Bremen Conservation Commission

Lakesmart begins third year of pilot program in Bremen.

2011-06-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

If you see these signs in Bremen you should know that Lakesmart is hard at work educating Bremen residents about the importance of protecting our lakes and ponds. If you have a property on or near the lake and would like to learn more about Lakesmart contact the Bremen Conservation Commission via email bcc@tidewater.net or visit http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/doclake/lakesmart/

Invasive Aquatic Identification Training

2011-06-12T04:54:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, July 20 with DLWA: Invasive Aquatic Plant Identification Training at the DLWA office in Jefferson from 2:30-8:30. There will be a ½-hour break. The primary goal of this comprehensive, 5 ½ -hour workshop is to provide those who wish to join Maine's "early detection" effort with information and guidance needed to get started. The training session is open to the public and FREE to anyone interested in learning more about the threat of invasive aquatic plants in Maine. The workshop is presented in four parts:

• Overview of invasive species issues in Maine and beyond
• Plant identification fundamentals
• Plant identification hands-on exercise with live plants
• Conducting a screening survey, tools and techniques

All workshop participants receive an “Invasive Plant Patroller’s Handbook,” and Maine's Field Guide to Invasive Aquatic Plants. Register online at:
http://www.mainevolunteerlakemonitors.org/workshops/#IntroIPP. Sponsored jointly by the Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association and the Pemaquid Watershed Association. FMI: 207.549.3836 or julia@dlwa.org

DIRECTIONS: To reach DLWA office from the south, follow route 32 to Jefferson from its junction with US 1 in Waldoboro. Go through Jefferson Village on 32, pass Bond Bros. Lumber and Baptist Church. At the next intersection, bear left onto Rte 126, go about 50 yards, then turn left at the DLWA sign. Follow drive to bottom of the hill & park. The DLWA office is to the left.

Public Preserves in the PWA

2011-06-12T04:48:00.000-07:00

Lake or Pond?

2011-06-12T04:45:00.000-07:00

Linda Bacon

Maine DEP
Technical Advisor

One of the most frequently asked questions posed of biologists in the Lake Assessment Section of Maine DEP, is "what is the difference between a lake and a pond?" About half of Maine's 6,000 lakes and ponds that have been assigned a state identification number have been named, many having two or three names. At least thirty have one name with the word lake in it and the other with the word pond. For example, Bryant Pond is also known as Lake Christopher and Dexter Pond sports the name Wassookeag Lake! It is often these dual names that make folks wonder exactly where do we draw the line in Maine?

One classic distinction is that sunlight penetrates to the bottom of all areas of a pond in contrast to lakes, which have deep waters that receive no sunlight at all. Another is that ponds generally have small surface areas and lakes have large surfaces. In Maine the latter distinction totally breaks down when one considers that one of the three Great Ponds is over 8,800 acres and one of the thirty-six Long Ponds is 2,500 acres! So a combination of surface area and depth are considered from a technical perspective. Some of Maine's large and deep bodies of water are indisputably lakes. Others are ponds - small and shallow. But there is a transition between the two where the definition becomes fuzzy. If we held to the depth distinction, some ponds would become lakes mid- summer when algal populations limit light penetration to the bottom. The surface area distinction makes no sense for seven-acre waters that are 50 feet deep (like Maine's kettle ponds), or for 400-acre waters that have emergent vegetation across their entire surface.

So to answer the question above: no definitive line exists between lakes and ponds. The one distinction that has any legal application is the designation of a body of water as a Great Pond. Maine state statues define lakes and ponds greater than ten acres in size as Great Ponds. If an impounded waterbody is greater than thirty acres in size it is also legally considered a Great Pond; impounded waters less than thirty acres that were greater than ten acres before being dammed are also Great Ponds.

Thus there is no exact technical distinction between lakes and ponds. All lakes and ponds provide critical habitat for other living creatures - aquatic macroinvertebrates, plankton, fish, wildlife and vegetation - and all need protection, so that clean fresh water continues to be one of Maine's premier natural resources.

Bremen Alewives Arrive!

2011-06-06T10:01:00.000-07:00

It's been a little more than a week since the Muscongus Brook alewife run began. They came into the brook over a few nights when the tides were highest around May 29th. All said this first phase of the run was only

about 2,000 fish. 100 or so remain below the fish ladder today and a handful below the north culvert. Yet higher evening tides come around again this weekend with a full moon approaching next week.

I will keep an eagle eye out for more fish. They have run as late as July 1st in previous years here.

Attached find a picture of alewives in the fish ladder last week and a picture trying to show the spiny

scales on the belly of an alewife.

I have heard it said that these spines help hold an alewife from falling back downstream

when in fast flowing places. Has anyone heard about this?

David Wilkins

White-Nose Syndrome Confirmed in Maine

2011-05-25T04:39:00.000-07:00

Bat Disease, White-Nose Syndrome, Confirmed in Maine; Not Harmful to Humans, but Deadly to Bat

Red Arrows indicate bats with White Nose Syndrome

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has received confirmation that white-nose syndrome, a disease that has killed more than one million bats in eastern North America, now is in Maine.

Until this year, Maine appeared to be insulated from white-nose syndrome while states and provinces outside its borders were not. However, during surveys conducted by MDIF&W biologists this spring, bats at two sites in Oxford County displayed visible signs of white-nose syndrome fungus on their wings and muzzles. Carcasses collected from one of the sites were sent to the U.S. Geological Survey-National Wildlife Health Center in Madison, Wisconsin, for diagnostic evaluation for the disease, and MDIF&W recently received confirmation of the disease in Maine.

White-nose syndrome is associated with a newly discovered fungus, Geomyces destructans, and was given this name because, when first discovered, infected bats had white fungus on their muzzles. WNS was first documented in New York in 2006 and has since spread throughout the Northeast and Canada. Between 90 and 100 percent of hibernating bats in some hibernacula – or caves and mines where bats hibernate in the winter – in the Northeast have died from WNS.

With the addition of Maine, white-nose syndrome has been confirmed in 17 states and four Canadian provinces.

“We are saddened by the discovery of white-nose syndrome in Maine, the final New England state to confirm the presence of this devastating disease,” said Jeremy Coleman, National White-Nose Syndrome Coordinator for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. “We will continue to work closely with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and our other partners to support research and management of the disease in Maine and across North America.”

Bat species that hibernate in mines or caves are susceptible to WNS. In Maine, those species are big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus), little brown bats (Myotis lucifungus), northern long-eared bats (Myotis septentrionalis), tri-colored bats (Pipistrellus subflavus), and eastern small-footed bats (Myotis leibii).

The disease is not harmful to humans, but scientists believe it is possible for humans to transport fungal spores on clothing and gear. In 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service advised cavers and researchers to curtail caving activities and implement decontamination procedures in an effort to reduce the spread of white-nose syndrome. The fungus cannot be killed simply by washing clothing.

“Scientists are still learning about WNS, but the fungus lives in cold, damp environments and we know of no risk to humans from contact with infected bats,” according to MDIF&W Wildlife Biologist John DePue.

According to DePue, Maine has only a few hibernacula, or places where bats hibernate for the winter, potentially delaying the infestation of some bats in Maine. However, the fungus associated with WNS may be passed from one bat to another even in the summer, especially when bats gather in maternity roosts. “It is possible that bats that winter in Maine spent the summer in contact with bats from WNS-infected sites in other states, and then carried the fungus back with them to their winter hibernaculum in Maine,” according to DePue.

Bats play a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and have an enormous impact on pest control. Therefore, bats benefit the economies of forestry and agriculture in the United States. For example, the one million little brown bats that have already died due to WNS would have eaten between 660 and 1,320 metric tons of insects in one year. A recent study published in Science estimates that insect-eating bats provide a significant pest-control service, saving the U.S. agricultural industry at least $3 billion a year.

Cora Cressy

2011-05-21T05:48:00.000-07:00

Cora Cressy - as a Night Club before her assignment in Bremen

Courtesy Boat Inspection Training

2011-05-13T22:11:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, May 21 there will be Courtesy Boat Inspection Training from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the Nobleboro Town Office at 192 Rte 1. This is an opportunity to learn how to be part of the front-line educational effort to keep milfoil and other invasive plant species out of our ponds and lakes. This training is free.

Case Study: Significant Vernal Pool Identification and Mapping

2011-04-26T05:25:00.000-07:00

Identified as a conservation priority in Bremen, significant vernal pools need our attention and protection. The link below provided by MEACC is a case study of what one Maine town is doing to protect significant vernal pools. If anyone in Bremen is interested in attending workshops/training sessions regarding vernal pools please contact us via email at bcc@tidewater.net

http://www.meacc.net/achievements/topsham_vernal%20pools.pdf

Conservation Priorities | Projects

2011-04-25T04:54:00.000-07:00

The Bremen Conservation Commission began 2011 by writing a new chapter in its history. For the first time the BCC developed a document that outlined Conservation Funding Priorities and Projects. This document was recently presented to the town selectmen and the BCC is now ready to begin a series of projects all dedicated to achieving conservation goals in areas of Public Access to Saltwater and Freshwater Resources and Trails Development to name a few.

Below are conservation projects that the BCC will begin this year:

Conservation Priority #1 - Public Access to Freshwater Resources

Project A: Inventory freshwater sites suitable for public access

Project B: Identify funding sources to acquire properties for public access

Project C: Survey and mark town of right-of-way on Biscay Pond

Conservation Priority #1 - Public Access to Saltwater Resources

Project A: Medomak Town Landing Use Study

Project B: Verify Creek Road Landing Documentation

Project C: Study to explore acquisition of right-of-way(s) to saltwater/Working Waterfront

Conservation Priority #2 - Trails Development

Project A: Develop trails on town property north of the Town House

Project B: Identify private properties suitable for trail/trail system and build trails

If anyone is interested in any of these conservation projects the BCC encourages you to get involved. For more information please call Dennis Prior / 529-2987 or Diane O'Connor / 529-4499.

Bremen Clean Up is April 30

2011-04-24T03:52:00.001-07:00

The Patriotic Club of Bremen is celebrating Earth Day this year on Saturday April 30 with the annual roadside clean up. Residents of Bremen collect trash that has collected beside the Bremen town roads every year at this time. Volunteers may pick up empty bags, provided by the State Department of Transportation, at the Bremen Fire Department on Route 32 at 9:00. When the bags are full, just tie them up and leave them along the side of the road. Pickup of the bags will start at 11:30, with the last pickup at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 30. The event will take place rain or shine. Let's take pride in our community and work together to beautify Bremen and Mother Earth.

