|
March 26, 2003 - Wildlife Conference Slated for May 14th Live Raptors, Displays, Silent Auction of Outdoor Recreation Gear, and More Bethel, Maine - The special quality of Northern New England is due in no small part to the wildlife that grace our forests, waterways, and skies. At a conference on May 14th at the Bethel Inn in Bethel, Maine, noted wildlife managers and research biologists will gather to present workshops exploring the fascinating ways of mammals, fish, and birds of the Androscoggin River Watershed regionand beyond. The event marks the kick-off of the Androscoggin Watershed Institute, an initiative of the Androscoggin River Watershed Council (ARWC), a non-profit group based in Bethel, Maine and Gorham, New Hampshire. "Northern New England is blessed with a rich heritage of wildlife - bear and moose, trout and bass, loons, eagles, and songbirds - and countless other fascinating creatures," notes ARWC director Chuck Knox. "This conference will provide a fun and interesting opportunity to learn about these animals and current management issues from leading scientists and wildlife managers." Making presentations at this conference will be Maine and New Hampshire's leading biologists for bear, lynx, moose, deer, wild turkeys, coyotes, and other species. Also, fisheries biologists will discuss the latest issues regarding trout and bass, stripers and shad, and other fish of the Androscoggin watershed - from the northern forest's Rangeley Lakes region to Merrymeeting Bay along the Gulf of Maine. "The quality of the workshop presenters at this upcoming conference is exceptional," noted Knox. "Assembled together from two states is a 'who's who' of experts their fields." Knox explained that since the Androscoggin Watershed straddles two states, Maine and New Hampshire, the speakers represent both the Maine Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the New Hampshire Dept. of Fish and Game. The Audubon Societies from each state will also be represented, discussing their avian research on breeding songbirds, peregrines, and other species. Further, a biologist from the Biodiversity Research Institute of Gorham, Maine will explore the mysteries of loons, those haunting and magical waterfowl of our northern lakes. Live Raptors. A special afternoon treat will be a live raptor show and ecology discussion by one of New England's leading naturalists. This will be followed by a workshop on the latest studies on bald eagles, falcons, osprey, and other birds of prey. This workshop will be led by the two preeminent raptor scientists in New Hampshire and Maine, both of whom have done extensive field research in the Androscoggin Watershed's Rangeley Lakes and Umbagog regions. The day will also feature a presentation from New Hampshire's renown wildlife biologist Dr. Judy Silverberg on the impacts that recreation and tourism have on wildlife. An additional workshop will focus on wildlife and fisheries management on our federal lands, with biologists from the White Mountain National Forest and the refuge manager of the Umbagog National Wildlife Refuge. Everyone is welcome to attend this one-of-a-kind conference - hunters, anglers, boaters, municipal and tourism officials, land owners, bird enthusiasts, conservationists, and all other interested citizens from throughout the Androscoggin region.and beyond.
Where? Bethel Inn and Conference Center, Bethel, Maine
ARWC Conducting Boat and Trailer Inspections Volunteers Sought; Training and Materials Provided Bethel, Maine - The Androscoggin River Watershed Council (ARWC), based in Bethel, Maine and Gorham, N.H., is conducting a boat and trailer inspection program this summer for preventing the spread of non-native aquatic plants into the Upper Androscoggin watershed. The project is funded with a Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) grant through the Lakes Environmental Association (LEA) located in Bridgton, Maine. "An increasing number of lakes and ponds in southern Maine and New Hampshire now have infestations of non-native, invasive weeds like variable leaf milfoil," said Chuck Knox, ARWC Executive Director. "Fortunately, they have not yet spread into the northern part of the Androscoggin watershed, so far at least. However, since these aquatic weeds can often spread inadvertently from lake to lake by motorboats and trailers, we must remain vigilant here in northwest Maine." Knox noted that a similar invasives prevention program is also being done across the state border in the New Hampshire portion of the Androscoggin watershed, using New Hampshire state grant money. "Here in Maine," Knox explained, "ARWC is now seeking volunteers to help conduct courtesy boat/trailer inspections at public boat launches in the upper watershed. We're especially concerned about several lakes and ponds that are popular with fishermen. Webb Lake, Roxbury Pond (Silver Lake), and Lower Richardson Lake, as well as Lake Umbagog which straddles the Maine-New Hampshire border, are areas of special focus for our inspection program." He noted that even small snipets of non-native milfoil can easily root themselves and quickly overwhelm key waters, severely affecting fishing, boating, and swimming, as well as impacting property values. "Once they gain a toe-hold, they are extremely difficult to eradicate, or even control. That's why courtesy boat inspections, with the help of local volunteers, play an important role in preventing their spread." ARWC Project Administrator Barbra Barrett is coordinating this critical program. She, along with volunteer inspectors who share a concern about this potential weed problem, are asking people at public boat launches to remove any attached plants before their boats enter the water. Literature from DEP and LEA is also being distributed, both at the boat ramps and at sporting goods stores and elsewhere in the region. "Boat and trailer inspections are proving successful elsewhere in Maine and other states," explained Barrett. " Most boat owners are very cooperative and welcome the information and assistance. After all, they too wish to ensure that the recreational benefits they enjoy - fishing, swimming, and boating - be maintained." For those who would like to help out as a trained volunteer, please contact Barbra Barrett at 207-527-2916 or visit ARWC's web site at www.androscogginriver.org. Lake associations and sporting groups are also encouraged to contact Barbra if they wish a speaker or more information on the program.
