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

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

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/

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






 

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

Local Perspective on LD 1725

LD 1725, "the culvert bill", is intended to insure that Maine's culverts are not to be replaced with culverts as they reach the end of their useable lifespan. Nothing is final to date, and MEDOT can still replace with same today if they want or need to.

However in Bremen's Muscongus Brook we have our foot in the door (I think). The Gulf of Maine Council is funding the engineering and design phases of the 2 new MEDOT road crossings where RT32 crosses the brook. This should insure (fingers crossed) that whatever structure replace these old culverts will pass fish....and reptiles, amphibians, aquatic insects and mammals.

Last week Nick Bennett, staff scientist, of NRCM interviewed me on site at my fish ladder. He made a little video that will soon be on their website.... www.nrcm.org I plan on testifying in Augusta later this year to hopefully sway the Army Corp of Engineers to new fish friendly standards. MEDOT will need to answer to the (hopefully new) AC of E's culvert standards.

From what I have seen in Bremen, fish (at least alewife) need more than to simply get up and into a culvert. Never in a natural stream has any fish ever needed to swim upstream through a straight uninterrupted flow for more than say 5 or 10 feet. Our culverts are 40' long. Our brook is 12' wide yet MEDOT installed culverts that are 4' and 5' wide respectively. This forces water to pass through them uninterrupted and at a much faster rate than surrounding waters.

Culverts with their accelerated flow both upstream and mostly downstream contribute to bank erosion adding siltation to the watershed. The constrictions they create also allow debris to become jammed in them necessitating regular costly maintenance by road crews. Culverts are short term cheap yet long term costly for both us and wildlife.

Contributing - David Wilkins

LD 1725: Where does it stand?

Here's an interesting article on LD 1725.

http://www.downeast.com/georges-outdoor-news/2010/april/culvert-rules-returned

'Tis the Season to Plant: Non-Native Plants to Avoid

Since we are smack-dab in the middle of planting season (and how fortunate we have been to have such a fantastic spring) I wanted to remind those who are not familiar with plants what to avoid.  Here is a list of non-native plants considered most invasive in Maine.

1. Purple loosestrife (lythum salicaria)
2. Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii)
3. Oriental bittersweet (celastrus orbiculatus)
4. Japanese knotweed (fallopia japonica)
5. Smooth and common buckthorn (frangula alnus and rhamnus cathartica)
6. Non-native honeysuckles (Lonicera spp.)
7. Garlic mustard (Allaria petiolata)
8. Multiflora rosa (Rosa multiflora)
9. Small-flowered tickle-grass (deschampsia cespitosa ssp. parviflora)
10. Common reed (phragmites australis)

Contributing - Dennis Prior

Alewife Update 5-28-10

David Wilkins

Last nights full moon high tide should have been great incentive for alewives to run into Muscongus Brook. Unfortunately is was only good.

My inspection this morning did reveal ~ 3-400 new dark alewives crowding
up in only the lowest few pools of the brook. Many fish were still in the pools
below the average high tide line, attracting lots of birds. These fish
apparently came in as the tide was falling in the early morning hours. In fact I
found a hundred or so that became trapped (strained out) and died in the falling tide
between a jumble of rocks. My fear is these alewife were held back from running
during the rising tide by elver fishermen. I wasn't there however.

I collected the dead alewives (2, 5 gallon buckets +) and gave them to
a lobster fisherman, of which I have been trying to keep him from taking the lives ones.

These somewhat cooler days may inspire more run attempts this weekend. I still haven't seen any mass of alewife as far as the old mill. A few have been seen above the southern RT 32 culvert. Perhaps this afternoon the ladder will be in action as these new recruits push the others further upstream.

Osprey Cam

The Osprey nest in Woolwich now has an OspreyCam. Check out the recently hatched chicks on live cam at the web address below by copying into your browser :)

http://www.briloon.org/watching-wildlife/osprey-cam.php

Alewife Update 5-25-10

David Wilkins

Last nights high tide did not bring any alewives into Muscongus Brook. I was
at the high tide line with 4 elver fishermen. I watched the school approach the
mouth of the brook a few times, but there was always one guy with his light
and dip net spooking them back out. Frustrating. Perhaps other conditions
held them out.???

The alewife that came in on Sunday evenings tide continue to advance their way
towards Webber Pond. Many have ascended the fish ladder and are holding up
inside the southern culvert. I can see their fins breaking the surface in there.
I have sandbags retaining water here. Otherwise they'd wash back out. I have seen
a few in the brook above the southern culvert.

This morning I found 2 dead alewives stuck in rocks quite close to the pond at the old mill. At 4:15 pm I found a single fish holding its place behind a rock inside the north culvert. Most fish are still below the old mill. I continually pry rocks apart here for better fish passage.

Some are quite close to the pond and it is possible that a few may have already reached it. They become hard to find in such small numbers above the north RT 32 culvert.

