Maine Association of Conservation Districts News

Soil and Water Conservation Districts were formed in response to the 1935 natural disaster known as the Dust Bowl.  The U.S. Department of Agriculture was faced with the immense task of protecting our soil and water resources, and so helped devise a model grassroots system to meet these urgent needs. This grassroots model became one of the success stories of modern conservation.

Maine’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts recently participated in Conservation District Day at the Satehouse Hall of Flags in Augusta. All of the Conservation Districts in Maine work together and are members of the Maine Association of Conservation Districts. Each individual District has the unique ability to set important natural resource priorities and guide their implementation at the local level with help from a volunteer Board of Supervisors. By working with landowners, organizations and government, Maine’s 16 Districts have helped to protect our soil, water, forestry, wildlife and other natural resources for over 60 years.

Conservation District Day at the Statehouse gave Districts a special opportunity to outline the conservation technical assistance and education which they provide to landowners, businesses, schools and municipalities. Numerous Maine State legislators stopped into the Hall of Flags to visit with District staff and discuss local conservation issues. The Districts value this occasion as it allows them to show how they are “making conservation work for you.” For more information on District programs, and a link to your local Conservation District’s website, please visit the Maine Association of Conservation Districts website at www.maineswcds.org. All programs and services of the Soil and Water Conservation Districts and USDA are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis, without regard to race, color, national origin, sex, religion, age, disability, political belief, or marital and familial status.

(AUGUSTA)—Dick Butterfield, a Jefferson volunteer for the Damariscotta Lake Watershed Association (DLWA), took a day-long workshop last spring on how to identify invasive aquatic plants. This week that course and Butterfield’s keen eyes may save Damariscotta Lake from the most aggressive invasive aquatic plant in North America–hydrilla (hydrilla verticillata).

Biologists from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the Volunteer Lake Monitoring Program (VLMP) confirmed Butterfield’s September 21 discovery in a 0.3-acre cove on the lake’s west shore. Able to grow an inch a day and without predators, hydrilla overtakes native lake habitats, shading and outcompeting ecologically valuable plants. Dense infestations can alter water chemistry and oxygen levels.

A preliminary survey on September 23rd suggests the infestation is limited to within and just outside the mouth of the small cove.
“Every invasive species infestation, no matter how aggressive, starts small,” says Paul Gregory, an environmental Specialist for the DEP. “Early detection by Mr. Butterfield gives us the upper hand, enabling rapid deployment of trained personnel, equipment and other resources to contain this hydrilla population. That’s our immediate objective.”

DEP biologists will screen off the cove’s mouth today to prevent hydrilla fragments, and thereby potential new infestations, from migrating into greater Damariscotta Lake. DLWA volunteers like Butterfield who are trained in plant identification and lake survey methods will begin monitoring nearby coves to determine the scope of hydrilla in the Lake.

Plant identifications training is provided by VLMP’s Center for Invasive Aquatic Plants under contract with the DEP.

Only one other water body in the state, Pickerel Pond in Limerick, is infested with hydrilla. In total, 31 out of Maine’s 5,700 ponds and lakes contain an invasive aquatic plant species.

Efforts to prevent, detect and manage aquatic invasive plants are made possible by boater participation in the Maine Lake and River Protection Sticker program.

Piscataquis County Soil & Water Conservation District & Maine Forest Service will publically recognize Peter Kliem as the 2009 Cooperator of the Year at its Annual Tour and Luncheon. This event will be held on Saturday, October 10, 2009, 10am – 1:30pm at Harfords Point, Greenville. Mr. Kliem is being honored for implementing many conservation and multiple use practices on his forestland, Black Forest Unit #1 and Black Forest Unit #2, including erosion and pollution control practices to protect the lake. Some of these practices include:

• Forestry aesthetics
• Wildlife habitat improvements
• Crop tree release & pruning
• Selective planting for future wildlife mast producing trees
• Oak trees
• Chestnut trees
• Black Walnut trees
• Tree shelter usage
• Preservation of vernal pools
• Wood & water conservation
• Properly built roads
• Forest trails and landing development
• Seeding of trails
• Multi-use trail systems on steep grades
• Allowance of public access
• Cost share

