tA&sfrs

SUMMER 1993

To Preserue, Protectand lmproue theNof urol Ecosgsfemsof Merrgmeeting Bay.Friends of Mef4nneeting BayuJas formed in 1975 for peoplewho care about the Bay's future.FOMB was relitalized in 1991and re-incorporat€d as a 501(cX9 nonproiit organization.FOMB'S interests are diverse:scienttfi c, educational, literaryand historical. FOMB is also aLand Trust that acceptsdonations of land and providesstewardship for consetuationeasements. FOMB dependsupon on volunteers and anactive membership.

FOMB COMMITTEES:Water Qualtg MonitoringEd B€nedikt, BrunswickTulle Fraser, Woolwich

Wlldlile & Fisheriesl'farilln Cole, BaihSte\re Pelletier, Richmond

Proper\, Protection &St€wardshipNancy Churchill, Dr€sdenJoe Trafton, Topsham

Memb€rship, Fundrdising &EndowrnentTad Hunter, TopshamBill Jewell, Woolwich

Special EventsJean Park€r, WoolwichNewslerter & PubllcityTim Nason, DresdenNancy Churchill, Dresden

INTRODUCING "SIGHTINGS"IGHTINGS IS AN EASY, FUN wAY for members olFriends ol Merrymeeting Bay to tally nature obs€rva

tions and shar€ them with others, All new, current and renewing members who live anywhere within ihe M€rrym€€iing Bay

watershed are encouraged to contributelO\€r the course of a year, participants mail in their obs€nations for compila_

tion. Participants are free to contribute as much or as little as theywant. &nd us a daily checldist. drop us amonthlg postcard, or send us a l€tter onc€ ayear. This is a no pressure proje( t to let members contdbute information to FOMB in adir€ci way. Amateurs wanted! You don'thaw to be a scieniist to participate (thoughscientists are welcome, too, of course).

Sightings can include birds, plants andwildflowers, mammals, amphibians, fish,reptiles, bugs .... Record them on postcards,on a checklist or in an annual Sightingslogbook. Send us photos, if you like Send usr€miniscences of sightings in the past. send usnotes aboui poteniial irail sites or places thatshould be proiected. Tell us about yourself.

Through S qhring(. we v,rll be able to produce informative press releases and featuresabout M€rrymeeting Bay that will help every-one leam more about its natural resources. Wewil] also sponsor informdl nee rngs of participants to help with identificaiion problems, andwe'll arrange one or t'ro larger public pres€n-tations about the Bay per year, given by qualiIi€d speakers.

So. sign Lp for Sightinqs and walch !vhd-happeJls." (See reloted orticle on poge 3)

Sone Slghtlngs this Yedt

TIiW|NGS POtm, WOOLW|CHIJon: bl ue ia ts, chic kodees,spatous, mouning dow, reclsqrntel, snou deep dnd solt-F.b: hawk oul in swonp.Mat srcuse crcssed load, slote-colored jun.os retutned toleeder, sruy squirrels, brcun'heoded coubnds, qsles, ctousAv. nole enetsed Jrcn snou,lnst seese llgins north, rcccoonunder bi,rd feder, block ducks& nollortls ot Chaps, tuo tal

Mdgt dee. asles, panridse,rdbbit, putple linch, soldlin.hes, Boltimore otiole, rcsebr$ted grcsbedk. Jox.

wEiT cHoPs Potm, &{TH;Ma/. @sles, lox, dous, lishe5,long onimols@n at dusk uithluxulious reddkh.@t and lonsbro@n toil<on yoe help ustdehtilg this dhimol?

SPECIAL EVENTS BOOTHFOMB will have its booth at each of the following events this year:Bath Heritage Days, July 3, 4, 5; Richmond Days, July 24; TopshamFair, lst week in August; Common GroundFatu, September 24,25,26

At least ten people will be needed during each e\€nt to work at the booth,answedng questions and encouragjng visitors to become members. Our Sight-ings proi€ct will be prominently displaved, and membership flyets, consenationhandouts. Dosters and other materials will b€ on hand.

WE NEED VOLUNTEERS AT THE BOOTH, the more the merrierl Workinqat these special events is FUN Come and enjoyl Call me to schedule th€ time you

The Newslettcr of Friends of N4errymccting Ba1' . P.O. Ilox 233 o Richmond Nlaine 04357

can volunt€er at the booih. -Jean Parker, Woolwich (see page 6)

Page 2 - Mefiymeeting Nerrj - Summer 1993 Friends of Merrymeeting BaY

FOMB "EXECUTIVESECRETARY" HIREDTim Ndson, Dresden

nECOGNIZING that FOMB has com-floteted much of its basic slruchrralMrk, including the outlines of commit-tee goals and strat€gies lor ihe comingyears fsee C'odls & Stror€gies), I f€lt ihatit vras time to propose that FOMB hire apaid coordinator to urork with committ€€members to achiew those goals.