July 30, 2003 ARWC Conducting Boat and Trailer Inspections to Prevent the Spread of Exotic Aquatic Weeds Volunteers Sought for Lake Umbagog and Other Waters - - The Androscoggin River Watershed Council (ARWC) based in Gorham, NH, is conducting a boat and trailer inspection program for preventing the spread of non-native aquatic plants into the watershed. The project is funded with a grant from the N.H. Department of Environmental Services. "About 60 lakes and rivers in southern New Hampshire now have infestations of non-native, exotic weeds like variable milfoil, Eurasian milfoil, and fanwort," said Chuck Knox, ARWC Executive Director. "Fortunately, they have not yet spread north of the notches, so far at least. All of the currently infested waterbodies lie south of the White Mountains. However, since these aquatic weeds frequently spread from lake to lake inadvertently by motorboats and trailers, we must remain vigilant here in the north country." Knox explained that ARWC is seeking volunteers to help conduct courtesy boat/trailer inspections at public boat launches in the Androscoggin River watershed. "We're especially concerned about several lakes and ponds in the area that are popular with fishermen. Lake Umbagog, for example, with its many shallow coves, provides ideal conditions for the spread of these exotic weeds. Even small snipets of variable milfoil could easily root themselves and quickly overwhelm key fishing areas. Once they gain much of a toe-hold, they are extremely difficult to control." As part of ARWC's program, an AmeriCorps member, Curt McDermott, has been hired to coordinate the placement of signs at public boat launches in the watershed. Curt, along with volunteers who share a concern about this potential weed problem, will make courtesy boat inspections, asking people to remove any attached plants before their boats enter the water. Literature from DES will also be distributed, both at the boat ramps and at sporting goods stores and elsewhere in the region. "Boat and trailer inspections are proving successful elsewhere in New Hampshire and other states," explained Knox. " Most boat owners are very cooperative. After all, they want to ensure that the recreational benefits they enjoy - fishing, swimming, and boating, be maintained." If you would like to help out, please contact ARWC at 603-466-3433 or visit ARWC's web site at www.androscogginriver.org. Volunteers will be trained, and money is available for volunteers' mileage expenses.
Androscoggin River Annual Source-to-the-Sea Canoe Trek Will Begin on July 5th Paddlers Are Invited to Celebrate the Renaissance of One of America's Most Scenic Waterways Errol, New Hampshire to Brunswick, Maine - - On July 5th, the Eighth Annual Androscoggin River Source-to-the-Sea Canoe and Kayak Trek will embark on a 21-day "moving river festival" designed to celebrate the rebirth of one of the premier watercourses in the eastern United States. Coordinated by the Androscoggin River Watershed Council (ARWC), which is based in Gorham, New Hampshire and Bethel, Maine, this free event is staged as a series of one-day, stand-alone paddles, with most paddlers joining the Trek as a day trip. Each day on the river features guest speakers on different subjects - the region's geology, riverine ecology, Native American traditions, edible wild plants, and a host of other interesting topics. This year's theme is "how to prevent the spread of non-native aquatic weeds" which currently are not present in the upper Androscoggin watershed, including Lake Umbagog. Many days also feature on-shore events, like musical festivities and tours of local historic sites. Paddlers are encouraged to find out more about each day's paddle, as well as the level of difficulty of each day's stretch of river, by obtaining ARWC's Trek schedule. Visit ARWC's web site at www.androscogginriver.org or call Trek Coordinator Barbra Barrett at 207-527-2916 or 603-466-3433. Though there is no charge for participating in the Trek, preregistration is required. "Flowing through some of the most magnificent upland and broad-valley scenery anywhere," notes ARWC Executive Director Chuck Knox, "the Androscoggin River's headwaters lie near the Canadian border. Its feeder waters include some of the fabled names in New England backcountry fishing and paddling lore - rivers like the Kennebago, Cupsuptic, and Magalloway and the big headwater lakes of the Rangeley chain. Starting at the outlet of Lake Umbagog near Errol, New Hampshire, the Androscoggin River Trek will wend its way southward to join the salty Atlantic on the Maine coast nearly 170 miles - and three weeks - later. "Along its journey," said Knox, " the riverway meanders alongside a land of moose and pointed fir, courses down the swift waters of the Thirteen Mile Woods, and passes through a valley framed by the Presidential Range, the Mahoosucs, and other peaks in the White Mountains. From those north country headwaters, the river then follows a broad landscape of fields and forests, of stillness and silence, of hawks, eagles, and other things magical. Then the Androscoggin enters the verdant tidal estuary of Merrymeeting Bay, before spilling its way into the Gulf of Maine." "There was a time," observed Knox, "when the Androscoggin, like so many other American rivers, flowed foul with industrial wastes and sewage. No longer. Thanks to the efforts of many municipalities, industries, and citizens over the past thirty years since the passage of the landmark Clean Water Act of 1972, (sponsored by former Maine Senator Edmund Muskie who grew up along the Androscoggin), the river has been restored to one of New England's riverine gems." From New England's high mountain country to the saltwater estuary of the Atlantic coast, the river and its 3,500 square mile watershed ties together many special communities. "It also creates a rare recreational resource, as participants in ARWC's canoe and kayak trek will experience this July." Knox also noted that the Androscoggin River Watershed Council is fortunate to receive support for its Source-to-the-Sea Canoe Trek from many volunteers and sponsors. "The Trek is a way for both local people and visitors alike to be reintroduced to the river as an ecological and recreational resource worthy of continued protection. We welcome paddlers to join us for a day, or more, on this very special waterway." Trek brochures, with a full slate of on-river speakers and on-shore events, can be obtained at many shops along the river route. Also, paddlers are encouraged to visit ARWC's web site at www.androscogginriver.org or call Trek Coordinator Barbra Barrett at 207-527-2916 or 603-466-3433.
