Associated People Kate Reichert Alex van Boer
On Monday, Dr. John Lichter of Bowdoin College was the featured speaker for our monthly Lunch 'n Learn. He shared his research and posed many intriguing quesitons: What ecosystem traits provide resilience after a disturbance? Is there a link between social and ecological resilience? How much do ecosystems depend on diversity? Dr. Lichter went on to give an interesting historical account of the Kennebec River system:
1710s: Overfishing was happening
1720s: Land was being cleared on a large scale
1730s: Dams were installed
1780s: Agriculture was well established
1860s: Water pollution was happening on an industrial scale
1960s: Invasive species were present
Between 1930 and 1970, dissolved oxygen levels dropped in the Kennebec River, but the levels rebounded significantly following the passage of the Clean Water Act. Although this is encouraging data, Dr. Lichter reminded the audience that there is still a long way to go in terms of recovery efforts.
There were once 20 million herring in the Kennebec River, whereas now there are only 3 million. This drop is related more to obstacles in fish passage (i.e. dams), rather than water quality. The hypothesis is that dams in Maine are preventing the full recovery of fish. An individual female alewife lays 150,000 eggs, so the impact of her (and the many other alewives swimming alongside her) not being able to pass dams upstream to lay her eggs is huge.
A piece of Dr. Lichter's talk that I found most interesting was his presentation of data taken at Benton Falls on the Sebasticook River. When a pump was installed to pump water over the dam at that site, it also sent fish over the dam, increasing their spawning numbers. Later, when a fish elevator was installed to lift fish over the dam, the spawning numbers increased again. Finally, when the dam was removed, the number of fish increased even more.
Before heading back to Bowdoin, Dr. Lichter posed for this photograph with two of his former Bowdoin students who now work at the Reserve: Kate Reichert, Environmental Education Fellow; and Alex Van Boer, Research Intern
Associated People Jacob Aman
I cannot believe it’s been six months since I left the Wells Reserve at the end of my MCC term. Last November, having spent the summer and fall gaining valuable field experience, I headed home to pursue my next career goal: admission to graduate school. It was a daunting but surprisingly natural transition, as my experiences at the Reserve prepared me well for this next phase.
Associated People Chris Feurt
Last Thursday 44 participants from 12 towns in Maine and New Hampshire along with local businesses, regional and state planners, and non-profits attended the Coastal Training Program's Strengthening Town Centers and Transforming Commercial Corridors workshop with Randall Arendt.
Associated People Nancy Viehmann
WELLS, Maine, April 10, 2012 — “Many hands make light work” have long been words to live by at one of York County’s most beautiful and popular properties, and the Wells Reserve at Laudholm now has openings for people seeking a meaningful place to volunteer. If you have a few hours to spare each week, or a day now and then to dedicate to a local landmark, contact Nancy Viehmann, the Wells Reserve’s director of volunteer programs, at 207-646-1555 ext 118 or email nancyv@wellsnerr.org.
Associated People Annie Cox Jeremy Miller Joyce Shea Tin Smith
May is expected to be baby month around here, so staff (along with a few volunteers and interns) got together yesterday to wish well the first-time parents-to-be. Among the gifts showered upon Annie Cox and Sarah and Jeremy Miller were these creative blankets crafted by office manager Joyce Shea. (That yummy-looking carrot cake was the work of Jane Smith, with husband Tin's teasing sentiment expressed in true-blue icing.)
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