I proposed to th€ Steerins Commitieethat FOMB hire me for a period of one!€ar at a salary of $500 per month,sp€cificaly io accomplish a short list ofprojects that would bring immediate ben-efits to FOMB. Thes€ ben€fits. in addl'tion to th€ start-up of the projecis thems€lves, includ€ increas€d membership inFOMB, actiw menber involvem€nt, andincr€as€i a! ,areness of Men!'rneeiingBay and the role FOMB would like toplay in its protection.

Or June 7, 1993, the Steering Committ€e vot€d, wiih one opposed and on€abst€ntion, that I be hired to do this'ro* at a rate of $400 D€r month, butfor a thr€e-month period. A review ofthe position, FOMB'S finances and proj€ct progr€ss will b€ taken by the com-mittee at the end of thr€e months.

My filst obj€ctiv€s were to help withplanning and start up ol the Sightingsproject (see articles), and gather and pcduce educational hand-outs for theBooth (page 1).

SUMMER 1993vot. 3, No. 2

Merrymeeting Nezasis the tri'annual newsl€tter ofFriendr of Merrymeeting Bay.P.O. Box 233, Richmond, Maine043s7, published in the winter,summ€r and autumn. Merry-meeting Newi is sent to allFoMB memb€rs ($10 annual ly).1993 coordinator i5 Tim Nason,Dr€sden. FOMB welcomesdonation5 and grants to helppay for the €ost of productionand mai l ing.

I

FOMB RECEIVES"PARTNERS INPHII.ANTHROPY"GRANTfN JUNE, 1993, FOMB recewed aI$500 qrant hom students at Wiscass€tMiddle School. The srant was half theamount administered bv the siudentsunder a program of the Maine Commu'nity Foundation (MCR ca ed Patners inPhilanthropy. The award @s siven forgeneral conservatjon a.tivitPs invotuingkds. Siudents apresed enihusiasm lorFOMB s development of nature irails andthe Sightings prcject.

The Main€ Communitv Foundationdistribuied $1,000 io each of ten schoolgroups throughout Maine und€r the Partners in Philanihropy program. This pro-sram was one pofion o{ a $500,000grani gi\€n to the MCF by ih€ FordFoundation. other parts of which arebeins us€d by youns people for AIDSeducation, family m€diation and environ

MESSAGE TOSPORTSMEN

rN

I I tE HA!€ RECEIVED a numb€r olVV questions from sportsmen as towhether FOMB advocates land use regulaiion or the restriciion of hunting andfishing in Merryme€ting Bay.

FOMB iniends io $rork with all groupsto achi€ve our mutual ends. I th'nk rt ssafe to say that spo(smen are one otour gr€atest asseis sinc€ they hav€ sucha strong int€rest in the health ol Merry-meeting Bay and its natural resources.We hop€ those oi you who are sportsmen willpass ihe word.

tu {or land us€ resulation, FOMB hasno policy on land use regulation, €ithero{ficialor unofficial. lt is our praciice.however, to work with tuilling land'owners to achiev€ mutual goals. Again.our intent is to work collaborativ€ly forih€ ben€iit of aU. That m€ans assistinglandomers in achieving their own soals

- NoncY ChurchillFaMB Choirnon

FOMB ANNUAL MEETING:ARCHAEOTOGY ONMERRYMEETING BAYA pproxmately 175 of FOMB'S 200

l-l members missed a fascindtinq slid€pres€ntation given by archaeologist St€r€Cox on April 3, at FOMB'S annual m€et-ing held at Bowdoin Co ege.

Sie\€ Cox is a research associate withthe Maine Stat€ Mus€um who has be€nsurveying and inv€stigating prehisioricsites ln Topsham since 1988

The slide'i ustrated pres€ntation cov'ered the entire span oI known inhabi"tants of the Merrymeeting Bay ar€a,startins 11,000 y€ars ago in the PaleoIndian period, whos€ population lived inan op€n, parklik€ environment andhunt€d caribou, mammoths andmastodons, This was follow€d bY theArchaic and Holocene periods, whos€population teckoned with a fotested enviionment, huntins deer and catching fish

The fi6t coastal cuiture vre know muchabout occur€d 5,000 wars ago, tamiliarto us all as ihe SmaI Stem Point Cultura

This was clos€ly followed by the mvsterious Red Paint People, also krbwn asthe Morehead Phas€, who sp€cialized inr€d ochre burials. slate points and bayo-nets. effisies, woodworliing gouges forbuildmg dugoLlt boats, and points mad€of rare stones mported from t-abradorand Vermont. The Red Paint P€ople alsous€d harpoons, fish hooks and Ph]mmetsfor nets and fishins linas. A bnef culhrr€,ihe Red Paint People lasted 200 years

Then cam€ th€ Susquehanna Culture,makers of drils and axes (not sougesi).Thes€ wer€ a stricdy d€€r+unting peoplefrom aq,ay, Sodh Carolina and Georsia,whose techniqu€s included driving deerherds onto the points of islands. Thispeople seems to ha\€ lasted from 3,800ye?rs ago to 3,400 ye-ars ago