New Lands Conserved on BLI

2011-04-08T13:15:00.000-07:00

Medomak Valley News, March 2011

Daniel and Suzanne Goldenson of Bremen made a further gift of land to complete the Karl F. Berger Preserve on Bremen Long Island. The gift was made to Medomak Valley Land Trust and consists of an additional 15 acres, including a cove and 700 feet of deep water frontage on the eastern shore of the 165 acre preserve.

Working closely with MVLT and the Bremen Conservation Commission, the Goldensons souht to preserve a major part of the 850 acre island, which, in the days before paved roads and electricity on the mainland, had several hundred residents who were farmers and fishermen.

The Berger Preserve is accessible from Hockomock Channel, on the western shore, and extends more than 4,000 feet to the eastern shore where the swift ocean current inspired the name "Flying Passage." The newly donated parcel protects a beautiful cove on the eastern shore of the island. Trails, signage and brochures will be developed this spring by MVLT and the Bremen Conservation Commission.

Bradley Family Donates Easement on BLI

2011-04-08T13:05:00.000-07:00

Medomak Valley News March 2011

Thanks to the generosity of Robert and Suzanne Bradley of Bristol a small parcel of wooded land on Bremen Long Island, with 900 ft. of frontage on Muscongus Bay, was placed under conservation easement.

The property is on the southwestern end of Bremen Long Island, and includes several beautiful wetlands, mature woods, and rocky shoreland. A historic 'cattle run' passes along the eastern edge of the property. Conservation of this property ensures that the land will stay forever undeveloped and available to the public for hiking, picnicking, and other low impact activities.

The property was donated in the memory of Robert's mother , Elizabeth Bradley, and has been in the Bradley family for almost half a century. Rob, a local lobsterman, says that his mother enjoyed spending summers for years on Bremen Long Island before handing the property down to him. He and Suzanne will, in time, hand it down to their children.

During the time that the Bradleys have owned the property, they have seen public access to the shore decline precipitously, and wanted to make sure that there were still places that locals could go to enjoy the water. They decided that an easement was the best vehicle for protecting both the natural resources of the property, and the public's access to it.

Clearing Up the Mud

2011-04-03T13:32:00.000-07:00

Kennebec Journal
April 2, 2011

MAINE COMPASS: Clearing Up the Mud
Some facts about Maine's significant vernal pools

By Anne Duperault

As the snow begins to melt, many of us soon will hear the sounds of
spring peepers and wood frogs calling around vernal pools -- unique
natural areas that have garnered much attention and confusion this
legislative session.

Vernal pools are small, shallow wetlands that provide big benefits to
people and wildlife. They are critical habitat for many species,
particularly frogs and salamanders, but they also are used by
waterfowl and deer.

Vernal pools also help fuel the surrounding forest food chain as
countless larger predators, from red fox to mink to woodland hawks,
prey on the annual crop of frogs and salamanders that emerge from
these habitats every year.

Recently, there has been substantial focus and misconceptions
regarding Maine's laws on vernal pools. Unlike several other
northeastern states, Maine does not protect all vernal pools. The
state protects only "significant vernal pools" based on specific
scientific criteria designed to target pools hosting rare and
endangered species or exceptionally high populations of pool-breeding
indicator amphibians.

Not every mud puddle or skidder rut is considered significant. In
fact, of the nearly 1,200 vernal pools reviewed to date by the Maine
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, only about 240 pools (20
percent) have been identified as significant vernal pools.

Further confusion arises when Maine is compared against other states
in the Northeast, especially with regard to "buffers" -- the setback
for land surrounding the pool.

Vermont, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Maryland and Virginia apply
smaller buffers to a larger proportion of vernal pools than does
Maine. These buffers (25-100 feet) are too small to adequately support
many of the wildlife populations that require forested habitat
surrounding the pool.

Maine has a more scientifically supported buffer size of 250 feet that
is applied to a limited subset of the state's highest-value vernal
pools. The state's conservation approach focuses on quality and
functionality, not quantity.

Some have blamed Maine's vernal pool protections for impeding
development. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection,
however, has not denied a single permit for a development proposal
involving a significant vernal pool, according to its own briefing to
the Legislature last week (March 23).

Some also assume the word "buffer" to mean "no development activity."
This is not the case with Maine's vernal pool rules. Forest management
activities, including associated road construction, are exempt from
vernal pool protections. Low-intensity development activity is also
permissible, provided it is planned in a manner that minimizes its
impact to pool-breeding wildlife.

Maine's significant vernal pools have been part of the state's
regulated natural resources for almost four years, and part of Maine's
natural landscape for thousands of years.

Poorly planned development, however, can wipe these unique habitats
out in a matter of days.

Legislators beholden to a few outspoken, highly paid development
lobbyists should remember that the silent majority of Mainers treasure
the natural heritage that makes this state special. Any change to
science-based natural resource protections should not be done hastily
and in response to unsubstantiated rhetoric, but rather with careful
consideration of the facts.

Update: Bremen Alewife Fishery Status

2011-03-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

David Wilkins, Contributing Blogger

On March 26th, at the Bremen Town meeting, voters approved unanimously to not operate an alewife fishery in either Muscongus Harbor, nor Muscongus Brook. Recent federal regulations require municipalities managing alewives, to operate them in ways promoting sustainability. Beginning in 2012, federal regulators are closing all U.S. ocean target fishing of alewives and the majority of in-river alewife fisheries. These actions are in response to a steep decline in alewife numbers along their entire Atlantic seaboard range. Towns granted harvesting rights will have needed to provide a history of spawning count data as well as catch samples.

Presently Bremen’s alewife numbers in Muscongus are small and their spawning is limited by the 2 RT 32 road crossings. The DOT has been working on design and engineering of these 2 road crossings, with some talk of their fish friendly replacements in the next year or two.

When Bremen approved conservation measures at town meeting, it tells regulators that Bremen is committed to the restoration of this recourse

Working Together

2011-03-28T04:03:00.000-07:00

TOWNSHIP 3, RANGE 8, Maine (AP) -- The mere mention of Roxanne Quimby's name used to rile some Maine sportsmen because she wouldn't let them hunt, trap or snowmobile on her vast acreage.

But the hard feelings have eased since the multi-millionaire founder of Burt's Bees cosmetics began meeting face-to-face with sportsmen to share her conservation goals.

Quimby says she wants to give more than 70,000 acres next to Maine's cherished Baxter State Park to the federal government, hoping to create a Maine Woods National Park.

In a nod to sportsmen, she envisions allowing another 30,000 acres she owns north of Dover-Foxcroft to be managed like a state park, with hunting and snowmobiling allowed.

George Smith, former director of the Sportsman's Alliance of Maine, says Quimby has gained trust from sportsmen by listening to their concerns.

Wildlife Habitat Protection Hearing April 1st

2011-03-25T06:39:00.000-07:00

Here's a call for support Maine Audubon has put out regarding proposed
legislation that would roll back wildlife habitat protections,
including vernal pool protections. Visible support matters, so please
attend the hearing if you can. And calls or emails to members of the
Environment and Natural Resources Committee are also very important,
particularly if you are a constituent.
_____________________________________

As you know, a host of rollback bills have been introduced in Augusta
this winter that would gut many of the balanced, science-based
protections that keep our lakes and rivers clean and provide critical
feeding, nesting, and resting areas for wading birds, waterfowl,
coastal shorebirds, and many woodland creatures.

These destructive bills go after the best-of-the-best significant
areas that are the highest value to wildlife as well as our most
common-sense protections for Maine’s water resources. We cannot let
this happen.

Maine’s water, land, and wildlife are the heartbeat of Maine people
and the natural legacy we hold dear. They are central to our economy
and our quality of life. Preserving and protecting them is a core
value shared by families and businesses across the state. Yet these
precious natural resources are facing one of their biggest threats in
decades.

Threats to Significant Vernal Pools
Threats to Wading Bird and Waterfowl Habitat
Threats to Coastal Shorebirds

Attend the public hearing before the Environment and Natural Resources
Committee on Friday, April 1st at 9:30am in room 216 of the State
Office Building in Augusta (map).
Call or email members of the Environment and Natural Resources
Committee and urge them to reject LD 872 and other devastating threats
to our water quality and significant wildlife habitat. Click here for
contact information.

Visit our website for more information and other ways to take action:
www.maineaudubon.org/act

If you care about Maine's water, land, and wildlife, and the
opportunities for good jobs and quality of life they provide to all of
us, please take action today!

Jenn Burns Gray
Maine Audubon Staff attorney and advocate

Local Conservation Group Plans Outdoor Ice Rink

2011-03-10T09:52:00.000-08:00

http://lincolncountynewsonline.com/main.asp?SectionID=1&SubSectionID=75&ArticleID=51252

Open Space Protection in the Midcoast

2011-03-06T08:38:00.000-08:00

MEACC will hold a regional meeting in Waldoboro on March 9, 2011, from
4-6:00 p.m. at University of Maine Cooperative Extension Service
office, 45 Manktown Road, Waldoboro. The event will feature two
presentations regarding open space protection in the Mid-Coast area of
interest to both area conservation commissioners and land trust
members:

Beginning with Habitat has developed a variety of planning tools that
will be of interest to any group interested in open space and habitat
protection. Steve Walker, director of Beginning with Habitat, will
review those tools and how they can be used effectively.

The Twelve Rivers Collaborative is a regional land protection
initiative being spearheaded by nine Mid-Coast area land trusts to
protect lands within the one million acre region between the Kennebec
and Penobscot Rivers. Maureen Hoffman of the Sheepscot Valley
Conservation Association and Liz Petruska of the Medomak Valley Land
Trust will describe the vision driving that initiative and discuss the
role area conservation commissions might play in that project.

The event is open to conservation commissioners, land trust members
and other people interested in open space protection at a municipal
and regional level. The agenda will include both presentations and
ample time for participant / presenter discussion.

There is no charge for the event, but pre-registration is required via
MEACC’s website, www.meacc.net. Please register by March 4th.

CONSERVATION PRIORITIES WORKSHOP RESULTS

2011-02-15T11:08:00.001-08:00

By a wide margin attendees at a Conservation Planning Workshop in Bremen January 27 picked access to the water as the greatest conservation concern in Bremen.

Bremen Conservation Commission Chairman Dennis Prior said the commission organized the workshop as one way of learning what residents see conservation priorities for the town. Prior said he was pleased with the wide cross section of residents who attended the workshop. He thanked everyone for coming on a cold winter night and said he was happy to see families bring their young children.

