The Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area

Annual Report to the Town of Phippsburg Calendar Year 2006 Presented to the Selectmen/Assessors May 1, 2007

The Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area Annual Report to the Town of Phippsburg Through the Selectmen/Assessors Calendar Year 2006 (as required by the terms of the September 12, 2001 Letter Agreement between Bates College, as Agent for the Bates-Morse Mountain Corporation, and the Town of Phippsburg, and as continued by the new letter agreement dated November 15, 2006.) Research, Scientific, Literary and Academic Activities Non-Bates Groups The Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area encourages use by outside groups for purposes consistent with its mission as a scientific and literary institution. In the 2006 calendar year, recorded uses included: • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Chewonki Foundation/Pike School of Andover, MA program (10 9th Graders) McMahon Elementary School (Lewiston, Mr. Beaulieu, 65 5th graders) Bowdoin College Environmental Science Department: annual data collection and analysis to monitor effects of Sprague River Salt marsh Restoration Project. (Professors Lichter, Vasudevan, Ms. Olmstead) Bowdoin College, Leadership training, natural history session, Ms. Olmstead (16) Hyde School, Bath: 2 field trips (8 students, 16 students) The Thursday Hikers Lewiston High School (Biology class field trip, 2 days, 45 students each) Mr. McGraw Hyde School athletics (32) Boy Scout Pack #639, Bowdoinham. Birding expedition, 23 participants. Westbrook Field trip (28 ) Maine Audubon Society Coastal Maine Bird Studies for Teens (15) The Nature Conservancy (2 educational field trips, 13 and 20 respectively) Riverview Foundation, Topsham (24) Ripple Effect children’s leadership group (Leah McDonald) 7 Maine College of Art, Coastal Ecosystems (Professor Vollmer),11 Maine Audubon Society Shorebird Birding Trip (3) Maine Audubon Society Hog Island Camp, Ornithology (15) Chewonki Foundation Maine Coast Semester (4 trips/year; 40 per trip) Chewonki Foundation field trip (20) Camp NewFound, South Paris (21) Colby College, independent study, vascular plants of the coast (Professor Stone) Small Point Summer School (25) Brunswick High School Cross Country Team (35)

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Bowdoin College Freshman Orientation (20) Bowdoin College, Behavioral Ecology and population Biology, Professor Wheelwright, Ms. Olmstead, (14) Maine Outdoor Adventure Club (10) Maine Audubon Society moonlight beach hike (5) Waldorf School, Marine Invertebrate Studies (31) Merrymeeting Audubon Society, Spring Warbler Walk and Fall Hawk Watch (about 20) Bowdoin College, Biology 219, Biology of Marine Organisms, Professor Johnson, Ms. Brown (2 days, 12 and 15) Wiscasset Cross Country Team (10) Colby College, Wetland Science and Policy (Professor Bohlen) Bowdoin College Parents and Families Weekend trip (30) Winthrop Public Schools (35)

Bates College’s Research, Scientific, Literary, and Academic use during the year included: Classes • Biology: Andrew Stowe, senior thesis on Sharp-tailed Sparrows (and public presentation to community at Popham Chapel House) • Geology: Limnology and Paleolimnology of Maine Lakes (GEOs31): studies of 4 lakes in Phippsburg (Meetinghouse Pond, Sprague Pond, Silver Lake, Big Pond), Professor Mike Retelle (15) (and public presentation to community at Town Hall) • Environmental Studies: Human-Altered Ecosystems (EC/ES s33), Professors Holly Ewing and Lynne Lewis (12) • History: Historical Methods/Coastal Communities (HIST s40), Professors Dennis Grafflin and Karen Melvin (50) • German: Nietzsche, Kafka and Goethe (GER 290) Professor Dennis Sweet (8) • Biology: Avian Biology (BIO 335), Professor Ryan Bavis (10) • Biology: First Year Seminar “Issues in Oceanography” (FYS 282), Professor Will Ambrose • Geology: First Year Seminar “Exploring Maine Geology” (FYS 327), Professor Dyk Eusden • Geology: Sedimentary Environments and Processes (GEO 210), Professor Mike Retelle • Environmental Studies: Soils (ENVR 210), Professor Holly Ewing (10) • Dance: Green Horizons Project, Professor Carol Dilley (5) Other • Bates Woman of Color Retreat • Deansmen Retreat • Within Reach Retreat • Bates Reunion Class Field Trips, Class of 1961 and Class of 1966 • Annual Entering Student Orientation Program Trip • Bates Christian Fellowship Retreat