The Ceramic Penod beqins 2,800years ago, a period that lasted untilth€Europ€ans arri\€d. This period \ras sustained by horticulture, hunting aod fish-ins. Early arti{acis fdnd include scrapersfor boats or skins, pott€ry, pipes, kni',€s,and d€corati\€ colars, called gors€ls

Wiih the arrivalof Europ€-ans in the1500s, large-sale trading began inl/otu-ing furs, beads and impl€ments made olcopper and baubles cut from boiile glass

One of the most phenom€nal archa€olooical dias in Maine is on FOMB membe"r Tad fruntels fam in Topsham The

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay Summer 'l 993 - Merryfieeting News -Page 3

site off€F a perlecdy stratified sequencethat had been consistently lived uponowr a 3,400rrear period. Among thefinds so lar ha!,€ b€en a huge hearth anda clay pot that shows the imprint of thewo\€n twine Iabric the pot was made in.

Cox said that cunent town set backand archa€ological survey ordinancasshould b€ $ffici€nt to protect Mained'gs, if th€9 are obeyed. He pointed outthai archaeolosi$s could help biologistsass€ss anci€nt wildtfe ocupations inMenymeeting Bay and elsewhere. - ?N

MORE DETAITSABOUT SIGHTINGS!-oMB MEMBERS who enroll rn theI Sishtngs prokct will receive a packag€ of 12 FOMB addreir€d post€ards tofil out and mail back to us. A flyer aboutth€ project wil be sent to each participant. As ihe proj€ct moles along we wihave more sophisticated Sightings reportforms. W€ also plan to offer an annualFOMB Logbook that codd be s€ni to usfor compilation, or be €lcerpted from.

Thos€ of you that contributed to theMaine Amphibian & Reptil€ AtlasProj€at or are enroled in similar proje€tsthrough Maine Audubon or the NationalAudubon Society are encouraged toplease also join Sightings.

As participation groq,s, we will ask forsp€cific information that pedains toFOMB s mission and prosrams. Th@might include queries as to ianding sites,poss'bl€ \rater monitoring siations. mapping intormation, obsenation plols andlocations ol non-point source pojlution.

We might ask if phoios you send uscould b€ used at our booth or be printein Merrymeeting I leus.

We vrould like to encourage membersto also write about theuls€jrcs. Tell usfamily yams and reminis.€nces, even atall tal€ or tuo.

Members interesied in workinq onSightings ar€ invited to call Marilr/n Cole.We wani your helpful suggestjons. too.

We ar€ hopetul that Sghtings wil leadto a great many long-ierm fri€ndsh'psthroushori the Bav.

-Morilgn Cole, Both (4439675)

MESSAGE FROMTHE CHAIRMANqUMr4ER IS UPON US. AsUvou will see from the con-tents of this newsletter, muchwork is in process. Of this work,I see q\pandjng our membershipas the most critical. It's not forthe dues that membershipsbrjng, although the financiajassistance of ow members iscritjcal to our ability to preserue,protect and improve Merry-meeting Bay. Our membershave been most generous andtheir financial contributions haveenabled everg single project inone way or another.

My reason for targeting anincreased membership is that weneed to coniinue to build awareness of and jnvolvement in pro-jects that sewe MerrymeetingBay- The best way to achievethjs goal is through knowledgeable, informed members whocan heip spread the wond.

For example, this n€wsletter

will reach approimately 150members. We serve over 8,000residents in the north end ofMerrlmeeting Bay. That numb€rincreases to over 30,000 whenresidents in the south end oI theBay are included. Unfortunately,many do not know of the impor-tance of Mer4me€ting Bay northe work being done for all ourbenefits.

I ask, then, that as a memberyou make a special effort in thenext two months to spread theword about FOMB. By buildinga stronger organization we canaccompljsh even more.

- Nanca Churchill, Dresden

MERRYMEETING BAYTO BE WETIANDScoAHTtON FOCUSA T ITS MAY 1993 meenno. ihe Wet,

l.1luna'C"utit'on aq,ned ro;esianateMerrymeeting Bay as a focus area. Al1padicipating groups will coordinate rheireffolts to identifu and protect k€v naiural

The Wetlands Coalition is a mtiltiagency group whos€ int€nt is to work

c@p€raiively for th€ pre*Ration of criticat naturat r€source areas in Maine-Represented are Maine lnland Fisheriesand Wildlife, U.5. Fish and Wildlife,State Plannins Office, Main€ Coast Her-itage Trusi, The Nature Consenancy,lo€al land trusts md otber federal. stat€,local and non pro{it ag€ncies. To date,th€ group has managed an exc€llentprotection plan in Cobscook Bay. proiecting many signilicant tracts ofland.

FOMB is an integral pari of this group.Our task is to coni inue to work withlandowners around the Bay. We hop€ toassist ihose vrtro are conservation mindedio develop protection plans which meettheir needs. Th€ Eastem River projeci discu$ed under the Propef,y Protection artj-de in this newsletter is wfier€ we plan tospend our €nergi€s this year.