Androscoggin River Watershed Council Environmental Stewardship Emphasized by Multi-state Nonprofit Group Gorham, New Hampshire - The Androscoggin River Watershed Council (ARWC), a nonprofit group that operates in both Maine and New Hampshire, recently named its first Executive Director, Charles Knox, to guide the organization in its mission "to improve environmental quality and promote healthy and prosperous communities in the Androscoggin River watershed." Officially created in 1999, ARWC has been active in a number of projects throughout the watershed. These include hosting educational conferences, developing an inventory of the watershed's rich natural resources, and conducting an annual Source-to-the-Sea Canoe Trek. Mr. Knox will be continuing these educational, research, and protection programs, while building upon them to expand ARWC's services. "I feel honored to be given the opportunity to help shape this emerging organization," commented Knox. "The Androscoggin watershed is a region of great beauty, one that truly illustrates the tremendous environmental strides made in recent years. The water quality of the river has improved significantly, and the Council seeks to help the region's residents and visitors focus on the river and its tributaries as resources worthy of further protection." Knox brings to his post a diverse background in both the public and private sectors. His experience includes being an environmental science teacher, an editor, a land agent for a natural resources firm, and, for the past twenty years, a program administrator and a public information coordinator for the State of New Hampshire's environmental agency. His studies include a bachelors degree from Northwestern University and masters degrees in the fields of environmental education and resource management from the University of Maine and the University of New Hampshire. Spending boyhood summers in the watershed provided him with a deep affection for the region, and he and his family now have a home in the watershed's headwaters. Rising in the remote mountain country of Maine and New Hampshire, the Androscoggin begins its journey to the Atlantic near the Canadian border. Flowing southward out of the Rangeley Lakes region, the river tumbles through New Hampshire's fabled Thirteen Mile Woods, bisects cities steeped in a proud tradition of the forest products industry, meanders past fertile farmlands of the broad valleys of western Maine, and ultimately merges with the tidal seawater of Merrymeeting Bay's coastal estuary near Brunswick and Bath. Draining a diverse region of over 100 communities, the river, its tributaries, and its countless lakes, ponds, and wetlands are home to a rich variety of wildlife, including a stretch of trout habitat that was recently recognized in Fly Fishing New England magazine as "a world class fishery." "The Androscoggin," notes Knox, "ties together into one watershed ecosystem all the land and water, forests and farmlands, and towns and cities from its upland headwaters to the Atlantic coast. By working in partnership with many others, ARWC's goal is to help foster a strong ethic of resource stewardship among individuals and businesses throughout the watershed." Knox observes that the Council maintains a philosophy that environmental protection and economic vitality are mutually compatible. "We feel that prosperous communities view their rivers and lakes as valuable assets, as special places providing both recreational benefits and ecological values." He added, "Across America, waterways have bounced back dramatically in recent decades, thanks to the hard work of many people and to substantial investments in pollution control facilities by municipalities and businesses. Now it is time to maintain those gains, while striving to make even further improvements. Those of us who live and recreate in the Androscoggin region can feel very proud of our special watershed and the on-going efforts to ensure its long-term protection." Knox notes that ARWC is based in two states, with addresses in both Gorham, New Hampshire and Bethel, Maine. "The Androscoggin region stretches across political boundaries, and our Council is committed to working collaboratively with people throughout the watershed." He said that ARWC has a diverse steering committee of dedicated individuals and representatives from large and small businesses, municipalities, state and federal agencies, and other nonprofit groups. "The Androscoggin Council is expanding its community partnerships and conservation activities, and we welcome input and assistance from one and all." |