Water temp at 4pm at the ladder was 28.1 deg C!!.(~ 82 deg F) Dissolved O2 was at 97.3% for the fish-heads in the group. No fish moving during the hottest parts of the days lately....just holding in the pools.

Alewife Update 5-23-10 8pm

They just started coming in at the top of the tide tonight. Not sure if they will advance or head back out tonight. I've seen both things happen. They were held back in the harbor to some extent by 3 elver fishermen with lights and sweeping nets.

David Wilkins

Bremen Alewife Update 5-20-2010

Contributing Author - David Wilkins

With help from the Bremen Conservation Commission's  Bennett Collins we installed the new 2010 fish ladder below the RT 32 southern culvert on Tuesday  (see pic).  I noticed a single alewife in the brook while we were lugging materials down the bank for the ladder. This was  a "scout" alewife. They are often seen inland days or weeks before the runs begins. Do they return to the school in the bay and report conditions? Who and how are scouts selected from the school?  Are they male or female? 
There is so much we (I) don't know about river herring.

With the high tides changing later each day combined with the warm sunny forecast, I would not be surprised if we start seeing small schools of alewife moving in in the coming days. They have always run late in Muscongus Brook starting late May when the high tides are at dusk.

Fish Counters Needed

The Alewives are running in Waldoboro and one of the tasks at hand is counting them as they swim up the Medomak River. Fish counting coordinator Lincoln Smith is looking for volunteers. If you have a few extra hours between 8 am and 6pm and would like to get outdoors please give Lincoln Smith a call at 832-5570. Counting is done in 2 hour shifts off the Mill Street Bridge in Waldoboro.

Do we fertilize our lawns?

A recent statewide survey conducted by a Maine market research firm found that over 61% of Mainers do not fertilize their lawns which is good news for Maine’s lakes, rivers, streams, and estuaries where fertilizer washed off lawns can contribute to algal blooms and poor water quality.

This news is also consistent with recent research showing most lawns over 10 years old don’t need a lot of chemicals. As Laura Wilson from the University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service explains, “If your lawn looks healthy without fertilizers, do not fertilize; it is a waste of money. Most lawns over 10 years old do not need fertilizers, if you leave the clippings. The clippings provide a source of slow release nitrogen and adequate phosphorus for your lawn.”

Most lawns don’t need phosphorus. “Over 80% of lawns tested in the past 5 years did not need any additional phosphorus,” notes Wilson. “Reducing or eliminating phosphorus also prevents harm to neighborhood lakes, streams and rivers

Barbara Welch, who runs Maine’s Phosphorus-Free Fertilizer program at the Department of Environmental Protection explains, “Phosphorus controls a lake’s water quality. Keep phosphorus out and you have clear water. Add phosphorus and you get plant growth in the form of tiny algae that can turn lakes, streams and even some rivers green and scummy.”

For these reasons, the Maine legislature passed a law that took effect 2 years ago requiring stores that sell fertilizers containing phosphorus (this includes most starter fertilizers) to post a sign. The sign discourages the use of phosphorus lawn products unless reseeding, starting a new lawn, or results of soil test show phosphorus is needed. The statewide survey found that among those who use phosphorus-free fertilizer, practically all (89%) are satisfied with the look and condition of their lawn.

Wilson gives advice on when to apply fertilizers - not before spring green-up or later than September 15th. Early spring fertilizing feeds the weeds more than the grass. The best time to fertilize is around Labor Day weekend to get the grass strong going into winter. Avoid fertilizing in the midsummer when the grass may be stressed with hot, dry conditions.

Gary Fish of the Maine YardScaping Partnership says, "One of the best things you can do when applying fertilizer is get any stray particles off the sidewalk, driveway and street and back onto the lawn. Fertilizer granules or grass clippings on these surfaces can easily get washed into the storm drain or ditch and can end up polluting our precious lakes, rivers and bays.”

To see how Bremen stacks up against the state please take the poll on the right hand side of the blog.

For more information on safe, healthy lawns visit the Maine Board of Pesticides YardScaping web site http://www.yardscaping.org/lawn/six-steps.htm and County Cooperative Extension offices. For phosphorus free fertilizer information go to http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doclake/fert/phospage.htm

David's Update 5-17-10

A  strange year for alewife runs in Maine, and to the south. What started as unusually early runs (April 4th in Jefferson) in parts of Maine, has found them somewhat standoff-ish in many other runs in the mid-coast lately. Muscongus Brook in Bremen has always started late; around Memorial Day. During high tides lately the harbor will show a couple of cormorants and sometimes loons, diving with purpose. An osprey and eagle have been reported near the mouth of the brook. A great blue heron well up into the brook may signify a few scout alewife have already explored a bit inland. I see nothing, but I trust the birds.

