Summer 2015 - Orono Land Trust

Contents: Annual Meeting 1, Spring and
Kids 1, Land Conservation Conference 2,
, Trail Day 3, On The Boardwalk 3, Nature
Clip by Jerry Longcore 4, Penobscot River
Renaissence 5, Avian Transport 5, Business
Sponsors 5, Calendar 6.
www.oronolandtrust.org
OLT Annual Meeting
Rob Lilieholm, E.L. Giddings Professor
of Forest Policy at the University of Maine, (pictured
below) gave a interessting talk entitled “Bay-toBaxter: Leveraging Maine’s Quality-of-Place for Economic
Development.” Delicious desserts were enjoyed by the 50
attendees.
Returning members elected to the Board were
Melissa Burch, Michael Opitz, Geneveive Smith, Kent
Tableman, and David Thompson.
Vol 109 Summer 2015
Spring brought some
kids activities to the
Caribou Bog
Conservation Area.
by Kris Sornberger
The first activity was trying to rescue the
vernal pool salamander and frog eggs in the muddy
pools along the old Veazie railroad bed. Despite
these pools being deemed insignificant because the
pools are on a abandoned rail road grade, the salamanders and frogs have been prolific in laying eggs
in these waters. The waters are muddy and silty
putting the eggs at risk of being covered by silt. I
thought relocating these eggs might help so I enlisted the help of my kids and an orange Homer Bucket.
My kids and I, gathered a lot of eggs in the
bucket. First we tried to wash the eggs in the water
to remove as much silt as possible. Some eggs we
put into the side pools along the old railroad bed not
disturbed by people and their vehicles. The remainder of the eggs were brought into the woods near my
home, where I had discovered (Con’t page 2)
Picture by Sue Owen
Charles R. Stevens
88, passed away March 30, 2015
Charles was the last living trustee of the Camp
Wickett property in Old Town,
which was donated to the OLT.
Paige and Cole Sornberger moving
frog eggs from roadway.
1
Maine Land Conservation Conference
The Maine Land Conservation Conference
sponsored by the Maine Coast Heritage Trust was
held Saturday, May 25, 2015 at the Mt. Ararat Middle
School and Orion Performing Arts Center in Topsham, Maine. Orono Land Trust attendees were Kate
Locke, Jerry Longcore, Mike Opitz, Dave Thompson,
Pat Thompson and Gail White.
The conference featured thirty-three (33)
different sessions on Saturday, four (4) sessions on
Friday as well as a land fair with displays by Land
Trusts and various businesses that provide services
to land trusts.
The Orono Land Trust had a table at the Land
Fair entitled, “Caribou Bog Conservation Area”. We
displayed photos of some of the wildlife inhabitants
of the area, photos of various recreational uses, and
photos of the Pine Pond Restoration Project.
The Saturday sessions included programs on
subjects of interest to land trusts: Forest Management, Ticks and Trails, Strategic Planning, Renewal of Accreditation, Major Gift Fundraisers, Invasive Plants, Property Tax Exemption, Farmland Protection, Maine’s
Wildlife Action Plan, Conservation Stewardship Monitoring and Enforcement, and more.
Mike Opitz was able to attend the Friday session “Forestry for Maine Birds: Managing Your Forest .”
Mike reported that the session helped him better visualize the diversity of forest ecotypes to provide the habitat
needed for the many bird species that inhabit Maine. This conference has provided a variety of information for
those of us members of the land trust community for several years. Another conference will certainly be held
next year in May with a variety of topics of interest plus interaction with land trusts around the state of Maine.
Try and plan to attend!
Article and photo by Dave Thompson
Spring (Con’t from page 1) other vernal pools with eggs.
I don’t think many of the eggs survived as a lot
the eggs were covered in a layer of dirt that would not wash off. Also, at the time, the daytime temperatures
were still quite low, and the water in pools were cold, which may have adversely affected the eggs growth.
And subsequently, a lot of the pools dried out that we transported the eggs into, due to the lack of much rain
this spring. I have since investigated the pools and I see no evidence of any hatched eggs. However, along
the railroad bed there are many tadpoles in the muddy pools, so some
eggs did survive the silting and trampling. I am glad for this.
The land trust received a grant almost 1 year ago from the National
Park Service for technical assistance to finish the trail on the sections of
railroad bed that are held in public domain. A core group has been working
diligently toward this end. We expect the public to see more tangible trail
use changes in the railroad bed this upcoming summer.
If you have children that ride bicycles, check out the Caribou Bog Conservation Area. The rail trail might not be much now, but it will
be someday. When you have contact with the Town of Orono’s staff, gently
remind them that connecting trails are part of their Comprehensive Plan.
Ask the Town to improve the grade and surface of the portions of the old
railroad bed owned by the Town.
Kris Sornberger
2
Trail Day May 2, 2015
What a glorious day May 2nd was. It was the first great spring day and it was a busy one all over the state.
