{"id":2212,"date":"2013-08-12T16:13:51","date_gmt":"2013-08-12T20:13:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/umaine.edu\/sustainabilitysolutions\/?page_id=724"},"modified":"2018-08-14T14:17:22","modified_gmt":"2018-08-14T18:17:22","slug":"quality-of-place-in-the-saco-river-estuary","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/umaine.edu\/mitchellcenter\/quality-of-place-in-the-saco-river-estuary\/","title":{"rendered":"Quality of Place in the Saco River Estuary"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"studentSustaining Quality of Place in the Saco River Estuary Through Community Based Ecosystem Management<\/em><\/p>\n

Institution<\/em>: University of New England<\/a>
\nSponsor:<\/em> National Science Foundation through the Sustainability Solutions Initiative<\/p>\n

After several decades of clean-up efforts, the Saco River Estuary is coming back to life. Surrounding communities are now turning to the estuary as a source of renewal and economic development, but new pressures are emerging, including increasing coastal development. Understanding how these pressures affect the estuary and developing new tools to help stakeholders safeguard its health is the focus of an SSI project led by University of New England (UNE) researchers Pamela Morgan, associate professor, Department of Environmental Studies, and Christine Feurt, Director of the Center for Sustainable Communities.<\/p>\n

Why This Project?<\/h3>\n

Once polluted by tanneries, wastewater and garbage, the Saco River Estuary is again clean enough for boating, fishing and other recreation. Birds and fish are returning and surrounding marshes host at least nine rare plant species. Despite this recovery, however, new problems may affect the estuary\u2019s health, including increasing development, pollution such as E. coli<\/em> bacteria, invasive species such as Phragmites<\/em> reeds, and sea level rise.<\/p>\n

The cities of Saco and Biddeford, as well as local business owners, state and federal agencies, conservation groups and local residents are concerned about threats to the estuary\u2019s health, but they lack adequate tools, information and opportunities to network to find ways address them.<\/p>\n

Connecting Knowledge with Action<\/h3>\n

The SSI research team, which includes scientists from the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, is gathering extensive field data on the estuary, including water quality indicators such as bacteria and nitrogen levels; fish, plant and bird species; and other indicators of the estuary\u2019s health. They will compile and analyze this information to create a first ever \u201creport card\u201d that grades the estuary\u2019s health on key indicators stakeholders and researchers have identified, including water quality, invasive plants, fish species, and other criteria.<\/p>\n

When completed, the report card will provide stakeholders, researchers and others with a new tool to help make and improve policy decisions affecting the estuary, monitor its health, inform and educate local citizens about how their actions and decisions affect the estuary, and better protect its future.<\/p>\n

The team also is mapping land use in the shoreland zone and studying potential connections between the extent of development and the potential effects on organisms in the estuary. In addition, the researchers are mapping what the estuary might look like under various sea level rise scenarios, which could help conservation groups prioritize land where tidal marshes might need to migrate in the future.<\/p>\n

As this work continues, social scientists and students on the team are working to build a social network of stakeholders who can care for the estuary now and into the future. In addition to helping to sustain the estuary, this research could serve as a model for other efforts to bring together scientists and stakeholders to achieve similar goals.<\/p>\n

Team Members
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n