After viewing the latest version of the Beautiful Bremen slide show, participants heard a brief explanation of how the meeting would work, and then gathered in small groups to suggest what they feel town conservation priorities should be. They were asked to asked to consider what natural resources that are important to Bremen residents are currently limited or in danger of being lost. The suggestions from the small groups were merged and discussed by all participants who were then asked to each select the five ideas they considered the most important and rate them as to priority.

Following the workshop, the Conservation Commission compiled all the prioritized suggestions, assigning a weighted score to each. Workshop participants selected public access to the town's saltwater and freshwater resources as the highest priorities by more than twice as much as that of any other. Access to saltwater included access to the working waterfront and for recreational boating. Freshwater access included opportunities for non-motorized boating and swimming, including suggestions for a town park, picnic area and future public water supply.

Other top priorities were hiking trails; access to the town's high elevation areas; maintaining unfragmented blocks of land, open space and farmland; recreational facilities and programs, especially for children; and better access to Bremen Long Island and town alewife runs.

In addition, there were suggestions from workshop participants to develop revenue streams from town recreation opportunities, consider the financial aspects of public properties, map vernal pools, and make better use of existing town properties including the town landing. It was also suggested that funds in the town's Conservation Account might go further if spent for rights-of-way and easements rather than large land purchases.

Prior said the Conservation Commission will use all the prioritized suggestions to develop a strategic plan for acquiring and maintaining the town's natural resources that residents see as important to Bremen's future.

News Detail regarding LD 1 Proposals

2011-02-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

Follow this link to read more.
http://www.nrcm.org/news_detail.asp?news=4019

Vernal Pools Educational Poster

2011-01-29T21:12:00.001-08:00

This poster may give those who are unfamiliar with vernal pools more insight into why they are so important.

Environmental Regulations on Maine Legislature's Front Burner

2011-01-22T03:27:00.001-08:00

Environmental Regulations on Maine Legislature's Front Burner
MPBN
01/21/2011 Reported By: Susan Sharon

With all the focus in the Republican-dominated Legislature this year
on environmental regulations and the possible rollback of those that
are perceived to deter job growth, environmentalists and lawmakers are
gearing up for a lively session. Dozens of environmental bills are up
for consideration, including repeal of Maine's bottle bill, a
moratorium on expedited wind permitting and relaxation of shoreland
zoning and protection of vernal pools.

This week Gov. Paul LePage made headlines when he suggested Maine's
regulations protecting vernal pools from development should be
relaxed. Vernal pools are small, fish-free bodies of water that are
dry for part of the year and fill up with snowmelt long enough to
provide a breeding ground for frogs and toads--the food source for
forest creatures such as weasels, skunks and even bear and moose.

But in just about every one of the governor's listening sessions on
regulations, Republican Sen. Tom Saviello of Wilton says vernal pool
protections have been raised as an example of overly-burdensome
regulations. As chair of the Environment and Natural Resources
Committee, he's expecting about ten bills on the subject to be brought
forward, either to his committee or to a newly established committee
on regulatory reform known as LD 1.

"The leadership may, in fact, decide that the best place to hear the
vernal pool legislation questions will be in front of the LD 1
committee," Saviello says. "So if they do that, they would sweep them
out of my committee and put them in front of LD 1."

Jen Gray, a staff attorney with Maine Audubon, says environmental
groups such as hers are concerned about vernal pool protections coming
under fire from the governor and others. She's hoping to meet with the
governor's nominee to head the Department of Environmental Protection
to explain the importance of vernal pools, not all of which are
regulated or prohibit development.

"We're hoping to have the opportunity to walk through how the vernal
pool legislation came to be and why the rules were developed the way
they were and how very few project have actually been impacted by
vernal pool protections," Gray says.

Also expected to come before the Environment and Natural Resources
Committee are several bills dealing with bottle redemption, a law in
place in Maine since 1978 intended to reduce roadside litter and solid
waste by offering incentives to recycle. One bill, introduced by
Republican Sen. Thomas Martin of Benton proposes to repeal the bottle
redemption law, although Martin says he will likely support other
related legislation instead.

"There are some similar bills out there so I put one in not knowing
there was another bill out there," he says. "And there are several
that I will probably let this one lapse."

Martin says he thinks Mainers are environmentally responsible enough
not to need the bottle deposit to encourage them to recycle. Short of
repealing the entire program, he says he supports a proposal to exempt
wine bottles from the redemption law. That bill is sponsored by
Republican Rep. Stacey Fitts of Pittsfield.

"First off, they're very bulky," Fitts says. "It's one of the only
glass, large returnables that are still in the system. And wine
bottles come from a lot of different places, and oftentimes they don't
have deposits on them."

In other words, they may be coming from out of state, where a deposit
was never paid on them in the first place, and Fitts says that winds
up costing redemption centers here in Maine money when they get
returned.

More than half a dozen bills dealing with relaxation of Maine's
shoreland zoning regulations are also being proposed. This week during
an environmental roundtable with the governor, representatives from
Maine's fishing industry urged the governor not to weaken regulations
dealing with water quality.

Patrice McCarron is the executive director of the Maine Lobstermen's
Association. She says consumers, who bought 100-million pounds of
Maine lobster last year, are depending on them.

"They know that it's harvested from the pristine waters of the Gulf of
Maine and we need to make sure that the rules that protect our waters
remain in place," she says. "You don't have to look far to see what
happens to lobsters when water quality is poor. The southern New
England lobster industry has grappled with disease, die-offs and, more
recently, a complete resource collapse."

Chad Coffin, president of the Maine Clamming Association, says
excellent water quality is also critical to his industry, which he
says is worth about $40 million to Maine's economy and supports 2,000
wild clammers.

"Excellent water quality starts in the lakes, ponds and streams
hundreds of miles inland and ends at the coast," he says. "We are
concerned about threats to water quality and our industry if the state
somehow loses sight of what we have gained in the last decade through
new legislation that has helped to clean up and improve the water
quality in our coastal waters."

In addition to water quality, windpower development is also going to
be scrutinized by lawmakers this session. There are no fewer than a
dozen wind-related bills being proposed, including several sponsored
by Republican Rep. Larry Dunphy of Emden. One of his bills would put a
moratorium on the expedited wind permitting process. Another would
create a code of conduct for individuals involved in large scale
energy development and yet another would protect citizens' property
values.

"You put in a 300- or 400-foot tower or a number of these 300- or 400-
foot towers and flashing lights and humming noises and that sort of
thing and is that gonna decrease the property value? It would decrease
my interest in buying property in that area," Dunphy says.

With all of the proposed legislation, it is possible that similar
bills may be merged. In the meantime, environmental groups say they
will be watching to make sure environmental regulations that protect
and define the Maine brand are not completely eroded.

Share your Photography on the BCC Blog

2011-01-17T04:13:00.000-08:00

Share your Bremen winter photographs on the BCC Blog. Send to bcc@tidewater.net and provide your name at the bare minimum so that we can credit you when we post it.
Look forward to hearing from you!

Workshop on Land Conservation Priorities to be Held in Bremen January 27

2011-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Bremen residents are invited to a public workshop at 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 27, to help prioritize land conservation choices for the town’s future.
The workshop, sponsored by the Bremen Conservation Commission, is an opportunity for town citizens to express their preferences as to how the town’s Conservation Account should be used. The town established the account in 2008 for the purpose of acquiring land, easements and rights-of-way to maintain open space for Bremen’s future, and has appropriated funds to the account for the last three years. The Conservation Account has received additional funding from donations and events held by the Conservation Commission.
Chairman Dennis Prior said the Conservation Commission wants to better understand what types of land Bremen residents see as most important to future land conservation, such as access to ponds and working waterfront, scenic views, wildlife habitat, recreational areas etc. The workshop will be an important part of the learning process and a way to plan effectively for the future. He believes that the commission is set to undertake its most important work in the next few months starting with this workshop.

This is an important planning workshop and we strongly encourage the public's participation.

Big plans for Bremen alewives in 2011

2011-01-05T00:08:00.000-08:00

Lincoln County News, Dec. 23, 2010

By Samuel J. Baldwin

There are several projects in the works to help restore alewife passage between Webber Pond and Muscongus Bay in Bremen. Successfully restoring passage to this spawning ground should be a big step in establishing a sustainable alewife run in Bremen, which recent federal law requires in order for a town to allow alewife fishing. In order to spawn in Webber Pond, alewives must swim through Muscongus Brook, about a mile and half long stretch that crosses Rt. 32 twice.

For almost 10 years, Bremen resident David Wilkins and the Bremen Alewife Project has been working with local volunteers to restore fish passage in Muscongus Brook by building fish ladders and removing obstacles, such as the remnants of a massive stone wall. Wilkins’ work will continue in the coming year, he said. On a snowy Dec. 23, Wilkins was knee-deep in Muscongus Brook with several volunteers hauling large stones out of a waterfall.

“Three fish ladders, four years, dozens of sandbags and hundreds of hours later, we can confidently say we know how to get alewives swimming up, into and through the [culverts] and into Webber Pond,” Wilkins wrote in an email to The Lincoln County News. In that effort, Wilkins has been joined by Charlie Baeder and the Sheepscot River Watershed Council in a project to replace the culverts under the two Rt. 32 crossings. Currently, the culverts are too small and smooth-bottomed to allow fish to swim upstream. The groups are working with the Maine Dept. of Transportation and several Maine and federal organizations to replace the culverts with either bridges or larger culverts that will allow fish passage.

Although the project is in its infancy, the SRWC received notice on Dec. 22 that they will receive $150,000 through the Maine Dept. of Environmental Protection, The Nature Conservancy and Army Corps of Engineers. (See story page 2.) They hope to receive a second large grant through the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the American Rivers program. SRWC will know about the second grant in March, Baeder said. Should they fail to receive the second grant, there are other funding sources SRWC is prepared to explore. “We’re going to keep at it until it’s through,” Baeder said.

The grant money will be used to provide a 50-50 match with DOT to pay for replacing the culverts, Baeder said. The cost of the project won’t be known until DOT designs the culverts, but the initial estimate for the project is about $250,000 to $300,000 per culvert, Baeder said.

One of the culverts is “rotting out” and needs to be replaced anyway, Baeder said. The other culvert is worse from a fish passage situation. Because DOT and SRWC are splitting the cost of the replacement, DOT agreed to replace both culverts, Baeder said.