- Noncy Churchill

Page 4 - Metrymeettng News - )uly 1993

FISH & WIIDIIFE OFTHE EASTERN RIVERf'\N I\4ARCH 23, LeMs Flass or the\--lDeDt. of Marine R€rources andEugene"Dumont, ol the Depi. of InlandFisheries & Wildl i fe,spoke to n€arly 100p€opie in Dr€sden

darn, originaUy built in 1837, !,rould re-create a sevent€en'mile stretch ol rapids,providins ideal spawning conditions forshad, smelt. river h€nins {al€wives),striped bass. Atlantic sturgeon (a fishthat can auain an aqe of 60 years and alensth of 7 feet), shortnose siurgeon (on

ih€ lederal endansered sp€cies lisl),and the Atlantic salmon.

Flass said that larse sturseoncurrently enter the Eastem Ri!€r.Du-nont's pres€ntation included

dramatic history about the retum oteagles to Merrymeeiing Bay- Many in iheaudi€nce were probably not aware thateagles hit an all iime lowin Lhe €arly 1970s.ln 1974 there

FIRE AND ICE -AND DEAD DUCKS

\,ER THE WEEKEND OF MARCH26'29, 63.000 gallons of tuel uled

Ri\€r as a spawning area Roinbou Srrlelrfor anadromous fish andas hatitat for €agl€s, ducls and v'ading birds

Flagg presented slides and ov€rh€adprojections showing th€ large amount olfish that spawn in the Eastem Riv€r.Thee lncld€ American shad, RainbowSmeh and Striped Bass. Pnor to ihe1920s, Merr!,ineetlns riv€rs supportedIarg€ comrnercial fisheries for thes€sp€cies. B€F e€n the 1920s and €arly1970s, *np€d bass disapp€ar€d andcommercial fisheri€s Iot shad and sm€ltw€re lost due to pollution. Abatementefforts in the 1970s began to r€store thequality oI th€ water. From 1982-1991 .over 260,000 juvenile strip€d bass ofHudson Riv€r origin were slock€d in theM€rrymeeiing ri\,?r system.

tance o{ the Eastem

Stnped Bos

{or P 3 aircraft leaked out of storasetanks at the Brunswick Naval Air Stationand ran into a 21 acre snov.! and icebound marsh lying between Rte l andthe Androscoggin River. This potentiallylrorsttas€ scenario was mitgated bV thefact thai much of the tuel co ected inpuddl€s in the marsh and remained lars€'

b on the surfdce of melting snow Thefuel was further contamed bv a series

of sp€aial dams and was quickvremoved by vacuum PurnPs

and conkollei buming.Some tuel apparentlY did

l€ak under the ice at iheriver and ent€r the waier'

Some fish, ducks and muskratswer€ k ed outriqht bY the tuel.

Naw officials sP€culaied that snowfaling;ff a roof of the storage faciutvop€n€d the r.ahas. The leak remain€dund€i€rted over a three daY P€riodb€cause ii apparently began on a Fridavafter a rodine check and the valverw€r€n't checked again until Mondavmoming. Curiously, i})e storag€ tanl's areonly fifteen feet from a storm drain that€mpiies into a lributary of the Androscossin. Base offic'als said that the valwsw€re designed without djkes or containment sysiems b€caue ihe NaW neverexpected th€ valves to b€ left open lorlona oeriods oi time.

Jle Trafton, representing FOMB'attend€d news conferences about th€spill. Trafton was ititated with theNaw's denial thai the tuel leak pres€nted;nv threat to drinking wat€r, fish andwrldlife. and so. on behalf of FOMB.wrote a l€tter io Capt. Rachor detailinghis concems. Thes€ included long-termefteds on the marsh ecosvst€m. on theeels ihat are foond at that time of year inthe mud n€ar the mouth of the tributaryihe fuel leaked into (eels are iish€d com-m€rcia|]y), on strrped bas in the fl!€r,and on e?sles tbat eat anv fish killed bvthe tuei.

Boq.doin College's EnvironmentalStudies Depairmeni, Ied bv Ed Lain€'has b€gun a study of the iong-term€ff€cts oi ihe spillon th€ marsh

- IN urithrhonks to Ed Benedtkt, Joe Tmlton,The fle0iston) Sun Joumal ond The

lBrunsuic&) Times Record

were too ihinlh€lled.

eagle egg from MerrymeetingBay wa5 disco\€red to have the highestconcentration of DDT y€t encountered ineagles eggs in the United Stat€s Eagieegg shels in th€ area were 2aa/a thinnerihan normal (20ry0 was consider€d fatal)

DDT was widely us€d lor blacklly and mosquito control

and in agriculture.From 1968throush 1974, no

eagles were repro'

M€rryme€ting Bay. AIeagles hatched were lrom eggs irans-

planted from h@lthy parents in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Hatchlings w€re alsoput lnto nesis. Now, t\tenty years later,our easl€s appaf to be healthy, buibeca,rs€ oI their hish place on the foodchain. they are always at risk.