OLT had some wonderful volunteers show up to spruce up some trails.
A new beaver deceiver was installed by Dave Thompson, Bucky Owen, Kris Sornberger and Ron Logan.
Once installed, the workers watched the water level drop fast and could once again see our trail. OLT will keep
watch as those busy beavers could easily foil our plans.
At the Cota Fee Land, the trail was widened to allow the trail to dry out. In August, the trail will be completely
remade. Lots of volunteers will be needed. On trail day, Kate Locke welded a chainsaw and took down many
larger trees. Sue Estler, Jill Rose and Gail White tackled smaller trees and shrubs and hauled them to the street
for town cleanup. Julian Wiggins also assisted and got a tree un-hung from another tree.
The Wicket Fee Land kept Jerry Longcore and
Paula Pietroski busy clearing the long property line of
fallen trees.
Glenn and Nancy Rampe worked on the trails on
their conservation land. We hope to have another work
day there this summer.
Mike Opitz, Matt Raymond and Matt Scaccia improved the entrance to the Ridge and Penobscot River
trails at the entrance to the Piney Knoll area off Penobscot Street.
Work in Veazie covered a couple of days and many
helping hands, especially wonderful young hands. Manter Wood, McPhetres Forest and Buck Hill Conservation
Area were all spruced up for outdoor activity. Helping
were l to r Tonya Brown, Camden Brown, Maddie Brown,
Kent Tableman, Don MacKay, Amaranta Ruiz-Nelson,
David Wardrop, Andy Brown.
Article by Gail White, Photo by Dave Wardrop
On the Boardwalk
by Jim Bird, Director, Orono Bog Boardwalk
As most of you know the Orono Bog Boardwalk was founded by UMaine Professor Emeritus Ron Davis. The
Boardwalk is a joint project of the Orono Land Trust, the City of Bangor, and the University of Maine. It took 3
years of planning and fundraising and another 8 months to build.
Boardwalk volunteers have been busy! Starting in October 2014 and extending through May 2015, 96 old,
rotting hemlock sections were removed and 96 new composite sections, 2 wheelchair turnouts, and 2 interpretive
stations have been installed. We await arrival of the pie-shaped sections (now being constructed by our contractor, Great Northern Docks of Naples Maine) that we will install where the Boardwalk makes a turn. We hope to
welcome visitors to the Boardwalk on June 29th.
More than 300,000 visits have been made to the Boardwalk since it opened June 2003. Boardwalk volunteers have provided nearly 500 guided tours to over 9,000 participants, including many area K-12 schools, girl
and boy scout troops, garden clubs, senior groups, U of Maine classes, and others. All have taken advantage of
these free tours to learn about the ecology of a northern peat bog.
Since initiating our Capital Campaign in 2010 to fund Boardwalk reconstruction with long-lasting composite
decking, aluminum framing, and stainless steel footings, volunteers have raised almost half (~$500,000) of the
needed amount ($1,060,000). We are working diligently to prepare grant proposals and to contact area businesses to help fund the effort. Our long-term goal is to have the needed funds in place by the end of 2017 to complete
reconstruction. Our immediate goal is to raise $19,000 to purchase the next 48 sections to get us to the halfway
point of completing installation of 250 sections. Please help with this immediate effort if you can—we need to
maintain momentum!
Also, please visit the Orono Bog Boardwalk website at umaine.edu/oronobogwalk and click on the Support
icon to see how you can help. While at the Boardwalk homepage click on the “click here” link to take an aerial tour
of the Boardwalk courtesy of Professors Sam and Charles Hess.
3
Nature Clip
____ by J.R. Longcore
FERTILE FRONDS OF FERNS: SOME EASY TO IDENTIFY
Each spring Maine’s 40 species of ferns develop fertile parts in which the reproductive spores develop. Some of
these fertile structures are obvious and may stand alone, or be part of the vegetative, sterile structure of the fern.