Although somewhat pricier than smaller culverts not designed for fish, the replacement cost shouldn’t be affected significantly by the considerations given to fish passage, Baeder said.

“From MDOT’s perspective, this brings in a lot of money that they wouldn’t have had,” Baeder said.

“It’s a way for us to ensure that the culverts are designed to allow fish to pass,” Baeder said.

DOT is currently surveying the two sites, and the design and permitting process will run through the winter, and Baeder hopes for a summer 2011 construction on the two culverts. Should road bumps arise, Baeder said the “worst case scenario” is summer 2012.

For fishermen, this project may be an important step towards ensuring they can continue to harvest fish in Bremen for years to come. “This is good from a long-term perspective,” Baeder said. “In the short term, it may not help, but it’s the kind of thing that if it’s done in Bremen, and it’s done in 100 towns up and down the coast, it’ll be a major benefit in the long run.”

Earlier this year, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission passed an amendment to the Interstate Fishery Management Plan for Shad and Herring. Amendment 2, as it is known, prohibits the taking of river herring in all state waters on the east coast unless a town or state submits a “sustainable management plan,” according to a press release issued by the ASMFC.

The ASMFC defines a sustainable fishery as “a commercial and/or recreational fishery that will not diminish the potential future stock reproduction and recruitment,” according to the press release.

Fish measurements will be taken as soon as culverts are replaced and again in five or so years to demonstrate the impact of this project, Baeder said, and alewife passage into Webber Pond could be a key component for Bremen to demonstrate a sustainable harvest. The coast-wide moratorium on river herring harvesting will take effect Jan. 1, 2012, according to the press release. What this means for Maine is that by next year each town needs to have a harvest plan in place that allows DMR to demonstrate that the population of river herring is in line with the amount of fish being harvested, said Pat Keliher, the director of the DMR Bureau of Sea Run Fisheries and Habitat, during a meeting with fishermen and town officials in Bremen.

Next year, DMR will likely enforce closures of the river herring harvest during key months, in an effort to establish a fishery that will pass the ASMFC definition of sustainable, Keliher said.

What will the 2010 census indicate?

2010-12-19T16:42:00.000-08:00

Could the population of Bremen in 2010 surpass the population in 1840? We'll know in February according to the 2010 census.

1830 770
1840 837
1850 891
1860 907
1870 797
1880 839
1890 842
1900 657
1910 550
1920 423
1930 322
1940 383
1950 409
1960 438
1970 454
1980 598
1990 674
2000 782
2010 ???

I thought this was interesting. Notice a 45 person increase between 1950 and 1970! And the high of 907 in 1860 just prior to the Civil War.

A Letter from the Chairman

2010-12-18T05:19:00.000-08:00

Friends, Family and Neighbors,

After a busy year the BCC is set to hold its last meetings of 2010 on October 27th and November 10th. As the hectic holiday season approaches the BCC typically takes this time off to recharge and get ready for the new year. 2011 looks to be an important year for conservation in Bremen! Starting in the new year community meetings will be aimed at encouraging a dialogue regarding our strategies as set forth by our conservation plan. The BCC hopes to update the Bremen Conservation Plan, set forth a full fledged list of priorities and recommendations for open space conservation and to clearly define the role of our Land Conservation Reserve Fund in this process.

As always we are looking for volunteers. If you have an interest in conservation please send an email to bcc@tidewater.net

And don't forget any donations to the Bremen Land Conservation Reserve Fund are tax deductible and greatly appreciated!

Thanks for your continued support,

Dennis Prior
Chairman, Bremen Conservation Commission

LAND GIFT COMPLETES BERGER PRESERVE

2010-12-17T17:57:00.000-08:00

Daniel and Suzanne Goldenson of Bremen made a further gift of land to the
Medomak Valley Land Trust at their annual meeting held on Friday evening,
December 3 that will complete the Karl F. Berger Preserve on Bremen Long
Island. The gift consists of an additional fifteen acres, including a cove
and 700 feet of deep water frontage on the eastern shore of the 165-acre
preserve.

In 2007 the Goldensons donated 165 acres to create the preserve, which
covers the center of Bremen Long Island, shore to shore, with more than a
half-mile of ocean frontage. It was named in memory of Karl F. Berger, a
former Bremen Selectman who died suddenly in 2007 and who had been a very
active and community-spirited Bremen leader.

Working closely with MVLT and the Bremen Conservation Commission, the
Goldensons sought to preserve a major part of the 850-acre island. Bremen Long
Island was an active settlement, with several hundred residents who were
farmers and fishermen in the days before paved roads and electricity on
the mainland.

Today, Bremen Long Island is the summer home for about 25 families, many
of whom have owned their properties for generations. The Berger Preserve
is accessible from Hockomock Channel, on the western shore, and extends
more than 4,000 feet to the eastern shore where the swift ocean current
inspired the name “Flying Passage.”

The newly donated cove on the eastern shore provides the opportunity for
the land trust to develop a safe access point for visitors arriving by
motor boat or kayak. The western access is also within a protected cove,
and is the starting point of a trail that will extend into the wooded
parcel and across to the eastern shore. Trails and signage will
be developed this spring by MVLT and the Bremen Conservation Commission.

New BCC Member

2010-11-21T05:42:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report the appointment of David Wilkins as a member of the BCC by the Bremen selectmen. The BCC welcomes David's enthusiasm, conservation mindedness and hands on approach, notably his work in the re-establishment of a sustainable alewife population in Webber Pond. We are looking forward to working with David and continuing to establish conservation as an important aspect of life in Bremen!

Taking a moment to teach local youth about the life cycle of an alewife

"Meet Your Farmer" short films Nov. 5

2010-11-03T09:42:00.001-07:00

The Medomak Valley Land Trust and the Maine Farmland Trust will host a showing of eight short films that offer viewers a taste of where Maine's food comes from. The films will be shown at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Nov. 5, at the Waldo Theatre, 916 Main St., Waldoboro. The documentaries tell the diverse stories of eight Maine farms, from Aroostook to York, from potatoes to dairy, and from large commercial operations to small famrs that sell directly to local people.

After the films are shown, refreshments will be served that are made with locally grown ingredients. Suggested donation for the screening is $5 per person.

Hog Island

2010-11-02T15:29:00.001-07:00

A news article in the newspaper Working Waterfront reports the Audubon Society may give Hog Island to Camp Kieve-Wavus, the children's camp headquartered in Nobleboro. To read the article, go to:

http://www.workingwaterfront.com/articles/Audubon-turning-Hog-Island-over-to-Camp-Kieve/14083/

More information, including a recent letter from National Audubon concerning the possible transfer, is available on the Friends of Hog Island website:

www.fohi.org

Meanwhile, the Hog Island Camp will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2011. See the FOHI website for more details and registration information for classes next summer.

Contributing Photography

2010-10-31T05:32:00.000-07:00

We'd like to welcome Bremen resident Kathleen 'Kat' McClintock into the BCC blogging family. Kathleen has agreed to share her beautiful photography with us from time to time. Here is a sampling of her latest photography via facebook. Thanks Kathleen!

Webber Pond Alewife Update 10-08-10: Yoy Emigration

2010-10-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

Contributing: Dave Wilkins

I believe the majority of young of the year (yoy) alewives born in Webber Pond this summer left after a large rain event in late July. It was then I found a few dead adults caught up in various hangups along the brook. There were gulls at the estuary then also. The young would have been quite small then and very hard to spot.

These past couple of weeks have stirred up the remaining alewives in Webber. We have spotted several schools of large (4 -4 1/2"+ sized) yoy that number in only hundreds. My camera is never with me when I spot them! Yesterday (Oct 7) while the rain was ending I found few schools around the pond level beaver dam. I encouraged them downstream with a part in the dam. I could not find any today in the stream, though my weir by my dock provided an adult and a yoy this morning.

One picture has yoy moving over the beaver dam.
Another has the adult in my hand.
The last has a single yoy.

Harvest Dinner Raffle Items

2010-10-11T12:09:00.000-07:00

Following are the raffle items from the Harvest Dinner September 18, and who won each one. All raffle items were produced in Bremen.

*Six 1-1/4 pound live lobsters donated by Melanee Osier-Gilbert, Maine Fresh Lobster, plus ten pounds of clams donated by Blair Pyne, Broad Cove Marine Services. Won by Sue Renelt.

*Overflowing basket of Harvest Vegetables donated by gardeners throughout the Town of Bremen. Won by Joan Ray.

*Miss Kitty" Cashmere Yarn Scarf Kit donated by Wendy Pieh, Springtide Farm. Won by Mary Berger.

*Two cases of tomato sauce donated by Suzanne Goldenson, Heirloom Tomato Sauce Company. One case each won by Robert Goth and Ann Marie Serwa.

*Four bottles of Hard Apple Cider made from heritage apples grown on Bremen Long Island, pressed and donated by Alice and Ed DeLuca . Won by Heather Smith.

Proceeds from Harvest Dinner Go To Conservation Account

2010-10-09T16:24:00.001-07:00

At the Board of Selectmen's meeting October 7, Dennis Prior, Chairman of the Bremen Conservation Commission, gave the Selectmen $748 to be added to the town's conservation reserve account. The funds were the net proceeds from the Harvest Dinner the BCC held on September 18.

In turning over the proceeds to the town account, Dennis said the dinner was a great success. He thanked the dinner committee for their hard work, the people and businesses in Bremen and nearby towns who provided the food and raffle items, and all the those bought the tickets and came to eat the dinner. He said having the New Rangers entertain was a special treat.

The Commission has been asked if they will hold another Harvest Dinner next year. We'd love to hear from those who think we should hold a dinner next year, and especially from anyone who would like to help plan and serve it.

Credit Where Credit's Due

2010-10-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

"The best dinner, outside my own kitchen, I've had in the 13 years I've been coming to Maine."

"Everything was excellent. The sausage meatballs were a real treat, the vinaigrette dressing was sooo good and the bread was to die for!"

"We were so pleased to be able to come to the dinner. We remember all the wonderful dinners that used to be held in the Town House."

"The best music I've heard since 1960!"

"I hope that BCC was very pleased & proud, after all the work on the Harvest Dinner. It couldn't have been better! And the New Rangers were a great culmination.

These are just a few of the comments the BCC has received about the Harvest Dinner. Many people have asked who did what, e.g., Who made the squash casserole? Who made bread? For those who are curious, here the list of who did what:

Appetizers: Goat meat sausage donated and prepared by Wendy Pieh, Springtide Farm.

Bread: Made by David and Jessica Koubek from King Arthur bread flour and Maine organic wheat flour donated by Riding Tide Community Market.