Dumont also discussed Great BlueHerons, anoiher common sight alongthe East€m River, whose numbers w€reonce imperiled because they, too, livehigh on the food chain, consuming tish,amphibians. crusiaceans, insects andeven small mammals.

Dumont closed his remark with awarning that €agles, h€rons and oth€rbr€eding wildlif€ need a rather largebufier zone around them. He pointedout ihat this bulfer is etfeciively eliminai'€d wh€n development occurs in th€ cenier of an oiherwis undisturbed area

TN

Compouding the

Flagg also pr€s€nted eye openinginformation about th€ pot€ntial for fisheries enhancement in th€ KennebecRiver if the Edwards Dam in Augustawere to be removed. Removal of the

For infonDation about removal olth€ Edv€rds Dam in Augusta.contact the K€nneb6 Coalition,c/o Natural Resurcas Councilol Maine, 271 State St.,Aususta, ME 04330 (622-3101)

Also, copi€s of Kennebec RtverResource Pla': BalancinsHydropower C,eneration andOther Uses mav stilt be ar.ailablefrom the Siate Plannins Office for$7.25. SPo, Station #38, Aususta,ME 04333 (289 3261)

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay Summer 1 993 - M€rrymeeting News -Page 5

K.A.R.E. DORMANI,NOT GONE FOREVERLrcMB HAs LEARNED from Pet€rI tn6€n of Biselow Laboratories jnWest Boothbay, that Kenn€b€c AreiRasearch Endo.ment (K.A.R.E.) is farfrom dead, that it is m€rely dornant,awaiting a ren€wed s€ason of funding.

In 1991, with Peter brsen as princi-pal in\estigator, K.A.R.E. began r€-se2rching the lons-term effect of industryand naiiral causes on nro of Maine smaFr "indusbial" ri\€rs, ttp Kennebecand the Andro6coggin. The ess€ntial el€ment of this res€,arch consists of takinsde€p core samples of ri!€r sediment,throrgh r /hich t-arc€n and his s1afi cananavze 100 years or more of ri!,€r s€di-ment contamination, primarily by heaw

&Atjiil'ii;t-i:";-'-,-.

STURGEON AT APOTENTIAT BYPASS'T'HE MAJNE TIMES reFon€d m tateI May or early June that th€ lvtaine

Dept. of Marine Resources had n€ttedmore than 250 shortnose sturaeon fromthe Androscoggin River near the propos€d rite of a bypass bridge lhkins Ri€.1 and I-95 ai Brunswick. DMR biotoqisrsradio tagged six of the fish to obgrvetheir movem€nis. It was fear€d that theblpass might interf€re with the lish andtheir ability to spawn and feed in thearea. The shonnose sturqeon is on theF€derai Endangered Sp;ies Lisi.

It has since b€€n discovered ihat thesturgeon were jusi passing by, so th€blpass can b€ consinrcted as Dlanned.

Ihonks to Maine'Times dn.JThomos Squircs oJ the DMR

Industri6 were supposed to play amajor role in iundins this resrcheffon. The proiect attracted much interest naiion wide as a model for environ-mental rasearch. Bath Iron Works wasthe principal tunding sourc€.

Then, \r,,o ihings happened, the dir€c,tor of Bigelow Labs l€ft his position foroth€r emplolrnent, and Bi Haggett l€ftBath Iron Works, 'vh€re his persuasiveefiorts had led to BW suppon. BIWfunding has since been withdrawn.

Peter Laren has p€.s€vered ihroughthee ups and dou$, and has a mod€stslate of K.A.R.E. activii'es lined up.

He is sending out a manusript forp€er review based on int€rim studyresuits. Th€ report is called A TrdceMetot Sun]l'g ol Midcoast MdineCos@ Boy to Baothboy

During the summ€r, fouov,'up coresampling willbe done at the mor€ interesting sit€s," partjcularly around Richmond, using divers or empling Irom th€

Through the auspices of K.A.R.E..Lalkn will provide support this summerfor University of New Hampshir€ graduate shrdent Dennis Luken to do samplinsand specializ€d data analys's. Luken'smaster's thesis is Trace Metals in theKennebec River, Mengmeeting Bay andLower Kennebec Estuary.

t-ars€n may have a volunteer PhDavailable io do a literature review

In addiiion. the far raching culf ofMaine proj€ct, based at ihe Stat€ Planning OIfice, wjll use lnrsen s K.A.R.E.urork as ihe basis for a 10 page factsheet (available later in ttl€ year).

Lars€n is e!€r hop€ful that BIW wilshow r€newed rnterest 'n K.A.R.E..