Special Projects and Events Salt Marsh Restoration Sprague River Salt Marsh Bowdoin College’s Environmental Studies Department continues to monitor the two areas of the Sprague River Salt Marsh where man-made ditches were plugged in 2000 and 2002 respectively. Judy Marden meets each class and introduces them to the Conservation Area with a history of the area, its use for salt marsh haying, and the project which plugged the ditches and increased the tidal flow. Under the direction of Nancy Olmstead, and Professors Dharni Vasudevan and John Lichter, the ES 201 students collect water and benthic samples from both plugged and unplugged ditches, and both natural and created pannes. This year, with Nancy Sferra from The Nature Conservancy, they traveled to Little River Salt Marsh, at Reid State Park in Georgetown, to observe and compare the differences between a ditched and an un-ditched salt marsh. Little River is believed to be the only salt marsh in the state which has not been ditched for either salt hay harvesting or mosquito control. They are trying various methods of data collection, to see if they find significant differences between plugged and unplugged ditches, natural and man-made pools, and marshes which have and have not been ditched, as well as keeping annual records to see if there may be changes or trends over time. Various measurements include dissolved oxygen, salinity, turbidity, pH, nitrates, phosphates, temperature, kinds and amounts of vegetation, kinds and numbers of macroinvertebrates.

A horseshoe used on salt marshes, from Judy Marden’s collection

Morse River Salt Marsh When the salt marsh restoration project team met in March 2003, one of the projects discussed was replacement of the old granite culvert under Route 209 where the Morse River flows. The group met with representatives of the Department of Transportation, inspected the culvert in the field, and recommended that it be replaced with a larger culvert to remediate the tidal constriction exacerbated by the partially-collapsed granite structure. Tidal constrictions keep larger quantities of salt water from flowing into the salt marsh north of the highway, thus leaving it more vulnerable to invasion by vegetation which is less salt-tolerant, as evidenced already by a small stand of Phragmites australis (common reed), which appears to be spreading. In 2004, the DOT removed rock that had fallen into the channel and culvert, allowing a less constricted tidal flow. In September 2006, the DOT replaced the old culvert completely with two large metal culverts.

Research Rob Vincent of the University of New Hampshire continued his project which examines hydrologic characteristics and habitat structure and function for man-made features and naturally-occurring water features on the Sprague marsh. Keryn Bromberg, a graduate student at Brown University, began a project to study the effects of mosquito ditching on ecosystem processes and services in Maine salt marshes. She hopes to discover how far from a ditch hydrologic conditions differ from an unditched marsh, how altered conditions affect species dominance, decomposition and productivity, whether ditching

has altered marsh accretion rates by draining water off the marsh before suspended sediments have settled out, and how the effects of ditching in northern New England marshes compare with those in southern New England marshes (Rhode island and Connecticut).

History S-40 A course required of all Bates History majors, Introduction to Historical Methods, brought fifty Bates students to Morse Mountain in May 2006, accompanied by Professors Dennis Grafflin and Karen Melvin. After visiting Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, the students met with Judy Marden for an on-site lecture and tour, covering the history of Morse Mountain from its first settlement by Europeans, through salt marsh harvesting and ditching, attempted resort development in the 1890’s, World War II occupation, and creation of the Conservation Area with its nonprofit status and conservation easements. The group was very interested in the unique growth of coastal communities, and plans to return to delve into the history in more depth, including the 400th anniversary of the Popham colony.

Bates-Morse Mountain Faculty Advisory Committee The College constituted a new Bates-Morse Mountain Faculty Advisory Committee, which met for the first time in January, 2006. Its charge is “to guide and oversee the pedagogical, research, and educational uses of Bates-Morse Mountain, to generate new opportunities for educational uses and connecting Bates-Morse Mountain to the educational work of Bates College, and to give the staff of the Harward Center advice about ethical, ecological, or other issue that may arise.” Members of the new committee are Aslaug Asgeirsdottir (Political Science), Holly Ewing (Environmental Studies), Beverly Johnson (Geology), Michael Jones (History), Camille Parrish (Environmental Studies), Michael Retelle (Geology), and Carl Straub (Professor Emeritus of Religion and Environmental Studies). A subgroup of this