Salad: The greens came from several Bremen gardeners, including Virginia Betts, Kathleen McClintock, Kerry Weber, and Sean McGregor. Carrots and beets donated by Kathleen McClintock and Bennett Collins, prepared by Marge Jicha. Lobsters donated by Bremen Lobster Co-Op, cooked and meat picked out by Dotty and Kent Booher. Vinaigrette dressing made by Kathleen McClintock. Ranch dressing made by Anna's Water's Edge Restaurant.

Ham provided by Abby and Mark Strobbe, Healthy Heritage Farm; sliced and trimmed by Kathleen McClintock. Raisin Sauce prepared by Mary Sue Weeks.

Squash and Dried Bean Casserole: Squash provided by Virginia Betts, Kathleen McClintock & Bennett Collins, Martin Klepeis. Beans supplied by Virginia Betts; tomato sauce by Suzanne Goldenson. Prepared by Virginia Betts and Joan Ray.

Roasted Potatoes: Potatoes donated by Steve and Jurate Barnes, supplemented with potatoes from Clark's Farm. Prepared by Sue Renelt, Mary Sue Weeks and Diane O'Connor.

Gingerbread Lobsters: Made and donated by Kim McClain, the original Gingerbread Lobster Co.

Ice Cream: Round Top Ice Cream, Vanilla flavor.

Cider: Supplied by Mike Reny, Biscay Orchards, who also donated the apples on the tables.

Coffee: Matt's organic coffee, donated by Rising Tide Community Market.

Photography by Karen Berg

2010-10-01T11:54:00.000-07:00

BCC's Harvest Dinner & Dance this Saturday!

2010-09-14T05:36:00.000-07:00

Tickets are sold out and food from Bremen's fishing and farming community will soon be caught/harvested and served at the Harvest Dinner and Dance sponsored by the Bremen Conservation Commission. Featuring locally grown and caught foods the BCC is set to kick off the fall harvest in a celebration with food, friends and the music of The New Rangers. Proceeds will benefit the Town of Bremen Land Conservation Reserve Fund dedicated to conserving water access and open space in Bremen.

Tickets on Sale for Harvest Dinner

2010-08-10T06:36:00.001-07:00

Tickets are now on sale for the harvest dinner and New Rangers performance at the Bremen Town House, Saturday, September 18, starting at 5 p.m. The cost for the tickets, which includes both the dinner and the performance, is $10 for adults and $5 for children 8 or younger.

Because seating for the event is limited, tickets are being sold in advance. They may be purchased at the Bremen Town Office during regular business hours. Also, members of the Conservation Commission have a few tickets to sell. Dinner seating is on both floors of the Town House.

The dinner will feature foods grown or produced in Bremen and adjoining towns. The menu includes a salad of fresh garden greens, vegetables and (optional) lobster; home-baked bread; ham; roasted potatoes; a vegetable medley of squash, onions and dried beans; and gingerbread lobsters, ice cream and apples for dessert. There will be door prizes and a raffle as well.

The Bremen Conservation Commission is sponsoring the dinner as a way of showcasing products from the town's working farms and waterfront, and to provide an evening of good food, fellowship and entertainment for Bremen residents, neighbors and friends. Proceeds will benefit the town's Conservation Account.

The New Rangers feature Jim Nelson on guitar, bass and vocals; John Reny on guitar and vocals; John Riley on guitar, vocals and tambourine; and Peter Jackson on the Pedal Steel Guitar. All are very talented musicians, who know how to engage and please a crowd with a combination of acoustics and vocals. They play songs from yesteryear as well as current tunes. Some of the artists they cover are Bob Dylan, New Riders of the Purple Sage, The Byrds, The Band, John Prine, Grateful Dead, Steve Earl, and Slaid Cleaves (Cleaves is a former New Harbor resident). The New Rangers performance will follow the dinner at approximately 6:30 p.m. and will be on the first floor of the Town House.

Rural Character: Now and Then

2010-07-27T08:45:00.000-07:00

Broad Cove Marina 2010

The Old Clam Factory 1940?

Not exact perspective but this gives you an idea of how much the waterfront in Medomak has changed at this location. Once a profitable clam factory, in the 80's a bustling lobster industry and today a Marina that serves both pleasure craft enthusiasts and the local lobstering industry. In the current photo most of the lobster boats and their captains are out to haul so one can't really get a true sense for the density of the boats in the harbor. Has the character of our working waterfront been preserved over the past 70 years at this location?

Goats and Sheep: A Weapon Against Weeds Webinar

2010-07-21T06:42:00.001-07:00

FREE

Thursday, July 22, 2010, 12:00 pm

Invasive species cause environmental damages and losses of up to $120 billion per year nationally. Invasive species crowd out native woodland plants and animals, robbing native wildlife species of crucial food and cover sources. Climbing species can also strangle trees and bring down limbs. What can you do to stem the invasion on your land?

Machines often can't get to problem areas, manual removal is very labor intensive, and herbicides can inflict collateral damage water, plant, and animal resources.

Targeted grazing with goats and sheep can be a cost-effective and environmentally-friendly method of controlling invasive species on your property. Goats and sheep graze in places that mowers can't reach and humans don't want to go, including thickets of both brambles and poison ivy.

Goats eat a wide range of unwanted vegetation, which on the East Cost includes kudzu, Oriental bittersweet, Tree of Heaven, multiflora rose, Japanese honeysuckle, mile-a-minute, and more.

Sheep prefer grasses and forbs. Livestock will graze all day, going through very dense material at about a quarter acre per day per 30 animals. They respect electric fences, making this an easy and effective source of mobile containment.

This webinar is your chance to learn from extension specialists and professionals in the field how to implement this practice on your land. The webinar is free and will be held on July 22 at noon. Contact Carol Taylor to register (carolt@umd.edu<mailto:carolt@umd.edu> or 410-827-8056, ext. 135). A recording will be available at http://www.naturalresources.umd.edu soon after the live presentation.

Presenters will include Nevin Dawson, Forest Stewardship Educator, and Susan Schoenian, Sheep & Goat Specialist, with University of Maryland Extension; and Brian Knox, President of Sustainable Resource Management, Inc. and supervising forester for Eco-Goats.

Woodland Management Talk and Field Tour in Bremen

2010-07-16T14:05:00.001-07:00

If you have an interest in learning more about the care of your woodlot regardless of its size the Bremen Conservation Commission and Morten Moesswilde, district forester from the Maine Forest Service, invite you to a two hour program called "Hallmarks of a Well-Managed Woodland".

The first half of the program will be a presentation focusing on typical goals and options woodlot owners have for their property. Common woodlot goals are to grow timber, maintain or improve wildlife habitat, enhance recreation opportunities, or improve scenic or aesthetic values. Woodland "management" involves those decisions landowners make about how to reach these and other goals. The talk will be followed by a walk through the forest owned by the town of Bremen where we will have a discussion based on the practical application of the principles discussed in the class.

The two hour program will be held at the Bremen Town House and woods on Thursday July 29 beginning at 10:00am. The Town House is located at 560 Waldoboro Road, Rt. 32, in Bremen right next to the fire station.

This program is open to any interested person wanting to learn more about the management of a woodlot.

Harvest Dinner: Local Foods, Local Entertainment

2010-07-14T06:55:00.001-07:00

One hundred years ago, Bremen residents grew or caught just about all the food they needed to produce tasty and nutritious meals. Guess what, they still can!

A harvest dinner to be held in the Bremen Town House on Saturday, September 18, will feature foods grown or produced in Bremen and adjoining towns.

The dinner Bremen Conservation Commission is sponsoring the dinner as a way of showcasing products from the town's working farms and waterfront. Proceeds from the dinner will benefit the town's Conservation Account.

After dinner entertainment will be provided by the New Rangers, a musical group whose members reside in Bremen and nearby towns.

Due to limited seating, tickets for the event will go on sale in early August.

Any Bremen residents or neighbors who would like to help with the dinner or donate products should call 529-4499 or send an email to bcc@tidewater.net.

Then and Now: Comparing Our Rural Character

2010-07-12T10:24:00.000-07:00

1940

2010

These two photos are meant to be an intrepretive study of our rural character at one coastal location (Miller Point, Medomak) over the past 70 years. In 2008 two older cottages were demolished to make way for a new seasonal dwelling. Also,because of additional trees at the left of the 2010 vantage point one cannot see the seasonal dwelling unit built around the turn of the century (2000 that is).
Also in 2010 a stone seawall to prevent further shoreline erosion was laid in place.

Note how the island forest canopy has matured and obscured most dwellings from sight.

With your critical eye you be the judge as to whether the rural character of Bremen has been maintained at this location over the past 70 years.

Please submit your own yesteryear photos of in and around Bremen and we'll take a closer look with comparative photos from today.

BCC to start work on town property

2010-07-11T09:21:00.000-07:00

By Samuel J. Baldwin, LCN June 24, 2010

The Bremen Conservation Commission will undertake several projects designed to preserve and increase access to a 47-acre town-owned property north of the Bremen Town House on Rt. 32

The Bremen Board of Selectmen gave the commission the go-ahead to begin work on four projects at their meeting on June 17.

The first project will be marking the boundaries of the property with orange bark paint, said Conservation Commission member Steve Laurich at the meeting.

The second project will be to eradicate invasive plant species that are threatening the growth of native species on the property. The two most prevalent invasives are bittersweet and Japanese barberry, Laurich said.

The commission will use very small amounts of concentrated Roundup to kill the invasive plants.
"We're not going to be spraying," Laurich reassured the selectmen. The method the commission will use is to cut the plants off and place a few drops of concentrated Roundup on the cut in the stem. This will kill the roots of the plant without spreading the chemical to surrounding plants, Laurich said.

The third project will be to cut one or two walking trails that allow access to the property.
"We still need to scout the property to find the best areas and the most diverse parts of the land," Laurich said. The trails will be narrow and will have obstacles built into them to prevent motor vehicle use, Laurich said.

The fourth project will be to host an informational meting on best practices for woodlot management with a representative of the Maine Forest Service. The meeting will be held both in the Town House and outside on the property on a Saturday. The exact date has yet to be determined.

"We already own the land, there's no reason not to use it," said Selectman Patrick Ginnaty before the board gave their permission for all four projects.

"P.S.: there won't be any cost to the town,"Laurich said.