[Editor's Comment: lt seems ircnicrhot Kennebec Areo Reseorch Endow.ment should be dependent upon a sinsle mojor Jundins saurce. FOMB mem

bers could help ensure thot long tetmprojects, such os R.A.R.E., do tndeedh6ue a "rcsearch endounenL" -TN

THE DIOXINRUNAROUND

l\/I UCH ATTENT]ON was siwn laslI v lyear as to precis€ly how much d€ad-ly dioxin \ ras allourabl€ in Men!'rne€iingrivers. Earl'er this year, th€ Maine statetoxicologist quit after having his \r?mingsabout dioxin con$mption o!€ftidden bythe Go\€mor's of{ice. In April, legislationwas introduced to r€4uire the Bureau ofH€alth to annually ass€ss the threat ofeating fish caught in Maine. If a threatextst€d, uncensored wamings u,ould beprinted on fishing licens€s.

Dioin is a b9-produci of the chlorinebleaching process used in pap€r produc,iion. Th€ process is being phas€d tnationaly. and is i egal in many Euro-p€an countries. No company in Maineproduces chlorine- or dioxin-free paper.

FOMB has found a fdaryland source ofchlorin€-free pap€r suitable for copiesand plain-pap€r las€r output.

THE AMPH'BIANS &REPT,LES OF MAINE

fHlS MODESTLY TTTLED 188-paseI soltrover book is an absolute sold

mine of information about snakes, tur-tles, salamand€rs, frogs and toads.FOMB memb€rs would do u,€[ to trlr-chde this book, esp€lially for inform€dpafticipation in th€ Sight'ngs proj€ct.Send a check for $9.95 (made out toEndansered and Nongame Wildlife Fund)to Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheri€s &\vildlife. State House Station #41,Augusta, Maine 04333.

''.ryssblbb\\\\\\ruffi*Shortn6e SttrgeonDEungs on Fs6 4 & 5 b! Pdzr Th.mFo4 lrcm Dr.oF7 lhe (€ nn2be., the Fkheries Resout.es ol the ]<ennzbee RiEr, au')ishen bv the Kennel,ec Rtw, coun.it,Harv vanderuejde, studv chanm.q Kannehe. co ceDadiw El&6ioi !tru@ rn** iii.i *i'"i

"1 niit"i iii'"',,^ 1., t,t 1y b"at"g

"" t ,, ."r, ,"rri

Page 6 - Metrymeeting Newr - Summer 1993 Friends of Merrymeeting Bay

PROPERTYPROTECTION &STEWARDSHIP'TllE PROPERTY PRoTECnoN andI St€wadship Committee has contin-

ued to !,rork on ttle Easiem River project.The Eastem River proje.t is a multifaceted effon. FiF1, has been to buildawaren€ss of the imrrtanc€ of ihe East-em Ri!€r to the heafth ol M€rrym€etinsBay. Early this sprir€ an inlormationalm€€ting was h€ld at Drasden EementarySchool. tew Flagg, of the Depadment ofMarirp Resources, and Gene Dumont, ofthe Departm€nt of Inland Fisheri€s andWildife, both donat€d their time to tell acompeling story about the Easrem Ri\€r-Almosl 100 p€ople attend€d this meeting and shared their quastions, thowhtsard ide"f. (see dfttcle pase 4)

Our folowup meetins was h€ld Jme10 at Bridge Academy in Drasden. Thismeeting targ€ted local lando*ners whomigl'thave cone atbn intere$s. Ms. Carcl

bnker, a financial advisor, volunteered tospeak to the group about th€ problems of€state taxes and how thee problems canbesr be rasolved. For landowners who areinterasled in preseruing their family lands,lG. Linkeis pres€niation is €xttemely help'ful.

We are especialy grateful to t€w Flagg,Gene Dumont and Carol Ljnker for takingiim€ out of th€'r v€ry busy schedul€s to

- Noncy Churchill , Dresden

FOMB WILDLIFE &FISHERIES REPORTI I lE l-lA\€ TWO mapr wildlife &VV Ji+€rieE projects under wav, on€called Sightings, and another. more scientific in nature, inr.olving establishedobsenation plois to study flora and faunao{ the area. For this project, w€ will n€edpersons int€resi€d in a long-term com-mitmmt, and the appropriate back'grcund and knosredse io do th€ job.

Obs€nation plois will be det€rmin€d

FRIENDS OF MERRYMEETING BAY'T'he FOMB Ste€rins Commirtee is a dedi(aled cor€ sroup of indivdual, fromI Barh, Bnmswick, Topsham, Boldoinham, Woolwich and Dra:den. each ol

whom is assigned to a particular Standing Committe€. The Steering Commiit€ememb€rs app€ar below, Iisted beneath the Standing Commiitee the9 sewe on.We hatre some Mconctes on our Steetins Committee-PLEASE JAIN US!lf you s€e a committ€2 that you would like to b€ a part of, pleas€ call thepe$on(s) list€d; a[ committees need members.

kolarY PRorEcnoN & STEIIARD5}{PNaca Churchill, RR 1 Box 77 , Dresden 04342 ..........737 2005 ChairJ@ Trafton, Pleasnt Point, Topsham 04086 ........... . 7 29-77 34 Vice Ch o it

WATER QlJAurY Mor[ToRrNGEd Benedjk, 5559 Ha.ding Rd. Ext.. Bmswick 04011 442{445Tulle Frazer. PO Box 475. Woolwich 04579 ............... 443 8656

ll,t-orrFE,/FrsHEarEs MoNnotuNG & lssuEsMarilyn Cole, 8 Easle Pt. Rd., Bath 04530 ........ ........ 443-967 5Srer€ Pelleti€r, RB 1 Bo)( 385. Richmond 04357 ........ 7 37 8407TomCole, 8 Easle R. Rd-, Bath 04530 ................... . 4J.3-9675Don Ciea$n, RR l Box 12. l\ede o4u2 ............. 7 37 2817 Trcasue.