committee, with additional members who may be involved in specific areas of research, reviews all proposals for research projects at Morse Mountain. Camille Parrish, of the Bates Environmental Studies Department, is developing a system of GIS maps to keep track of various projects, to ensure that no one’s research will encroach upon or adversely impact other projects, or the environment. Phippsburg Schools A program in North Atlantic Studies, involving archaeology studies in the Shetland Islands, gave Bates the opportunity to share a unique resource with the children of Phippsburg Elementary School. Two archaeologists, Bob Proctor and Sue Remington, came to the school for two days in May. They set up extensive displays in the library, tailoring the explanations at each session to the age group present, beginning with the Kindergarten. The first class was on bones, and children were able to handle and compare bones from widely different animals to see their similarities and differences. The children learned how being able to identify bone fragments at prehistoric sites gives archaeologists insight into food, habits, climate, and other important information about the people who lived there. The second session featured artifacts and tools, and the archaeologists described how they examined ancient sites, how humans used various materials for tools, and how tools were made. Migrating Birds and Endangered Species Once again the spring weather was inhospitable to arriving birds and breeding populations. Piping Plovers lost many nests early in 2005 because of unusually high tides coupled with fierce storms. Consequently, when they did have successful nests later in the season, they lost more eggs and chicks to predators. There were also four adult fatalities in Maine in 2005, which impacted the number of adults who came back to breed in 2006. “It can take several years for a population to recover from two years of bad weather,” said Jody Jones, coordinator of Maine Audubon’s Piping Plover and Least Tern Recovery Project. The Piping Plovers that nest on Seawall Beach are especially vulnerable to predators. A high fox population, and vigilant crows and gulls, seem to be the most persistent enemies. In a recent article in Audubon magazine, Steve Kress, famous for his efforts to restore Atlantic Puffins to historic nesting islands in the Gulf of Maine, said “What we’re trying to do, as seabird stewards, is to replicate sustainable seabird communities in a world that’s been radically changed by the activities of humans…we work with rare and endangered species in an area of the country where the balance of nature has been seriously altered. Thus we’ve come to the sobering conclusion that we’ll never be able to pack up our tents and leave the seabirds to their own devices. The predators simply won’t let us.” The article went on to say “Before the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918, plume hunters seeking feathers to adorn ladies’ hats slaughtered gulls by the thousands. The newly organized National Association of Audubon Societies worked against extremely difficult odds to keep the last gulls in Maine from being killed. Now, with tons of free food in the form of garbage, fishing waste, and discarded lobster trap bait, gulls are thriving, outnumbering other coastal bird communities in Maine, and causing serious problems…” Piping Plover productivity at Seawall Beach is affected by the same issues.

Recent statistics: 1999: 8 pairs of Piping Plovers nested, there were 10 confirmed fledglings, 14 nesting attempts and 9 failed nests. Twenty nesting pairs of Least Terns arrived at Seawall, but relocated to Laudholm after nesting attempts were disrupted by predators. 2000: 9 pairs of Piping Plovers nested, there were 7 confirmed fledglings, 15 nesting attempts and 9 failed nests. No Least Terns nested at Seawall in 2000. 2001: 6 pairs of Piping Plovers nested successfully at Seawall Beach. While some Least Terns were observed, apparently the only nests occurred at Wells, primarily at Crescent Surf. 2002: 6 pairs of Piping Plovers nested, there were 9 confirmed fledglings, and 11 nesting attempts. High tides and predation were responsible for some of the nest failures. No Least Tern colonies located at Seawall Beach in 2002. 2003: 5 (possibly 6) pairs of Piping Plovers nested, producing 3 confirmed fledglings from a total of 12 eggs. The monitors reported that eggs and chicks suffered unusually high mortality in 2003. Several nests were washed away by high tides, others were predated by foxes, and even other Piping Plovers. No Least Terns nested in 2003.

Piping Plover eggs in a scrape: Photo by Bryan Watson 2004: though 13 adult Piping Plovers were seen, only 4 pairs nested, producing 7 confirmed fledglings after 8 nesting attempts. Least Terns were seen in the area; a colony attempted to nest at Reid State Park for the first time in recent years, but was not successful. 2005: 10 Piping Plover nesting attempts were counted (some pairs attempted nesting twice when their nests were destroyed) and three chicks were observed, but apparently no chicks fledged successfully. A colony of Least Terns attempted to nest at the Morse River end of Seawall Beach on July 4, with two nests observed, but both eggs and terns had disappeared by July 7. 2006: Observers saw five pairs of Piping Plovers, with 8 nesting attempts (several tried twice when their eggs were destroyed). Four fledglings were counted, with two more late-season

chicks observed on the last day of August, assumed to have fledged successfully, bringing the tally to 6. No Least Terns attempted to colonize. Seawall Beach and the marshes of the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area are recognized as critical staging areas for migrating shorebirds, which nest in arctic and sub-artic regions and winter as far south as South America. The area provides protected feeding and resting habitats for migrants, and breeding habitat for a diverse variety of other birds, animals, insects, and fish. Areas such as this along the New England coast have become increasingly threatened by degradation from development, environmental contaminants, and human-related disturbances, making the protected complex kinds of habitat in the Conservation Area even more crucial to the survival of a diverse array of life. Invasive Species: Purple Loosestrife Each year, staff members from The Nature Conservancy and Bates-Morse Mountain staff members monitor vegetation plots in the area behind the dunes where a section of marsh has been invaded by Purple Loosestrife. They collect vegetation data from ten plots, and compare the data from year to year. On June 22, 2006, their data collection was hampered by the spring’s uncommonly wet weather.

