in one huge water cycle. All the water in the world including all the water in our bodies (which is 95% water) is connected. We are already aware of the effects of acid rain which illustrates the connectedness within the world wide hydrological water system.

Preserving the world for the future generations in a large part, will be about how well we can protect the world wide water system from continued degradation. Monitoring the quality of the water can be easily done by looking at the health of animal species that live in freshwater ecosystems. This is like using a canary in a coal mine to determine if the air is safe to breathe. One animal that is closely connected to the water is the humble and adorable frog. Frogs live in water their whole lives and the health of frogs can be used to partially determine the health of the water system.

Changes of aquatic habitats caused by chemicals are taking a toll, and unfortunately frogs seem to be bearing the brunt of the problem. In my own experiences, I have seen seeing several frogs and toads out in the woods with limb deformities. Studies and scientists are beginning to understand why frogs are dying out world wide. The main theory is that parasites are causing the problems and in particular a parasite known as the trematode. It is believed that the use of herbicides to kill weeds is also eliminating aquatic plants. Plant-derived oxygen is reduced, and herbicides also may have direct toxic effects on tadpoles and other animals, in one study, herbicide impacts on aquatic plants were associated with an increased frequency of severe trematode infection in the kidneys of tadpoles. Stormwater runoff from rain falling on asphalt and washing into the water system is a severe nationwide problem. The carcinogens from gasoline are some of the most dangerous cancer causing pollutants known to man. Surely these toxic chemicals are impacting the frog as well.

Frogs are very important to the ecosystems in which they live. They control bugs and help keep the ecosystem in balance. Frogs are a very diverse type of animal. They are mostly found in wet areas but they are also found in deserts and on 15,000 high mountains.

Learning about frogs can be really fun when you discover just how amazing these creatures are. It's a sad day every time one of these frog species disappears from the earth forever. Frogs have been around for 190 million years and are an ancient life form. Help protect frogs by becoming involved with water quality issues in your town and area, and by learning about frogs so you can share their magic and importance. If we begin to care about one animal and try and protect them perhaps we can begin to care about the water too and protect it as well. Protecting frogs protects the water.

Frog Photography: On location at David Autio's Fish/Frog/Skating/Watering Pond, Medomak


Wednesday, June 9, 2010

10 Biggest Mistakes Woodland Owners Make

Hear about the worst mistakes that forest landowners make -- and how to avoid them -- at a presentation in Bremen by Tom Doak, executive director of the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine (SWOAM). 
There will be plenty of time for discussion after the one-hour presentation, so bring your questions. 
 
The workshop will be held at the Bremen Town Center 6:30 - 8:30 p.m. on Friday, June 11.  Call Kick Koubek at 529-4132 for more information. 

Can The Lowly River Herring Help Turn Around Groundfishing?


The importance of the alewife in the food chain....A must read!
http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/archives/1academicnews/007480.shtml


Friday, June 4, 2010

Alewives vs. Culverts

The Natural Resources Council of Maine interviews David Wilkins regarding poorly designed and sited culverts and their detrimental effects on the alewife run in Muscongus Brook in this video. Follow the link below to watch this video:

http://www.nrcm.typepad.com/nrcminsider/

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Fertilizer, Phosphorus and a recent BCC Blog Poll

What's so bad about fertilizer you might ask?  Phosphorus is a nutrient required by all organisms for the basic processes of life. Phosphorus is a natural element found in rocks, soils and organic material. Phosphorus clings tightly to soil particles and is used by plants, so its concentrations in clean waters is generally very low. However, phosphorus is used extensively in fertilizer and other chemicals, so it can be found in higher concentrations in areas of human activity. Many seemingly harmless activities added together can cause phosphorus overloads.

In freshwater lakes and rivers, phosphorus is often found to be the growth-limiting nutrient, because it occurs in the least amount relative to the needs of plants. If excessive amounts of phosphorus and nitrogen are added to the water, algae and aquatic plants can be produced in large quantities. When these algae die, bacteria decompose them, and use up oxygen. This process is called eutrophication. Dissolved oxygen concentrations can drop too low for fish to breathe, leading to fish kills. The loss of oxygen in the bottom waters can free phosphorus previously trapped in the sediments, further increasing the available phosphorus.

Our recent blog poll asked Bremen residents how/if they fertilize their lawns.  With a total of 12 responses via the blog and random polling  we found that 75% of the respondents do not use fertilizers at all compared to a state poll that indicated 60% went without using fertilizer.  25% of respondents indicated that they use fertilize about every other year or so.

If you'd like to learn more about phosphorus free fertilizers click on the link below:
http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doclake/fert/phospage.htm

If you'd like to learn about the Lakesmart Program for waterfront property owners click on the link below:
http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doclake/lakesmart/index.htm

LakeSmart awards sign




 

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Alewife Update 6-2-10


There have been no new alewives in Muscongus Brook for a few days now. Only about 5 fish seen below the fish ladder today. A handful are apparently still in the culvert by evidence of their fins breaking the surface in there every now and then. I believe they are mostly making it into the pond. Some locals have told me that these Bremen alewives move more at night. With such warm water in the brook some days, this may be true. I have only seen scattered handfuls of them above the fish ladder. This run effort I estimate to be of about 6-800 fish. Perhaps we'll see more when the tides come around again extra high in a couple of weeks.

There have been some drastic changes in some areas along the Maine coast regarding fishing gear type for this and the next few years. The waters of Bremen are included. This is not good news for the already struggling local lobster economy. Many lobstermen fish for their own bait targeting menhaden and atlantic herring. Unfortunately it is known that blueback herring and alewives (river herring) are sometimes caught accidentally in this fishery. The attached graph explains the problem and has the complete attention of the federal fishing regulators. The solutions are not easy and for some fishermen painful.

The Bremen Alewife project is one of many small groups doing their best to turn this graph around. I work very hard on this project and am always confident this is something good for the Bremen fishermen.

There is to be a public meeting at 10AM next Wednesday at the Bremen Town Center to
discuss how these new regulations effect Bremen. MEDMR commissioner George Lapointe
will attend as well as Sea Run Fisheries director Pat Keliher. There is some misdirected anger being placed on this project, and hopefully this meeting will bring explanation and restore continued support from the town.

Contributing David Wilkins