MEr,GRs}{p, Furs RArstNG & Entr,owtEl{ITad Hunt€r. Foreside Rd.. Toosham 04086 .............. 7 29 -1544Bi[ Je\€[, RR 1 Box 475. Woolwich 04s79..... . ... 4436s20

NE:wsr.ErrER & RJBDcrryTirn Nason, 15 AloGnder Rd., Dreden 04342 .. ....... 737-4282 se.rctolyNancy Church' I (abo\€) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .737 2005

SP€oAL EvENrsJean Pdker. H@kon1€k Is.. Woolwich 04579 . .. .. .. 442-O9A2

ihroush the use of a€rial photog of theBay. Th€ plots will need to be obs€n€dfrequently ad on a prescrib€d schedule,rain or shin€. Information gathered wilb€ sysrematicalb recorded and charted.

Coordinators of this projeci are StewPeleti€r and Don Gl€ason. For informa-tion, wriie to FOMB, describing yourintere* in the project and qualifications.

GRANTS & GIFTS\foN PRoFIT GROUPS with anI \ asenda a, large as FOMB'S requir€at l€ast t^,o things. Th€ first is an actiwmembership wiling to do a thousand'andone things. The second thing is

If you are inter€sted in srpportingFOMB through a donati,cn, grani orsift -f any size,latse or small we askyou to invite our Chairman, NancyChurchil, or any of our other oificers, orour Executive Secretary, Tim Nason, toyour home or ollice to discuss the ag€n-da that FOMB has developed for wildlife& fisheries r€s€arch, water quality monitoring, property protection, srewadship,endowments, education, and member-

We are rladv to do serious u,ork. Withyour generoE support, we can rol uPour sle2\.er and gei staft€d.

BY THE WAY,HAVE YOU RENEWEDFOR r993?I I 7E ha\€ th€ sn€alry feelins thatV V manv of our members have notpaid their dues in 1993. We absoldelyne€d €ach of ollr members to contributeto the organ'zation. This starts with th€annual dues of $10. When out proj€ctsbesin in eamest, we will need loiunte€rsto do vario[s activities. W€ wil also needgrants, gifts -. .. Right now, though,todog, we need the dues frcm ev€rymember of Friends ol M€rrym€€ting Bay

Actually, while paying your dues for1993, why not pay dues for t*eetearsor longer to sa\€ on your bookkeeping?

Friends of Ny'errymeeting Bay Summer 1993 - Merrymeeting News -Page 7

MERRYMEETING BAYMAPL-!MB l-,AS FORMED a small groupI to \rork wi&l Janet Parker- a maamaker at D€l-orme Frblishing hFreeport, to produce a definiti!€ map ofthe Menymerting Bay area- Since thereis curr€ntv no singl€ inclusiw rnap of theentire Bay (to our kno\r,bdg€), weihc,llght a map lr,ould be 1. usetul, 2. agood fi$d-raising tool. Pl€as€ cal TimNason 7374282 (days) if you would liketo ioin the 'Map Committee."

fOMB ANNUAL MEETING:SOME NEW OFFICERSA t FOF1B s dnual meeting in Apnl,

11 Nanc1r Chmhil of Dreien was r€-el€ct€d as Chairrnan. J@ Trafton oiTopsham was re-elected as Vice Chair-man, Tim Nason of Dresden was elect€das Secretary, and Don Gl€ason, also ofDresden. w,as elected as Tr€a$rer.

?- ?-v-

FRIENDS OF MERRYMEETING BAYMISSION STATEMENT & LONG TERM GOALSThe mission of Friends of Merrymeeting Bay sholl be to oct lorthe presenmtion, protection ond improoement of the naturolecosystems ol the Bay. The boundary lor the Boy is delined asall fresh unter tidal riuers abooe Thorne's Head.

Our Long Term Goals:. Liaison with $lch agencies and organizations as f€deral, state, consenation

groups, public and pri\ate organizations, tovns and cifi€s.. Develop an effective and efficient administrativ€ struchre.. Work for th€ continuins improvement of the water qualig of the Bay.. t and Us€: Encourage mmicipalities, state and faderal governrnents in the

lraiershed area io adopt land us€ policies for th€ preservahon,protecbon and improv€m€nt of its natural ecosystems and to ri.orkwith priEte prop€rty owners for voluntary meaeles for th€prot€ction of the Bay.