Mr. Kliem came to America as a teenager, but it was not until the early 60’s when he and his family purchased the first piece of land and built the family cottage on Harfords Point. It was also here at Harfords Point that Mr. Kliem met his neighbor and forestry mentor, the late John Sinclair. He fondly recalls that Mr. Sinclair had a great influence on his decisions and plans to keep his forestland healthy, diverse and open for others to appreciate. Though Mr. Kliem spent most of his life working in technology (chemistry, physics and biology), he remembered the intensively managed spruce forests of Germany threaded with many enjoyable walking trails. He wanted to create that “feel” here in Maine’s mixed-wood forests. Since then several small parcels of land have been acquired to establish the present “Black Forest Unit #1” and “Black Forest Unit #2.” The Kliem family plans to manage the land as a long-term quality forest by encouraging the re-growth of a selectively mixed forest. They also have plans to enhance the current trail system and overlooks by building more trails, to support timber harvesting and recreation, and strategically placing benches.

The tribute will begin with a tour of Black Forest Units # 1 & 2 guided by Forester Gary Morse, Owner Peter Kliem and Natural Resource Conservation Service’s Soil Conservationist Leslie Nelson. Following the tour we will host a luncheon in Mr. Kliem’s honor. Luncheon speaker William H. Livingston, Associate Professor, School of Forest Resources, will discuss “Changing Climate, Changing Forests” and observations on how climate change and invasive pests are affecting Maine’s Forests. For more information and pre-registration, please contact: Shelia Richard, Project Manager Piscataquis County SWCD, Phone: 564-2321, ext. 3 or download the registration form.

The Maine Association of Conservation Districts (MACD) Executive Committee has selected a new executive director to work of behalf of Maine’s sixteen soil and water conservation districts. MACD President Daniel Labrie announced that MACD Treasurer Thomas Gordon of Portland will become the association’s executive director as of August 18, 2009. Long-time executive director Bill Bell will continue to serve MACD as a senior advisor and representative on legislative issues.

Gordon, a native of Skowhegan, Maine, was the first environmental studies graduate of Colby College and earned a masters degree in public administration from the University of Maine. He served for two decades as executive director of the Cobbossee Watershed District, managing nationally-recognized programs for lake water quality protection and restoration. He was a founder and president of the North American Lake Management Society, and has served as president of the Maine Congress of Lake Associations and the Kennebec Valley Conservation Association. He is currently serving as chairman of the Cumberland County Soil & Water Conservation District and owns a small sound and audiovisual services business, AV Portland.

Outgoing MACD Executive Director Bill Bell, who will continue with the group in a government relations capacity, stated: “After my own investment of 20 years with the Maine Association of Conservation Districts, it is truly gratifying to have Tom Gordon come forward to take our activities to the next level. Tom’s leadership experience with the Cumberland County Soil and Water Conservation District, combined with his energy and experience in conservation, make him just the right person to help strengthen all sixteen of our Districts.”

MACD President Dan Labrie commented: “We are fortunate to have two experienced conservation professionals who are willing to work together on behalf of our districts. We appreciate Bill’s dedication to the best interests of Maine agriculture, and look forward to Tom’s enthusiasm for expanding the roles and capabilities of conservation districts”.

As part of the leadership transition, the MACD office is being relocated to 1197 Washington Avenue, Portland. The mailing address is: MACD, PO Box 541, Portland, Maine 04112. The office phone number is: (207) 878-0857. Tom Gordon can also be reached at: (207) 329-1399 or by email at: tomgordon@avportland.com .

In June, York County Soil & Water Conservation District (YCSWCD) in Springvale, ME was awarded funding by the Davis Conservation Foundation for the 2009 York County Invasive Aquatic Species Project (YCIASP). Major goals of the project are to encourage and train volunteers to survey waterbodies in York County for invasive aquatic plants (IAP) and to raise awareness in York County about concerns and the threat of IAP to the county’s waterbodies. 5 of the 7 waterbodies in York County with IAP species occur in the Little Ossipee River watershed. Just over the state lines in NH and MA there are a number of other waterbodies with IAP populations. The presence of these IAP species highlights the vulnerability of York County’s aquatic habitats and recreational resources.

