www.wellsreserve.org/news/2004-09-09_estuaries.htm

ESTUARIES CELEBRATED FOR THREE DAYS AT WELLS RESERVE

WELLS, MAINE - Estuaries, the places where rivers meet the sea, get special attention in late September with national celebrations hosted locally by the Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm.

All day on September 23 and 24, the Wells Reserve welcomes the public to drop in at Laudholm Farm's Mather Auditorium for EstuaryLive, a nationwide live webcast from seven estuaries around the country. Scientists and naturalists from North Carolina, New Jersey, Puget Sound, Long Island, Oregon, Alabama, and Cape Cod will talk about their work and respond "live" to questions submitted by email. Wells Reserve educators will also be on hand to field questions. See www.estuaries.gov for more information and a schedule of EstuaryLive events.

The three day celebration culminates on September 25 with National Estuaries Day. Local activities begin at noon with the dedication of a new geodetic marker at the Wells Reserve. The special marker is the first of its kind, with a series planned for all 26 National Estuarine Research Reserves across the United States. Curt Crow, the advisor from the National Geodetic Survey who placed the marker and measured its precise location, will explain geodesy and its value to geographic projects and studies.

At 12:30 pm, Matthew McBride, a geographer at the Wells Reserve, will demonstrate practical applications based on geodesy. He will describe how global positioning systems (GPS) work and how a geographic information system (GIS) helps people to solve real-world problems.

At 1 pm, orienteering enthusiast Lisa Veniscofsky will show how to use a map and compass to find your way through unknown terrain with skill and confidence. This hands-on workshop will provide a good introduction to land navigation.

Throughout the National Estuaries Day event, kids will be invited to design their own compass rose and to build a topographic model of the Wells Reserve at Laudholm Farm.

Prizes and giveaways happen at 1:30 pm, then it's down to Laudholm and Drakes Island beaches for a special Coastweek cleanup at 2 pm.

National Estuaries Day activities are all free and Wells Reserve admission is waived for the day. For more information, call Laura at (207) 646-1555 ext 110.

The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, with facilities at historic Laudholm Farm, is committed to investigating coastal environments and increasing understanding of their ecology. The Wells Reserve is located at 342 Laudholm Farm Road in Wells, just off Routes 1 and 9 near the Kennebunk line. www.wellsreserve.org

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