Beware! Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Found in Lincoln County

2010-07-02T05:56:00.000-07:00

Lincoln County News Online 7/2/10

The hemlock woolly adelgid has been detected in several coastal towns in the past month, notably in South Bristol and Bristol in Lincoln County, according to Maine Forest Service spokesperson Allison Kanoti.

This destructive pest of hemlocks has also been found Eliot, Kennebunkport, Kittery, Ogunquit, Saco, South Berwick, Wells and York in York County; Harpswell, Brunswick, South Portland in Cumberland County, and in Phippsburg, Georgetown in Sagadahoc County.

The Maine Forest Service asks residents to please look for hemlock woolly adelgid on planted and forest hemlocks, especially residents living within 20 miles of the coast.

Tell your neighbors and friends, especially those who are seasonal residents, about the spread of this insect, which has received news coverage over the last month.

If the small, white hemlock woolly adelgid, is discovered, please call or email Kanoti in Augusta at 287-3147, or allison.m.kanoti@maine.gov.

Please be patient, Kanoti will respond, but it may take some time.

The website http://www.maine.gov/doc/mfs/HWAOverview.htm has tips for recognizing the insect.

The Maine Forest Service will be closed for the July 4 holiday from Fri., July 2 through Mon., July 5.

About the Hemlock Woolly AdelgidThe hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) is an aphid-like insect that covers itself with a white, waxy "wool" which acts as a protective coating. Adelgid infestations are easily recognizable by the appearance of tiny "cotton balls" at the base of hemlock needles. The "wool" is most conspicuous on the undersides of branches from fall through spring.

The hemlock woolly adelgid feeds on the sap at the base of hemlock needles, disrupting nutrient flow and causing the needles to change from deep green to a grayish green, then fall off. Without needles the tree starves to death, usually within three to five years of the initial attack. Infestations often start in large, mature hemlocks, but the insect also attacks and kills younger trees as well.

Carbon Footprint Calculator - What's My Carbon Footprint ?

2010-07-01T19:48:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already tried calculating your carbon footprint then give this link a try. Are you surprised?

Carbon Footprint Calculator - What's My Carbon Footprint ?

Public Access Incentives Study

2010-07-01T10:53:00.001-07:00

Maine Landowners Sought for Study on

Public Access Incentives

UMaine 2010 Research, Midcoast Area

Are you a landowner who holds between 10 and 1,000 acres of land? Do you typically allow or prohibit public recreation access? We are looking for landowners to attend our focus group. We are part of a collaborative study between the University of Maine's School of Forest Resources and the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine (SWOAM) which seeks to find valuable incentives for landowners who provide public access in the state of Maine. As the number of postings increase around the state, there is concern about current and future public access to privatelands. We will discuss landowner values, access issues, and possible incentive ideas and programs. The focus group session is expected to last between 2 and 2 ½ hours. If you participate, you will be provided dinner and paid $25 for your time. Your level of participation is optional, and you can leave at any time. We hope to speak to landowners with varying access policies to ensure that our sample is fully representative of landowners in Maine. Therefore, regardless of a landowner's public access policy, we hope to meet with various landowners throughout the state to discuss their values and concerns. If you know someone who would be interested in attending a focus group, please forward this announcement to them.

The focus group meeting will be held on Tuesday, July 27th at 6:00 pm in Bremen. If you are interested in participating in the focus group session and own between 10 and 1000 acres, please call or email me. I will mail a confirmation letter that includes meeting details and a map of the meeting location. If there are additional questions or comments, feel free to contact me at: Martha.willand@umit.maine.edu (612) 598-7245, or my advisor, Dr. Jessica Leahy Jessica.leahy@umit.maine.edu (207) 581-2834

Thanks for considering participation in this study. I hope to hear from you.

Martha Willand

Research Assistant and
Graduate Student

Muscongus Bay Project Launches New Website - Check it out!

2010-07-01T08:26:00.000-07:00

The Quebec-Labrador Foundation's Muscongus Bay Project invites you to explore their BRAND NEW website. http://www.muscongusbay.org/ Visit their website online to find out more about Muscongus Bay as well as our programs, resources and services.

Also, check out the image gallery of our local towns including Bremen at:

http://www.muscongusbay.org/image_gallery.php

Photographers and Writers Wanted

2010-06-24T11:22:00.000-07:00

The Bremen Conservation Commission is looking for volunteer writers and photographers to cover a variety of topics for our blog. Whether your passion is kayaking the Medomak, hiking, birdwatching, recording weather, keeping a journal of your summer in Maine, covering local events, writing poetry or photographing wildlife we need you. Maintaining a conservation blog requires fresh perspective from a variety of individuals and to be interesting we need people actively engaged in contributing material. If you have something you'd like to share on a part time or regular basis please let us know by emailing bcc@tidewater.net or calling Dennis at 529-2987.

Hope to hear from you!

The Importance of Vernal Pools

2010-06-14T08:40:00.000-07:00

What are vernal pools?

A vernal pool is a natural, temporary to semipermanent body of water occurring in a shallow
depression that typically fills during the spring or fall and may dry during the summer. Vernal pools have no permanent inlet and no viable populations of predatory fish. In Maine, vernal pools are also defined by the animals that use them for breeding,
including:
Three amphibians:
Spotted salamander
Blue spotted salamander
Wood frog
And one crustacean (invertebrate):
Fairy shrimp

In dry seasons, vernal pools may appear as small, grassy openings in the forest. They may also have compacted, water-stained forest floor litter. A search through the forest floor may reveal insect-castings, fingernail clams, snails and/or caddisfly cases.

Why are vernal pools important?

Vernal pools provide essential breeding and nursery habitat for several organisms. Salamander larvae consume live animal prey including mosquito larvae. Adult and juvenile amphibians are mostly terrestrial, and account for a substantial amount of the animal biomass (collective weight) in the forest floor surrounding vernal pools. They have several important roles in the forest ecosystem:

They are food for higher predators (snakes,turtles, birds, and mammals).

They consume a large quantity of forest floor insects and other invertebrates.

They play an important role in dispersing and releasing aquatic nutrients into the surrounding
forest system.

Vernal pools are also important habitats for several of Maine’s rare, threatened and endangered species including state-listed turtles, snakes and dragonflies.

When connected by intact forest, vernal pools can serve as stepping stones within the forest landscape between larger wetlands. They function as resting and feeding refugia for many amphibians, birds and mammals.

Why do vernal pools need to be fishless?

Many amphibian eggs have toxic compounds or physical properties that help deter predators such as fish. Vernal pool-dependent amphibians lack these protections and their eggs and young are vulnerable to aquatic and terrestrial predators. Not all vernal pools go dry every year, but they must have some feature that excludes fish such as annual drying, low oxygen concentrations in the summer, or shallow conditions that permit winter freezing to the pool bottom.

How do vernal pool-dependent organisms survive if pools are seasonal?

Vernal pool-dependent organisms have several strategies for survival. Fairy shrimp have an
extremely short adult life cycle and a long-lasting desiccant-resistant egg stage. Adult amphibians only use the vernal pools for a few weeks in the breeding season. Once they have mated and the eggs have been deposited, they move into the surrounding forest where they spend ≥90% of the calendar year. A complete lifecycle (transformation from egg􀃆 larvae􀃆 juvenile􀃆 adult) takes approximately 3 to 5 months.

Where are vernal pool amphibians when they aren’t in the pool?

After breeding, adults leave the pool and disperse into the surrounding forest. Their permeable skin is vulnerable to desiccation and they require the cool, damp places provided by overstory shade, uncompacted fallen leaves and decaying fallen logs. Adult wood frogs travel as far as ¼ mile from pools, and often forage in nearby forested wetlands. They hibernate in well-drained soils of upland forests. Salamanders are generally found within 750 ft of the pool perimeter. They shelter in root channels, under logs, and inside small mammal burrows. Juvenile wood frogs and salamanders disperse into the forest, and may be concentrated within 100 ft of
the pool perimeter during the first months after metamorphosis. They will feed, shelter and overwinter in this “nursery zone”. Juveniles require the same shaded damp refugia as the adults.

How can I help conserve vernal pools on my property?

The amphibians that breed and develop in vernal pools rely on the pool itself as well as the immediate surrounding forest to complete their life cycle. Limiting impacts in these areas is important. The key habitat qualities that should be conserved within 750 ft of the pool basin are:

Water quality
Forest cover
Uncompacted soil
Woody debris

The Department of Environmental Protection has rules that govern activities adjacent to ”Significant Vernal Pools“ (Chapter 335). In addition, detailed guidelines for forestry and development activities near vernal pools are available from the Maine Audubon Society. Some general recommendations are summarized below. Within the pool itself: Maintain the basin depression and its vegetation and water quality in an undisturbed state. Disturbance can reduce the pool’s ability to support amphibian and invertebrate life. To investigate the pool on foot, limit activities within the pool. Be particularly careful to:

Minimize disturbance to the pool bottom(especially, discourage entry by dogs).
Do not put objects (hands, clothing, footwear) that have been chemically treated (for example with insect repellant) in the pool. Leave egg masses undisturbed. Do not conduct harvesting or development activities within this area.

Important: ATV’s are prohibited from vernal pools
except when pools are frozen and snow-covered
(12 MRSA §13157-A. subsection 27).

In a 100 foot radius around the pool:

Maintain a closed canopy forest (at least 75% cover) of trees generally larger than 5 inches
diameter to provide shade, litter (nutrients) and coarse woody debris.
Avoid soil compaction: limit entrance of vehicles
such as logging equipment and ATV’s.
Leave fallen and decaying logs and branches to serve as moist refuges for juveniles and adults.
Avoid using chemicals such as herbicides.

Beyond 100 feet: Maintain an intact forest in as large an area as possible within 750 feet of the pool. Avoid construction of trails and roads for motorized vehicles. Maintain at least 50% canopy cover; develop less than 25% of this area. Limit harvest openings to less than an acre. Do not disturb downed logs and debris and leave scattered older or dying trees for creation of
future moist refuges. Limit the use of chemicals; especially avoid using herbicides and insecticides in early spring and late summer/early fall when amphibians are
migrating.

Vernal Pools

2010-06-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

SWOAM - Midcoast Chapter
Vernal Pools
When: Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm
Location: Bremen Town Center

Event is free and open to the public.
Contact Dick Koubek at (207)529-4132.