Early detection and prevention of the spread of invasive aquatic plants are important strategies to minimize the negative impacts of infestations. Trained volunteer Invasive Plant Patrollers (IPP) or Weed Watchers play a significant role in the detection of IAP. When detected early, controlling the spread of IAP and their removal from a waterbody is generally less costly – both economically and ecologically.

As part of an effort to encourage early detection activities in York County, YCSWCD has designated August 8-16 as York County Aquatic Plant Survey Week. To “kick-off” the week, on Saturday August 8th and Sunday August 9th YCSWCD will host “on-the-water” training sessions led by Laurie Callahan, aquatic biologist. Visit the YCSWCD website at www.yorkswcd.org or see the calendar listings for locations, dates and times for those sessions.

A major event of the 2009 project will be held at the Waterboro Town Hall, Townhouse Rd. in Waterboro Center on the evening of Thursday August 13th from 6:30-9 PM. YCSWCD will host a symposium, free and open to the public, to highlight IAP management projects currently taking place in York County. Presenters will be local residents from Balch Lake and Lake Arrowhead that are contending with variable milfoil infestations and from West Pond Association where they have been battling a curly leaf pondweed infestation. The presenters are actively involved in the planning and implementation of those projects. Come and learn about their ongoing efforts and the continuing challenges they have faced each year. An update on the hydrilla management work at Pickerel Pond in Limerick will also be presented, as well as a brief review of IAP locations in ME and surrounding New England states. Fresh and pressed aquatic plant samples will be on display. As mentioned above, visit the YCSWCD website at www.yorkswcd.org or see the calendar listings for locations, dates and times for those sessions.

There will be Aquatic Plant Identification Sessions with Laurie Callahan on Sunday, Aug. 9th, 5-6:30 PM and on Saturday, Aug. 15th, 5-6:30 PM at the Anderson Learning Center, 21 Bradeen Street in Springvale, ME. Carefully collect and record date, time and location of plant sample, and bring to a session to have Laurie Callahan identify it or she will assist you. Various references and resources will be available to use. There will also be fresh and pressed aquatic plant samples that will be on display. Even if you don’t have a sample to be identified, bring your questions about aquatic plants, organizing an Invasive Plant Patrol team on your waterbody or come to see samples that will be on display. You can also bring your dinner with you.

For more information on project activities during the month of August please visit the YCSWCD website at www.yorkswcd.org. Also, you can call (207) 324-0888, ext. 214 to speak with Melissa Brandt, YCSWCD District Manager or email her at melissabrandt@yorkswcd.org. You can also contact Laurie Callahan for more information – by phone (mobile: 802-258-1877) or email (yciasp@hotmail.com).

Skowhegan – The Maine Forest Service in cooperation with the Somerset County Soil and Water Conservation District will be holding an invasive plant identification and control workshop on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2009 from 8:00 am – 12:00 noon, at Lake George Regional Park in Skowhegan.

This training will help participants identify common upland invasive plants common to Maine’s forests and develop mechanical and chemical control strategies for invasive plants. Anyone with an interest in invasive plants is encouraged to attend.

Tom Rawinski, Botanist for the USFS out of Durham ,NH., will be speaking on invasive plant identification issues, and Ron Lemin of CPS Timberland, Vegetation Management Solutions, Bangor, will be speaking on the control of invasive plants. Patty Cormier, of the Maine Forest Service, will be the facilitator.

The inside session will be followed by a field component outside so bring

appropriate field gear for forecasted weather conditions.

Continuing education credits are available: Maine Pesticide Applicator – 3 hours; and Maine Licensed Forester (SAF) – 2.5 Category 1 SFE’s.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required for the workshop. Fee for the workshop is $12.00 per person. To reserve your space, send checks to: Somerset County Soil & Water Conservation District, 12 High Street, Skowhegan ME 04976.