. Wildlife & Fisheries: Improve the habitat for the fish-enes and wildlife populaiions in and immediatevadjacent io the Bay.

. f/ucahon: Encourage a b'oao ba5ed €ouca or.

7 7 7 7 2 - 7 7 7 7 -7- ?- 7- ?-

Friends of Merrymeeting Bay, P.O. Box 233, Richmond, Maine 04357ANNUAL DUES $10.00 (tax exempt).

Z Yes, I would like to join Friends of Merrymeeting Bay.

! Renewal ! Gift Memb€rship

I enclose $ _ to cover membership for _ year(s).

In addition, I enclose $

NAr'[

as a tax-exempt donation.

RR#/STREET ADDRESS

TowN/STA:IE/ZP

PHoNE

SEASoNAL ADDRE5S

Z I would like to participate in the Sightings project.

a I om interested in helping to set up on FOMB chapter lor SwanIsland, othet islands, the Androscoggin Riuer, Kennebec R_,Eostern R., Abagodasset R., Cathonce R. or other oreo:

Can We Help You?

! Information on Cons€rvaiion Easements

E Information about Merrymeeting Bay

How Can You Help Us?

tr Water Qualig Monitoring

I Wildlife & Fisheries Survey

! Sightings

! Prop€rty Protection & Stewardshlp

! Water Routes & Nature Trails

I Membership & Fundraising

n Ne\rsletter & Publicity

E Speciai Events Bootb

! Other MMNews, T/93

7

. Please call me.

Page I - Merrymeeting NewJ - Summer 1993 Friends of Merrymeeting Bay

MERRYMEETING BAYNATURE TRAITS

Mff:TB}ffHrJ:fl""8:NY:dlrcrlsh the Main€ Bureau of parks &R€lrention (u.fio h tum gor ih€ monevlrom th€ National Recreational TrailsFund, pari of ihe Slrnns Acr, a new lawthat diwrts mon€y ,ircm federal sasotinetaxes, to b€ us€d locally lor atiernaii\€rransportation systems).

Trails bring many bs]efiis to a com-munity. Thes€ incjude plbtjc (ptu5 dis-abled) access to nanrral areas. exercL@community gath€ring placat, loq,Fimpacteconomic dev€lopment, non-motorjzedlinks to schoots. vnhses, historic placesand naturdl areas. and Dart€rshiDsamol)s individuals, busine**, il ."r-senEtion, histortal and cuttural arouDs.

Citias and larse towns are takino thelead in der,eloping pa!€d watkwavs andbic!rcle paths. Portland residents laveplans to link neighborhoods that hav€b€en cut off from one another bv hioh_wdys with a n€tv,,ork of trails. cutrninatinq

in a norherly spur to Mackqrorth Istand.The Androscosgin Land Trust is plannins a 4Gnile trail sysiem that wi runalong both sides ol the rii/er and rietogether historicaland cultural sit€s inL€wiston and Aubum. Sroq€, Vermont'sR€.reation Path pot the town on ihemap as a y€ar-round walk€r s mecca.

Clos€r to home, inter€si has be€nexpress€d over ihe years in r€ry lowmpact nature trails alons the CathanceRiver in Topsham/€owdoinham. and inDresden alons undev€loped siretches ofthe Eastem Riv"r

Trails are usually made possibte viaeas€ments granted by landoq_,ners.

AN ISLANDOPPORTUNITVDUBLIC USE of privaie properiy,r when allowed, usually remains con-tmg€nt on the respect offer€di to theland and toward the o!w)e(s).It is unfortlmate that many campers thai haveused Merrymeeting Bay istands havefailed to do this

An opportunity has b€en offered toFOMB. Mark Robinson, a member fromProvinceto{.m, Mass., whos€ tamilv haslong held prop€rty on Menymeetingbay. is wixing to mak€ a chaltenge:cl€an up the aisting carnpsite(s)onFreyes Island (in the Androscossin Riv€r)and design, d€velop and maintain anenvironmentalb sound and aesthetically

Frey€i Island is abaut a mile north-norttr€ast of the old Bay Bridge. lr'sabout 10 acres in size and commandssr €€ping views of the bay and river. Amore suitable locahon for a show ptacecampsrte could hardjy be lound.

If Friends of Merrymeeting Bay islooking to estabiish a water trail net-work, foster positive relationships withthe public and prop€dv orl'Irters, here isthe chance. For those $,to have b€enoll€ring to help th€ Bay and FOMB andhave not had a project, this may be it._ Once Mr. Robinson has approved our

plans, we hope uDrk will get under wayat once. Requests fo iolunteers willthen be made. - Joe Trolton

Pl easont Poin t, Topsham

yrrrrrUf,,r,,,;:Zr;r,FRIENDS of 1MERRYMEETING BAYP.O. Box 233. Richmond, Maine 04357

Forusrdtns dnd addresscoftectlon requested,

@ Printed on reocted woer