10 Biggest Mistakes

2010-06-13T10:39:00.001-07:00

Tom Doak, Executive Director of SWOAM (Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine), gave an excellent presentation at the Town Office last Friday night on "10 Bigggest Mistakes Forest Landowners Make." He said the idea for the presentation, which he has given throughout the state, grew out of many common questions SWOAM gets from landowners. It was an eye-opening presentation and if you missed it here, you should try to catch one somewhere else. For more information, check out SWOAM's website: www.swoam.org

In brief, Tom said the 10 Biggest Mistakes are:

1. Not knowing what you own; Not knowing what you have;

2. Being Afraid To Do Anything;

3. Misunderstanding Maine's Liability Law;

4. Not Doing Estate Planning;

5. Paying Too Much Income Tax;

6. Not Understanding Current Use Taxation;

7. Failing To Keep Good Records;

8. Not Understanding How to Work with Foresters & Loggers;

9. Not Understanding Posting Law; and

10. Not Staying Informed/Asking for Help

Alewife Update 6-11-10

2010-06-13T04:34:00.000-07:00

Another alewife run is on in Muscongus Brook. It is hard to guess the numbers this time as the brook is running quite high. Perhaps 500. These fish surely came in during last nights extra high tide as I found none yesterday. By 2:30pm today they were already several found above the southern culvert and dozens moving up the fish ladder and into the culvert. With the water running so well in the brook, I can't imagine better conditions for this effort. I bet more fish come in the next 2 nights as the tides will be yet higher.

The fishing gear restrictions have been temporarily lifted for Bremen. This was decided at the special town meeting on Wednesday by MEDMR Commissioner Lapointe. Quite a bit of anger was being directed at our alewife restoration efforts, as it was felt that this work brought on the local fishing closures. These new
restrictions were a complete surprise to the fishermen. Credit is due to the local lobster community for rallying in such force.

A few poachers were spotted in the brook about a week and a half ago. I suspect this was a result of the area closures. Bait must be had one way or another.

David Wilkins

The Importance of Frogs

2010-06-11T08:14:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-09T05:50:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-06-09T05:19:00.000-07:00

The importance of the alewife in the food chain....A must read!
http://www.bowdoin.edu/news/archives/1academicnews/007480.shtml

Alewives vs. Culverts

2010-06-04T03:35:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-03T07:25:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-02T18:17:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-31T11:00:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-05-31T04:40:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-30T09:23:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-27T04:55:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-25T15:46:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-24T06:37:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-20T09:32:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-18T12:27:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-05-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-17T11:23:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-12T07:05:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-12T06:53:00.001-07:00

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

2010-05-12T06:04:00.000-07:00

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

Find the BCC on facebook!

2010-04-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

Share with family & friends and stay in the conservation loop of things!

http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=321513648347&ref=search&sid=1732040939.3494674555..1

Thank You!

2010-04-26T05:54:00.000-07:00

Bremen's roadsides are less "trashy" this morning thanks to all those who turned out Saturday morning to help pick up the winter's accumulation of trash along the roadsides. Good job everyone!

Alewife Talk

2010-04-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

David Wilkins, local naturalist and president of the Muscongus Pond Association, will give a slide presentation on Alewives at 7 p.m., Wednesday, April 28, at the Bremen Library. The presentation will focus on the status of the alewife restoration work in Bremen's Webber Pond, the importance of alewives in the ecosystem, and problems alewives face today. The Muscongus Pond Association began steps toward alewife restoration in 2002 with stone removal and stream widening at the old Webber Mill. Since that time, Maine Department of Marine Resources has stocked Webber Pond with spawning alewives to accelerate this restoration process. Beginning in 2007, alewives have annually returned to their historic home waters in Bremen, bound for Webber Pond. Wilkins will discuss this project as part of his presentation.

The presentation is sponsored by the Bremen Conservation Commission.

Home Rules, Home Tools

2010-04-20T05:42:00.000-07:00

MEACC, the Maine Association of Conservation Commissions, will present information on Conservation Commissions at a public meeting in Waldoboro on Tuesday, April 27, 4 - 6 p.m. at the UM Cooperative Extension Office on Manktown Road. The agenda includes on overview of role conservations commissions play in the community, and examples of some local conservation initiatives. The session is free but registration is required. For more information or to register, go to www.meacc.net/ .

Woods Tour

2010-04-20T05:30:00.001-07:00

SWOAM, the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine, is sponsoring Tour of the Brann Memorial Forest in Somerville from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, April 24. The 250-acre property is in SWOAM's Land Trust. Forester Mike Dann will lead the tour and discuss woodland managment including tree growth, water frontage, harvesting and more. The event is free and open to the public. For directions go to www.swoam.org and click on the EVENTS tab, or contact SWOAM MidCoast representative Dick Koubek, 529-4132; dickkoubeck@yahoo.com.

BREMEN EARTH DAY CLEAN UP APRIL 24

2010-04-20T05:16:00.000-07:00

Bremen residents: Celebrate Earth Day and help beautify Bremen by participating in the annual roadside clean up Saturday morning, April 24, sponsored by the Patriotic Club of Bremen. Pick up empty bags, provided by the State Department of Transportation, at the Bremen Fire Department on Route 32 starting at 9:00 a.m. Then fill the bags with trash that has collected along Bremen roads during the winter. When the bags are full, just tie them up and leave them along the side of the road. Pickup of the bags will start at 11:30 a.m., with the last pickup at 12 noon. The event will take place rain or shine. This is a great way to get the kids in involved in Earth Day. Let's take pride in our community and work together to beautify Bremen and Mother Earth.

Courtesy Boat Inspection Training

2010-03-31T15:22:00.000-07:00

Pemaquid Watershed Association courtesy boat inspection training will be held May 22nd from 9:30 to 11:30 am at the Nobleboro Town Office. We need volunteers to sit by local boat launches for a few hours at a time to help educate boaters about the serious invasives that are carried on trailers, fishing gear, motors and boats. This threat is very close to Bremen. Last fall, a trained (invasive plant) volunteer found the hydrilla in Damariscotta Lake.

Bremen Clean-Up Day

2010-03-29T15:32:00.001-07:00

Mark Saturday, April 24, on your calendar and plan to participate in Bremen Clean-Up Day. Pick up the trash that has accumulated along the roadside during the winter, put in it trash bags, and set the bags along the roadside for pickup. Special trash bags will be available Saturday morning at the Firehouse. Watch this space for further details.

Harvest Dinner

2010-03-29T12:54:00.000-07:00

As a way of showcasing Bremen's working farms and waterfront, the BCC plans to hold a Harvest Dinner in the Town House in September. The first planning meeting for the event will be at 10 a.m. on Sat., April 3, at Diane O'Connor's home, 145 Waldoboro Rd. Anyone who would like to help plan this event, suggest people who can provide food for the event, cook food, work in the ktichen etc., is invited to attend.

Grant Writing Workshop

2010-03-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

The Maine Association of Conservation Commissions and the Maine Land Trust Network are co-sponsoring a workshop designed to improve your chances of successfully obtaining funding from three major conservation grant programs in Maine.

The three include:

The Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program. MNRCP provides funding for wetlands restoration, enhancement and preservation,
thus is a good source for open space acquisition funds.

The Recreational Trails Program. RTP is an excellent source of funding
for trail building projects, including design, materials and labor.

Project Canopy. This Maine Forest Service program provides funds to
towns for both forest management and shade tree planting.

In addition, information will also be presented regarding Land for Maine’s Future
grants and various private foundation grant sources.

The workshops will be held on the following schedule:
Augusta, April 15th, Augusta City Hall
Scarborough, May 5th, Scarborough Public Library

Both workshops will start promptly at 5:30 and end by 7:30. A light meal will
be provided. The participation fee will be $20 for MEACC and MLTN members
and $30 for non-members, payable by purchase order or at the door. Please
register at least seven days in advance of each workshop

Town of Bremen Maintains Conservation Commitment

2010-03-27T18:28:00.000-07:00

For the third straight year the people of Bremen have displayed their commitment toward conservation by voting to raise and appropriate monies to the Land Conservation Reserve Fund. Funds deposited into this account could one day be used to acquire conservation easements, rights-of-way, waterfront access or open space. As one of only a handful of towns to have a dedicated Land Conservation Fund, it is a critical component in the process of applying for grants and obtaining matching funds to complete important conservation transactions.

In another show of support Bremen voters passed an article not to operate an alewife fishery for the ensuing year of 2010. Through passage of this article Bremen maintains its alewife conservation status, ensures annual stocking of Webber Pond with adult spawning alewives and works toward long term sustainability of the alewife fishery.

Once again the Bremen Conservation Commission is proud of Bremen's overwhelming support and commitment toward conservation!

Thank you!

Good News for Maine's Deer Population

2010-03-27T14:16:00.000-07:00

Maine's deer population is getting a boost from this winter's mild weather after two straight harsh winters that thinned the ranks of the state's signature game animal. With warm temperatures and scant snowfall, deer have had to expend relatively little energy fighting off frigid cold or tramping through deep snow in search of food. Deer biologist Lee Kantar of Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said fawns that were born last year have had a high survival rate, and the baby deer that are born this June are expected to be in good shape because their mothers are strong. The most recent estimate puts Maine's deer count at under 200,000, down from more than 300,000 a decade ago.

Article, Portland Press Herald, March 27, 2010

2010 BCC Wordle - Check it out!

2010-03-26T13:51:00.000-07:00

Trees and Shrub Sale

2010-03-16T12:37:00.001-07:00

Soil and Water Conservation Districts Tree and Shrub Sales

Looking for trees and shrubs to plant this spring? Consider purchasing them through your local Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD). SWCDs are non-profit organizations who provide conservation education and technical assistance. Their tree and shrub sales are typically a major fundraiser for these organizations.

Knox-Lincoln SWCD has announced its annual Tree & Shrub Sale. Orders are due May 3^rd, with pick-up in Nobleboro on May 8^th. More information, including a list of what's available, is at www.knox-lincoln.org.

Kennebec County SWCD reminds everyone that their annual Tree and Shrub Sale is ongoing. The deadline for orders is March 19^th. Pick up for orders is Saturday, April 24^th. A tree list and order form is available at their website, www.kcswcd.org.

Forest Talk

2010-03-16T10:48:00.001-07:00

George Jacobsen, Professor Emeritus at UMO and State Climatologist, will give a talk on The Influence of Climate Variability on Maine's Forests -- Past and Future, at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 22, at the Bremen Town Center. The Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine (SWOAM) is sponsoring presentation. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Working with your Woodlot

2010-03-05T06:19:00.001-08:00

If you hurry, you can still sign up for a course for woodland owners sponsored by the Maine Forest Service and the Small Woodland Owners Association of Maine (SWOAM) and given through adult education in Waldoboro.