For more information, contact Somerset County SWCD at 474-8324 x 3.

Veazie, ME—The Penobscot County Soil and Water Conservation District in conjunction with the Bangor Area Storm Water Group (BASWG) and the University of Maine Cooperative Extension will be spray painting a new message on the Veazie streets.

Students from Upward Bound will be visiting the Buck Hill and Silver ridge neighborhoods in Veazie on July 16th and 23rd to stencil, REDUCE YOUR USE OF LAWN CHEMICALS, DRAINS TO RIVER on pavement near storm drains to remind residents that stormwater flows unfiltered into local streams like Meadow Brook, and into the Penobscot River. Stormwater is water that accumulates on land as a result of storms, and can include runoff from urban areas such as roads and roofs.

The storm drain stenciling project is part of an on-going initiative to help show the connection between unnecessary lawn care practices and resulting health risks and water quality degradation in local water sources. Residents in each neighborhood will receive a door hanger with additional information and advice on how to maintain a healthy lawn and a healthy environment for their children, pets, and waterways. For more information on how to maintain a healthy lawn visit the BASWG website a www.baswg.org.

The BASWG is a comprised of seven municipalities and other entities, working together to meet permit requirement to make the Bangor Area a better place to live and work.

Upward Bound is a federally funded program which assists qualified students to improve their skills in high school and prepare to enter and succeed in college. Upward Bound provides academic support during the school year and an intense six-week residential summer experience at the University of Maine. For more information visit www2.umaine.edu/ub/.

Thanks to the generosity of a Dover-Foxcroft couple the Piscataquis County Soil and Water Conservation District now owns 115 acres of land on Route 6 and 16. Stephen and Elaine Law have donated their family land to the PCSWCD. This 115-acre parcel has been owned by the Laws’ family since 1945 and is the home of the Kids and Trees Growing Together program which the Laws began about eight years ago.

Since the inception of Kids and Trees Growing Together, five-year-old students from many local schools have had the opportunity to plant a tree, care for it and harvest it for the holidays once the plant matured. It was hoped that more local schools would continue to participate, but to date that has not occurred. Lacking time to invest in growing the program further, The Laws began to search for an organization that would accept the gift of their land and carry on their goals of forestry and agricultural education.

After a great deal of collaboration, on June 30, the couple met with Steve Hobart, chairman of the district’s board of directors, and Gordon Moore and Felix Blinn, district supervisors at the PCSWCD office in Pine Crest Business Park in Dover-Foxcroft to sign over the deed of their family lot to the district, for community use.

The group discussed the educational potential of the land and district officials expressed gratitude to the Laws. Gordon Moore, district board member and forester of the Maine Forest Service says “The Maine Forest Service encourages it’s foresters to be involved with the district’s, like I am, in an effort to enhance situations like this. The forestry best management practices for water quality will be incorporated into the management plan for the property and administered under the watchful eye and helpful expertise of forestry professionals.”  PCSWCD is planning to pass along a piece of history by illuminating a forested land that has been worked for many years by generations of the Law family. The district also has plans to create walking trails that wind through wildlife habitat for recreational enjoyment and many other hands-on educational opportunities lead by knowledgeable natural resource professionals.

PCSWCD is in hopes that the local school districts will become involved in the management planning process, with students assisting in planting, pruning, trail making and natural science related structuring of the land.

“This donation by the Laws was very generous, and the property will hopefully become a beehive of activity,” said Hobart. “This is a good fit for us, because the PCSWCD’s mission is to be a leader in agriculture, forestry and other natural resource education, providing assistance and coordination of resources and information to promote practices that maintain our way of life in rural Piscataquis County.”

FARMINGTON – Front Runners are taking on a whole new level of importance, especially in light of the recent heavy rains.

Franklin County Soil & Water Conservation District will be hosting our only Front Runner/Grader Gravel Road Maintenance training for 2009 on Monday, July 20 from 8 am to 1 pm in Farmington. Participants should meet for the initial part of the training at Downstairs Conference Room at the Farmington Municipal Building, Route 2, at 8 am.