When they went back to check in August, not only had the plots dried up, but apparently some seeds had been transported by water to more widespread locations. The loosestrife was flowering abundantly. Though we cut flower heads on multiple days to help contain the spread of seeds, more radical control measures may become necessary.

Other events Two major alterations happened at Morse Mountain during 2006, one intentional, and the other, natural. In April, the bridge on Morse Mountain Road spanning the Sprague River was completely replaced, by Mark Hawkes’ crew.

Just before Thanksgiving, a “microburst,” or small tornado, skipped across the peninsula, felling trees at Flat Point, then across Morse Mountain Road and in a line further into the woods, blocking the road and taking down power and telephone lines. Dan Gurney removed over thirty large fallen trees.

Outreach The Friends and Neighbors of Morse Mountain met twice during the calendar year, once in June and again in December. At the June 19th meeting, the group (which is comprised of adjoining landowners, members of the Small Point Association, Town officials, members of the St. John family, members of the Bates-Morse Mountain Corporation, staff members from the Nature Conservancy and their volunteer easement monitor, and representatives from Bates College) discussed the charge of the committee, the upcoming summer, and the potential impact of increased development in the area. David Scobey introduced the new Associate Director of the Harward Center for Community Partnerships, Anna Sims Bartel, to the group. The second meeting, in December, reviewed the summer’s visitor statistics, and introduced new Harward Center staff member Ellen Alcorn, Coordinator of Service Learning. Ellen had just come from a meeting with the Principal at Phippsburg Elementary School. With a background in education, she is looking forward to facilitating close collaboration with the Phippsburg teachers and students.

A new program, the “Bates-Morse Mountain Forum Series” began in June 2006, building upon the College’s desire to share ongoing academic work and information generated at Morse Mountain with the Phippsburg community. The first Forum, held at the Popham Chapel House with the help of Bill Murray and Elizabeth Watson, was presented by Andrew Stowe’66. He spoke about his breeding bird surveys, particularly his thesis work on Sharptailed Sparrows. Drew spent early mornings throughout the summers of 2004 and 2005 studying and recording birds, both at Morse Mountain and Atkins Bay. His exceptional research won him the prestigious Watson Fellowship, which he is using to track the Arctic Tern in its around the world migration patterns during 2006-2007. The second Forum, held at the Phippsburg Town Hall, was the occasion of Geology Professor Michael Retelle’s second presentation to the Phippburg community. Mike has a long history of bringing research, classes, and field trips to the Phippsburg area. His presentation last year was on many years of tracking beach erosion and deposition on Seawall Beach, but this year, Mike and his Limnology Class collaborated with the town and the Phippsburg Land Trust on a completely different kind of project. They studied four fresh water lakes and ponds in Phippsburg: Silver Lake, Meetinghouse Pond, Big Pond, and Sprague Pond. They used morphometry (measurement of lake size and shape), water column studies, and sediment core studies, and will share their findings with the Town and the Land Trust. A related part of their project compares characteristics of lakes in central Maine and in the White Mountains. In November, David Scobey and Judy Marden met with the Phippsburg Board of Selectmen to discuss renewal of the College’s letter agreement with the Town. As a tax-exempt property, the Conservation Area pays no property tax, but has, instead, agreed to a payment-in-lieu-oftaxes to cover town services. The meeting resulted in a third five-year agreement, with a selfrenewal for another five-year period if neither party asks to renegotiate. Both the Selectmen and the Bates representatives reaffirmed the importance of connecting Bates faculty and students with the Phippsburg Elementary School and other local educators and students. The inclusion of the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area within the Harward Center for Community Partnerships increases the numbers of opportunities for Bates and Phippsburg to work together on educational projects. The annual Morse Mountain Workday, now held annually in May, brings other members of the Bates Community to Phippsburg to work with volunteers, Maine Audubon, The Nature Conservancy, the St. John family, and others to learn about endangered species and to erect protective fencing and signage at nesting areas on Seawall Beach. Bates looks forward to increasing these opportunities to learn and work together for mutually beneficial collaboration. Respectfully submitted.

Judith A. Marden, Director Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area