Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Draft Management Plan
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Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve DRAFT MANAGemenT PLAN 2019 – 2024 Acknowledgments This document was prepared and printed with funds from Grant Award Numbers NA17NOS4200048 and NA18NOS4200013, Office for Coastal Management (OCM), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve (Wells Reserve) Management Plan was prepared by the staff of the Wells Reserve with input from advisory committees and members of the Reserve Management Authority Board of Directors. Guidance and further input was provided by OCM Program Officer Adrianne Harrison and OCM staff. Principal contributors include Christine Feurt, Coastal Program Director; Anne Cox, Coastal Program Coordinator; Suzanne Kahn, Education Director; Caryn Beiter, Education Program Coordinator; Linda Littlefield Grenfell, Environmental Educator; Sue Bickford, Stewardship Director; Lynne Vachon, Volunteer and Visitor Services Program Director; Jason Goldstein, Research Director; Jacob Aman, Project Manager; Jeremy Miller, Research Associate and Monitoring Coordinator; Scott Richardson, Communications Director (copy editor and graphic designer); and Paul Dest, Executive Director (editor). Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve 342 Laudholm Farm Road Wells ME 04090 207-646-1555 wellsreserve.org February 2019 Table of Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................iii Introduction to the National Estuarine Research Reserve System ...........................1 Introduction to the Wells Reserve. .7 Strategic Plan 2019–2024 .............................................................16 Accomplishments 2013–2018 .........................................................19 Education ..........................................................................27 Coastal Training Program .............................................................37 Research and Monitoring .............................................................41 Resource Management and Stewardship ...............................................53 Public Access. .61 Volunteers ..........................................................................65 Administration ......................................................................69 Boundary and Acquisition Plan ........................................................77 Facility Development and Improvement ................................................83 Appendix A-1: NOAA/RMA MOU .......................................................91 Appendix A-2: USFWS/RMA MOU ......................................................96 Appendix A-3: BPL/RMA MOU (Laudholm Park) ........................................101 Appendix A-4: BPL/RMA MOU (submerged lands) ..................................... 104 Appendix A-5: Wells/RMA MOU ..................................................... 106 Appendix A-6: Laudholm Trust/Wells NERR MOU ...................................... 108 Appendix B: Federal Consistency Determination .......................................111 Appendix C: Response to Federal Review and Response to Partner and Public Review ......111 Appendix D-1: Laudholm Farm Easement ..............................................112 Appendix D-2: Wells Harbor Easement ................................................123 Appendix E-1: Act to Establish Wells NERR .............................................133 Appendix E-2: Act to Amend Location .................................................138 Appendix F: Rules for Public Use ..................................................... 140 Appendix G: Natural Resource Laws ..................................................141 Appendix H: 15 CFR part 921 – NERRS Regulations. .151 Appendix I: Coastal Zone Management Act ............................................173 Table of Contents i ii Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve Executive Summary The Wells Reserve areas suitable for long-term research, education, and stewardship. More than one million acres of estuarine The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve lands and waters are currently included within the (Wells Reserve) was designated a National Estuarine 29 federally designated reserves. The NERR System is Research Reserve (NERR) by the National Oceanic and a federal-state partnership administered by NOAA’s Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1984. Office for Coastal Management. NOAA and coastal The Wells Reserve is the only NERR in Maine and one state partners collaborate to set common priorities of two located in NOAA’s Acadian Biogeographic and to develop system-wide programs. Additionally, Region. It is situated on the southern Maine coast and NOAA provides support for state partners and national comprises 2,250 acres of upland fields and forests, cohesion of the NERR System. State partners carry out riparian areas, salt marshes, dunes, beaches, and locally relevant and nationally significant programs at submerged lands within the watersheds of the Little individual reserves and their service areas, and provide River, Webhannet River, and Ogunquit River. Parcels day-to-day management of resources and programs. of conserved land owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Individual reserves represent specific biogeographic Service; the Town of Wells; the Maine Department of regions of the United States, areas where climate and Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; and the Wells plant and animal communities are similar. Eleven Reserve Management Authority make up the Reserve. regions and 29 sub-regions have been described In addition to the conservation land, the Wells Reserve along U.S. coasts. The NERR System is designed to includes two building campuses that support the include representative sites from all sub-regions and Reserve’s mission. One is the Laudholm campus, a additional sites to represent specific types of estuaries. cluster of farm buildings on the National Register of Each reserve implements education, research, and Historic Places, which includes all the buildings once stewardship programs relevant to its bioregion and owned by the Lord family. This campus serves as the to the state in which it is located. The Wells Reserve center for visitors and for the research, education, is within the southern Acadian biogeographic and stewardship programs. The other is the Alheim sub-region. Commons, a property that includes a small office building and two housing facilities for visiting Purpose and Scope of the Plan scientists, educators, and resource managers. This Management Plan describes major programs of Part of a National System the Wells Reserve and their objectives and strategies for the next 5 years. The Reserve seeks to address The Wells Reserve is part of the National Estuarine pressing local and regional management issues, which Research Reserve System. Created by the Coastal Zone closely mirror the priorities of the NERR System. These Management Act of 1972, the NERR System provides include climate change and its impacts on coastal a network of representative estuarine ecosystem ecosystems and communities, development pressures, Executive Summary iii land use change impacts on coastal habitats, and Chapters water quality degradation. This is the fifth edition of the Wells National Estuarine Education Research Reserve Management Plan. Previous editions The goal of the education program is to design, were approved by NOAA in 1985, 1996, 2007, and 2013. implement, and support quality science-based This document is an update of the 2013-2018 plan. programs that promote stewardship of the Gulf Since the adoption of the last management plan, the of Maine and coastal environments through Wells Reserve has implemented all of its core and understanding and appreciation of ecological systems system-wide programs. It has also secured many and processes. science, education, and conservation grants that The Reserve is a regional center for education, training, greatly expanded the Reserve’s value to southern and outreach on coastal, estuarine, and watershed Maine communities. The Reserve made significant ecology. Education programs at the Wells Reserve repairs to all of its buildings, installed solar arrays inform and engage audiences on the functions and that supply all electricity needs, upgraded buildings values of coastal ecosystems and ways to manage and heating systems for energy efficiency, and those systems sustainably. Education programs incorporated energy conservation into operations. translate research into readily available information, Program accomplishments include restoring riverine promote stewardship of coastal resources, and provide and fisheries habitats in southern Maine watersheds, a conduit for research findings to reach coastal renovating the water tower, adding an accessible trail decision-makers and communities. The Education at Wells Harbor, installing climate change exhibits Program’s goal is to provide high quality, science- in the Visitor Center and along trails, and helping based programs for people of all ages. Current and partners acquire priority conservation lands. The future education focus areas include engaging docent Reserve established many new partnerships with program and interpretive walks; thought-provoking communities and organizations and began new events and lectures; quality children’s and school education, training, and research projects in numerous programs based on Maine standards; stimulating communities in York and Cumberland counties. Wells internships and field studies;