This workshop, to be held rain or shine, is designed for camp road owners, highway crews, camp owners and contractors. Contractor certification credits will be given to participants upon request. Those attending will be given a $10 voucher towards the lease of a Front Runner from FCSWCD, not to be used in combination with any other discounts. The cost of the training is $55 per person, and a minimum of 15 participants are needed to hold the training. Payment must be made at the time of registration. Checks should be sent to FCSWCD, 107 Park St., Farmington, ME 04938.

Those wishing to rent a Front Runner from a soil and water conservation district must have completed the full training.

If your road or driveway keeps disappearing in heavy rains, it is not only costing money, time and effort, but it may be contributing to the demise of your local swimming or fishing spot, according to Rosetta Thompson, FCSWCD District Manager. Stormwater runoff from gravel roads and driveways carries sediment that threatens the quality of lake water. She points out that proper road maintenance is key to preventing materials from gravel roads potentially polluting streams and lakes. People are often surprised to hear that gravel roads cause so much pollution, she said.

In the classroom session, road maintenance contractor and Front Runner inventor Russ Lanoie, of Conway, NH, will discuss proper road construction techniques as well as basic principles behind maintaining gravel/dirt roads and reducing non-point source pollution problems. Participants will have a chance to actually operate a Front Runner, as well.

“Pollution from gravel roads is nobody’s fault, but everyone’s problem,” according to Lanoie. “Our rains seem to be more intense on a regular basis. We’ve had a couple of spring washouts within the last several years along with recent “gulley washer” thundershowers that have created problems that have yet to be repaired. The principles I’ll present will apply to any road maintenance equipment, whether it be a front-mounted grader/rake on a plow truck or an old bedspring dragged behind a Volkswagen.”

In addition to more severe rain events, increased development without the necessary associated infrastructure improvement is a major factor in local road problems. Not only is there more direct road damage from increased traffic on these gravel roads, but new house lots along the roads disrupt the established drainage network resulting in over tasking of existing culverts, water diversions, and drainage ditches.

Recognizing the severity of the road erosion problem, Maine DEP previously provided grant money which allowed FCSWCD to purchase seven Front Runner/Graders that were placed in soil and water conservation districts in Maine’s southwestern counties. FCSWCD also purchased adaptors to make them usable on half ton as well as three-quarter ton trucks.

Participants will also take home many do-it-yourself hints that they can apply to their roads immediately. For more information on the Front Runner/Grader or the training, call 778-4279 or go to www.franklincswcd.org.

The 2009 Maine Farm Days will be on Friday and Saturday, August 21st and 22nd at the Barker Farm. Your can learn more at www.androscogginswcd.net by clicking on Maine Farm Days (MFD) link on the home page. Go to the above website and download a MFD exhibitor or vendor contract/agreement, a brochure, or the map to the Barker Farm. The Barker Farm is located in Leeds at 9 Barker Road. This is in North Leeds on Route 106 and just north of where the railroad tracks cross Route 106.

The Maine Farm Days Theme for 2009 is Renewable and Alternative Energy Sources. Presentations are scheduled pertaining to solar and wind energy, with presentations on farmland preservation from groups like Androscoggin Land Trust and Maine Farm Land Protection. Androscoggin Valley Soil and Water Conservation District Executive Director Susan Gammon will speak about Carbon Sequestration and the potential financial gain for farmers and landowners.

This year a new opportunity is offered at Maine Farm Days. A Farmers Market, vendors exhibiting and selling their fresh grown Maine produce. The contract/agreements are available by going to www.androscogginswcd.net, clicking on Maine Farm Days and downloading contract/agreements on that page for vendors, exhibitors and farm markets.

This is the same weekend as the Balloon Festival giving an opportunity to see the balloons launch in the morning, take in the events at Maine Farm Days and end the day watching the balloons land in the early evening.

Annually vendors sell agricultural equipment, products, craft and food items. Agricultural organizations have displays; groups give presentations and training sessions offered with continuing learning credits.

Please come and join us August 21 and 22 at the Barker Farm and experience the Maine Farm Days.