I plan to install the fish ladder tomorrow morning, Tue the 18th.  The water in the brook is running at a trickle today with the recent dry spell.  Good conditions for working below the RT 32 culvert.

I hung a few "no taking alewives" signs along the brook recently. I hated doing this, but I have heard some folks are already looking for these alewives as a bait supplement.  If any alewives run the brook, they will be at least 5 years old. This makes these fish survivors of previous runs, and therefor their genetics crucially important to the future of Webber Ponds alewife population.

Not So Slick

It was morning when I noticed a pair of wood ducks flapping their wings near our shore and yet for some reason not flying. They just flapped and paddled their wings on the water. The ice had let out of the pond almost a week before and many waterfowl had been moving through. No sign of loons yet and there was a dusting of fresh snow. I’d never seen ducks act quite like that before.

Our power was out because of the storm, as were most of Bremen and much of the coast. There were trees down, wires down, roads closed, and roads flooded. This had been an historic storm the like of which we are told to expect with more frequency. The ducks appeared to be in trouble. I went for a closer examination.

With having only taken a few steps toward the pond I was struck with a strong aroma. This was a smell that was so familiar, yet far out of place by the shore of Webber Pond. The closer I approached the pond, the more concentrated the toxic sent. It reminded me of paint thinner. I had a terrible feeling and the wood ducks did not look right.

I now saw the problem; or at least part of it. There, creating a horrible, iridescent slick on the surface of the pond, as far as I could see, lay a film of oil. Oil, as far as I could see on the pond! Oil was actually and unbelievably in dear, pristine Webber Pond. I felt a sickness I find hard to express in words. I’ll never forget the moment of dread when I realized there was no practical way this environmental tragedy could be undone. I needed to make a phone call.

The Maine DEP response team arrived by early afternoon. They were quick to determine the slick was caused by kerosene or #2 fuel oil. We immediately began to seek the source. A pink colored tinge to the snow along part of the waters edge eventually led the team to the cause.

A single gallon of kerosene will kill fish in one million gallons of water. In more dilute forms it will cause cancers in reptiles, amphibians, birds and fish. You don’t want to know what it will do to people exposed to it long term. The water in Webber would likely not recover for decades if as much as 20 gallons of fuel oil made it into it. It was a horrible discovery when the MEDEP team member found the empty 125 gallon fuel tank with a severed fuel line. This was at a summer camp and the line was simply cut by a limb falling from a tree during the storm. This was a completely preventable misfortune. The wood ducks would likely die. I knew more wildlife would as well.

The above scenario did not actually happen…..yet. It is still waiting to happen or it might still be prevented. It’s our choice. Of all the burdens we place on Webber by living on its shore, I fear fuel spills the most. A cheap fix could prevent an accident like this. Your fuel company can install guards over the fuel line. Covering the tank entirely with a solid structure is better still. Are there trees over your fuel tank? Still better would be to move the tank inside. Ideally, eliminating fuel oils from your pond side property is best. Propane or fire wood are quite LakeSmart fuels.

What is LakeSmart? It is a Maine Department of Environmental Protection program designed to improve water quality in Maine’s ponds. We are fortunate to have a few trained property inspectors in Bremen. Several properties on Webber Pond were inspected last summer and 2 properties won the coveted LakeSmart award. These proud LakeSmart property owners are Steve and Jo Laurich and Bob Wheeler. We’d love to see more properties inspected this summer.

A little shy about an inspection? It is painless, anonymous, voluntary, and free. It is more of an informational meeting than judgment. The inspections look for a good vegetative buffer between your property and the water. They will look at outside fuel storage and a cursory look at your septic system (this will come with a reminder to pump your tank every 2-3 years). Driveways and paths will be scrutinized as they contribute to siltation. Short grass lawns are frowned upon. Perhaps the least we could do is to take a small quiet step to reduce our impact on the pond this summer.

I am not an inspector and would however be happy to share with you what I have learned. http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doclake/lakesmart/

Contributing Writer - David Wilkins

Check out David Wilkins' Bremen Alewife Restoration Project Page

The BCC welcomes David Wilkins as a contributing writer covering the restoration of Bremen alewives to Webber Pond. Find out all the latest on our fish friends as they attempt passage and learn more about this important conservation project. Click on the page tab above for more!

Invasive Insect Volunteer Training Program

The Maine Department of Agriculture and the Maine Forest Service will conduct a volunteer training session to spread awareness about the Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) and the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB).  ALB and EAB are invasive pests that pose serious threats to the trees and forests of Maine.  The best defense is early detection by people who work with trees and those who enjoy the outdoors.

To find out more about ALB, visit www.albmaine.org 
For more info on EAB, visit www.emeralddashborer.info

When: Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Time: 9 am - 3pm
Where: Rockland Public Library Rockland, Maine

Cost: Free, including lunch, snacks and materials