The course will be held 6:30 - 8:30 pm. Tuesday from March 9 to April 13 at Medomak Valley High School; Pre-registration is required; call the adult education office at 832-5205 to sign up. Cost is $30. The class will be taught by Mort Moesswilde, Midcoast district forester for MFS, and will cover forest stewardship, forest management techniques, wildlife management, tree identification, forest health, harvesting, and working with professionals.

Part of the course, but also available separately, is a presentation March 23, by SWOAM executive director Tom Doak on "The 10 Biggest Mistakes Made by Woodland Owners." For $10 you can register for this one-night class alone.

BCC now on Facebook

2010-02-23T12:07:00.000-08:00

In addition to the BCC blog (www.bremenconservation.blogspot.com) you can now follow the Bremen Conservation Commission on Facebook!! Your participation is encouraged!

Grant Writing Workshops

2010-02-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

MEACC and the Maine Land Trust Network are co-sponsoring two workshops designed to improve your chances of successfully obtaining funding from three major conservation grant programs in Maine. The three include the Maine Natural Resources Conservation Program (open space acquisition); The Recreational Trails Program (trail building projects); and Project Canopy (forest management, shade trees). In addition, information will also be presented regarding Land for Maine's Future grants and various private foundation grant sources.

The workshops will be held in Augusta on April 15th and Scarborough on May 5th. Details, including registration information can be found at www.meacc.net

MEACC Regional Workshops

2010-02-23T09:20:00.000-08:00

The Maine Association of Conservation Commissions is sponsoring a series of regional workshops designed to showcase the work of local conservation commissions that are having a significant impact on their community’s environment and quality of place. Each session will feature presentations by conservation commissions that have done exemplary job of protecting their community’s natural resources. Some workshops will include an orientation to the various local conservation planning tools developed by the Beginning with Habitat program; others will include information on how a community that does not have a conservation commission might create one. (Specific agendas will vary by location.)The featured projects were developed by the conservation commissions in Wells, Lamoine, Falmouth, Rockport and Kennebunkport. Each workshop is free and open to all conservation commission members, elected and appointed town officials and other people interested in learning more about the work of conservation commissions and the value they offer municipalities. All workshops will start at 4:00 p.m. and end by 6:00 p.m. They are scheduled on the following dates and locations. Pre-registration is required.

Falmouth, Wednesday, March 31st, Falmouth Memorial Library

Wells, Tuesday, April 6th, Laudholm Farm

Ellsworth, Tuesday April 13th, Ellsworth City Hall

Waldoboro, Tuesday, April 27th, UME Extension Center

Maine conservation success stories

2010-02-17T11:22:00.000-08:00

From efforts to contain suburban sprawl in Brunswick, to protecting open space in Rockland and Wells, local conservation commissions are having a significant impact on their communities. And, for the first time, those accomplishments are being documented in case studies that are now available at the Maine Association of Conservation Commission’s Web site (www.meacc.net).

“These case studies are designed to give other people ‘how-to examples’ of projects that can make a real difference in a community and to motivate others to tackle such substantial work,” said Bob Shafto of Falmouth, executive director of the Maine Association of Conservation Commissions.

“The intent of the case studies is to expand the universe of ideas available to conservation commission members around the state, and to give them the opportunity to learn from the experience of others,” he said.

The collection (titled “Home Rules, Home Tools: Locally Led Conservation Achievements”) includes the following case studies:

• Brunswick’s rural smart growth initiative, one of the earliest and most comprehensive efforts in Maine to contain suburban sprawl;

• Falmouth’s comprehensive open-space protection effort, including its land acquisition, financing and management strategies;

• Kennebunkport’s “Lawns to Lobsters” initiative, an extensive effort to minimize fertilizer and pesticide use in the community;

• Rockport’s successful effort to protect open space and the extensive views around Clam Cove; and

• Wells’ successful effort to protect open space for future generations.

These stories all illustrate the role that conservation commissions can play in local government. One of the lessons to come out of the case studies is that “to be effective, conservation commissions need to be actively involved in multiple levels of town government,” said Steven McAllister, a member of the Rockport Conservation Commission.

“This means working together with town boards and committees to ensure that the commission's interests are represented and considered, especially with regard to the comprehensive planning process, ordinance writing and review, and in decisions made by the town's planning board,” said McAllister.

Conservation commissions advise elected and appointed officials on environmental issues and undertake initiatives designed to address local environmental concerns. Commissions build trails, work to control invasive species, develop open space plans, propose ordinances, work with school children, educate citizens about pesticide use, monitor development, protect their town’s special wild places, and work to keep Maine communities attractive places to live, work and raise families.

At one time, most Maine communities had a conservation commission, but those numbers dwindled over the past 30 years as the state created its system for environmental stewardship.

However, growing development pressures have underscored the need for community-based responses. That is what prompted Shafto, a longtime environmental leader in Falmouth, to re-start the dormant Maine Association of Conservation Commissions three years ago. The state association’s goal is to ensure that every Maine community has an active, effective conservation commission.

And Shafto said he sees a trend developing. More than two-dozen towns have created (or re-created) a conservation commission in the past three years, and another half-dozen are in the process of doing so. According to the Maine State Planning Office, a significant number of towns have set a goal of creating a conservation commission in their comprehensive plan.

“A lot of Maine’s quality places are in its towns and cities,” said Shafto. “Thus, municipalities have an important role to play if we are serious about protecting Maine’s unique quality of place.”

Great News from Maine Audubon

2009-12-03T12:17:00.000-08:00

Great news!

You can sign up—now!—for summer 2010 ornithology programs at Hog Island Audubon Center.

As you know, a committee of Audubon and Maine Audubon staff has worked with expert consultants for nearly a year, envisioning options for the island consistent with its celebrated environmental education history and potential. The work continues, and while it does, the two organizations have agreed to re-establish programming in 2010.

Audubon’s internationally recognized Project Puffin Seabird Restoration Program will lead five distinct sessions of bird-loving bliss, working with a team of dynamic instructors, including Kenn Kaufman and Pete Dunne:

Maine Seabird Biology and Conservation (May 30-June 4)
Field Ornithology I (June 13-18)
Field Ornithology II (June 20-25)
Maine Coast Birding Studies for Teens (June 20-25)
Maine Seabird Biology and Conservation (September 12-17)

Get more information and download registration forms at: www.projectpuffin.org. Or e-mail projectpuffin@audubon.org.

We hope that, like us, you see this as good news, and will spread the word. These are the only programs the historic center will offer in 2010, and space is limited.

As our committee continues its work, we want you to know that we share with Hog Island’s loyal alumni, past instructors, and supporters the desire for long-term arrangements that will continue Hog Island’s historic service to conservation. Toward that goal, we hope you will help us fill our 2010 sessions with enthusiastic participants.

Thank you for your continuing support.

Town Landing at Southern End of Bremen Long Island

2009-10-21T10:50:00.000-07:00

Perhaps you never knew but yes there are two public access points to the Town Road on Bremen Long Island. Perhaps they're not the easiest to find but there nevertheless. This photo is the southern Town Landing just to the left of the Boathouse. A great half day trek from either end of the island for any residents of Bremen looking for a nice fall day outdoors. Enjoy :)

Posted by the Bremen Recreation Committee

Woodland Owner's Shortcourse

2009-10-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

Knox-Lincoln Soil and Water Conservation District and the Camden Public Library, together with the Maine Forest Service, will be hosting a workshop entitled "A Woodland Owner's Shortcourse" on Saturday, November 7. Landowners and others interested in learning more about taking care of or managing woodlands are invited to attend.

The workshop presenter will be Morten Moesswilde, Midcoast District Forester for Maine Forest Service.

This introductory "shortcourse" will highlight basic elements of successful woodland stewardship and point landowners toward the resources to achieve them. It will address developing landowner goals, basic woodland ecology & assessment, essential administrative/ planning decisions, and key elements of a successful timber harvest.

The goal is to make woodland owners, and others who work with woodland owners in different capacities, more familiar with the basics of forest stewardship.

The course will include information on the steps in forest stewardship planning for the long-term, as well as an overview of timber harvesting. "I don't assume that all landowners will have a specific interest in timber management" Moesswilde says. "I include information about it in this course because, in my experience, the principles of timber harvesting apply equally for very different kinds of projects everything from thinning an acre or less, to larger-scale harvesting. And cutting trees can aim at a variety of goals, everything from wildlife habitat to aesthetics to producing income. Either way, it's important to understand the process."

The course will take place on Saturday, November 7, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. (includes ½ hour lunch breakbring your own), in the Jean Picker Room at the Camden Public Library, 55 Main Street in Camden. There is no fee for the course. Please register in advance by November 4 so that we can have adequate materials on hand. To register for this event or for more information, please contact Rebecca Jacobs at 273-2005 x 101 or send an email Rebecca.jacobs@me.nacdnet.net

Talk on Oyster Farming at Bremen Library

2009-10-21T06:58:00.001-07:00

Dana Morse will give a talk about Oyster Farming In Maine at the Bremen Library on Monday, November 2, at 6:30 p.m.

Dana is an Extension Associate for the Maine Sea Grant Program, and University of Maine Cooperative Extension. He works out of the Darling Marine Center in Walpole and focuses mostly on issues in marine fisheries and shellfish aquaculture, such as selectivity in trawl and scallop fishing, scallop stock enhancement and spat collection, and shellfish production, including the recreational Oyster Gardening Program and helping new growers get started.

Dana's background includes a BS in Wildlife Management from the Univ. of New Hampshire, an MS in Fisheries Technology from the University of Rhode Island.

His talk will focus on how Oyster Farming started in Maine, how it has evolved, its successes and challenges, and why the Damariscotta River is so good for growing oysters.

The Bremen Library is located on Rt. 32 in front of the Bremen Town Office.

BCC to attend Community Forest Workshop

2009-10-13T06:52:00.000-07:00

The Bremen Conservation Commission will be sending two members to attend the all day workshop on Community Forests in Bath on October 23rd.. The workshop is designed to engage participants through facilitated exercises that promote an exchange of questions, information and experience on issues related to:

• Different models of ownership and management of community forests

• Challenges and opportunities for communities in owning and managing forestland

• Engaging your community in acquiring and managing a community forest

• What resources are available to help communities own and manage forestland

• What roles community forests play in achieving local or regional conservation goals, town master planning efforts, and local community development

• Guided site visits to the Bath community forests during lunch.

Please contact Dennis Prior (529-2987) or Diane O'Connor (529-4499) if you should have any questions regarding this workshop.