Four species of ferns that I can easily identify by the fertile fronds are (1) Cinnamon Fern (Osmundastrum cinnamomeum), (2) Interrupted fern (Osmunda
claytonia), (3) Royal fern (Osmunda regalis), and (4) Ostrich Fern (Pteridium aquilinum). The fertile fronds of Cinnamon and
Ostrich ferns are separate from the vegetative leaves and stand alone in the clump,
whereas the fertile parts of Interrupted Fern
actually interrupt the vegetative leaves by
developing about mid-way up in blade, thus,
this species is aptly named. The cinnamon
color of the fertile frond of the Cinnamon
Fern and like-colored ‘fuzz’ on stems is
diagnostic for identification. The Royal Fern
also lives up to its name, because the fertile
leaflets are at the apex (top) of the blade as
the “crowning” part of the plant; that feature,
along with the dimorphic (twice branching)
fertile leaflet, which is a chocolate brown
(2) Interrupted fern
when mature, aids in identification. Ostrich
(Osmunda claytonia)
Fern, the species that Mainers gather for a
‘mess of fiddleheads” has a fertile frond that
1. Cinnamon Fern
is separate from the vegetative clump that forms a tight circle—photo
(Osmundastrum cinnamomeum),
depicts this aspect and last year’s frond that persists through winter. The
fertile leaflet usually is not tall (~12 inches) compared with the Cinnamon Fern fertile frond that may be ~24
inches or more tall. Ostrich Fern and Cinnamon Fern are especially abundant along Stillwater Avenue, which
runs through Orono Bog. These species grow in wet areas, especially boggy areas, and riparian zones, such as
stream margins that are flooded annually. All species can be seen in the Rolland F. Perry City Forest in Bangor
along trails and along the boardwalk near Interpretive Station #1, except for Ostrich Fern. I have a nice patch
of that species in my back yard! Stop by and I can provide some material so that you can start your own fiddlehead patch, providing that you have suitable habitat!
(3) Royal fern
(Osmunda regalis)
Photos by J. R. Longcore
(4) Ostrich Fern
(Pteridium aquilinum)
4
Penobscot River Renaissance
Recently several of us visited the power stations in Orono, Stillwater, and Milford. As part of an agreement between the Penobscot River Restoration Trust and the dam owners, new power stations were built on
the Stillwater River in Orono and Stillwater. At the same time, the Trust removed main stem dams in Veazie
and Great Works opening up almost 1,000 miles of habitat for migratory fish. At Milford we saw the new fish
elevator in action as several thousand river herring, 6-10 shad and many lamprey eels were
lifted over the dam and passed by a viewing
window.
This year almost 750,000 river herring, as
well as hundreds of shad, salmon, and lampreys
have ascended the river, a spectacular success
for so early in the river’s recovery! New fishways and removal of small dams on a number
of tributaries have augmented the restoration on
the main stem and produced significant runs of
anadromous fish in these streams. Leonard’s
Mill, located near Chemo Pond on Blackman
Stream, recently built a smoke house for their
first Alewife Festival this spring. In the not-todistant future, millions of migratory fish will be
ascending the Penobscot each year, truly a
Renaissance!
Bucky Owen
Avian Transport Volunteers Needed
Avian Haven Wild Bird Rehabilitation Center, located in Freedom, Maine, annually
treats about 1700 birds from more than 100 species under its federal and state permits.
The task of transporting injured and orphaned birds to Avian Haven’s facility falls to volunteers. Please contact mary.bird@umit.maine.edu or call 866-2578 if you would like
to be involved.
Inaugural Sponsorships by Orono Businesses
Beginning with the 2015 membership year, the Orono Land Trust initiated a business
sponsor membership to help support land conservation efforts serving the Orono community. We welcome our inaugural business sponsors and appreciate their support.
Cardinal Supporters: $250-$499
Casco Bay Energy
125 Shore Road, Veazie
People’s United Bank
69 Main Street, Orono
Rainstorm Consulting
148 Main St. Orono
Black Bear Brewery
19 Mill St. Orono
Hawkes & Mehnert LLP,
6 State St. #600, Bangor
Chicadee Supporter: $100 - $249
Orono - Old Town Kiwanis
Dirigo Pines Retirement Community
Contact oronolandtrust@gmail.com if you would like information
about this program.
5
Board of Directors
Melissa Burch
Erik daSilva, Secretary
Sue Estler
Jim Hinds, Past President
Kate Locke
Jerry Longcore
Mike Opitz
Bucky Owen, President
Sue Owen, Clerk
Steve Sader
Bob Seymour
Chuck Simpson
Genevieve Smith
Kris Sornberger
Carter Stone
Kent Tableman
David Thompson
Pat Thompson, Treasurer
Gail White
Orono Land Trust
P O Box 4
Orono, Maine 04473
RETURN SERVICE
REQUESTED
Calendar
July 1, 2015- no Monthly Board meeting
August 5, 2015 - Monthly Board meeting
Please check for membership expiration date on your address label.
ORONO LAND TRUST MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION
Name:_____________________________________________ Preferred Email:_______________________________________________
Address:___________________________________________________ Preferred Telephone __________________________
_____ $10 Student Membership
_____$100-$999 Supporting Membership
_____ $25 Individual Membership
_____$1000 Life Membership
_____ $50 Family Membership
_____Business Sponsor $100 to $1000
I’d like to make an additional $______ donation to help protect green space in Orono.
Please send my newsletter by: _____ Email only, _____ U.S. Postal Mail
Get involved-VOLUNTEER! Go to (http://oronolandtrust.org/?page_id=16) to learn more and to volunteer for
OLT projects, activities, and committees by completing the Online Volunteer Questionnaire listed on this volunteer
webpage.
6