For More Outdoor Information, and Sporting Licenses 24 Hours A Day, 7
Days A
Week, Please Visit www.mefishwildlife.com
For More Information, Please Contact:
Mark Latti
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
mark.latti@maine.gov
207-287-6008
pager 818-9617
fax 207-287-6395
284 State Street
41 State House Station
Augusta, ME 04333
Vernal Pools: a vanishing habitat
Vernal pools are small, often isolated, forested depressions that
generally
fill with water following spring rains and snowmelt, and then seemingly
disappear during the dry months of summer. Vernal pools have no
permanent
predatory fish populations, thus providing the primary breeding habitat
for
several species of fishless pond specialists, including Maine's primary
An adult spotted salamander emerges from
hibernation and prepares for it's annual spring migration to a nearby
breeding pool (IFW Photo/ Phillip DeMaynadier)
vernal pool indicator species: spotted salamanders, blue-spotted
salamanders, wood frogs, and fairy shrimp. Vernal pools also provide
valuable habitat for other wildlife including several of Maine's rare
and
endangered species including Blanding's turtle (Endangered), spotted
turtle
(Threatened), wood turtle (Special Concern), ribbon snake (Special
Concern),
four-toed salamander (Special Concern), and the elusive
ringed-boghaunter
dragonfly (Endangered).
Wood frogs are conspicuous members of vernal pools in the spring,
but spend most of their lives unseen and unheard in cool,
moist areas of the forest floor. (IFW Photo/Megan Gahl)
The ecological functions of vernal pools are intimately dependent on
the
integrity of the surrounding upland forest. Leaf, branch, and other
decaying plant material from the adjacent forest fuel a vernal pool's
food
chain. Because of their generally small, defined watersheds, vernal
pool
water quality is strongly influenced by the effects of land-use in the
immediate vicinity. Furthermore, Maine's vernal pool amphibians and
endangered species regularly make use of forested upland habitat
abutting
vernal pools to complete their life needs, often at great distances
from the
pools themselves. Vernal pool amphibians and reptiles require several
hundred feet of mostly undisturbed upland habitat surrounding the pool
basin
to ensure their continued existence. As such, it is probably more
appropriate to refer to the intact forest surrounding most vernal pools
as a
"life zone" rather than a "buffer zone". For all these reasons, it is
important to leave an area of intact natural vegetation around the pool
for
as great a distance as possible.
We still have more to learn about why some vernal pools receive greater
wildlife use than others. To this end, the Maine Department of Inland
Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) has encouraged and supported several
recent
studies. Grants from the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund and the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency helped support a recently completed
University of Maine study by Dr. Robert Baldwin and Dr. Aram Calhoun to
research the wildlife use and characteristics of vernal pools in four
southern Maine townships - Falmouth, Biddeford, Kennebunkport, and
North
Berwick. Their results confirm that wood frogs and other pool-breeding
amphibians range widely in the forested landscape following breeding
and
that surrounding upland forests and shallow forested swamps provide
important foraging, migration, and over-wintering habitat that is
functionally connected to the pools themselves. Dr. Baldwin also
developed a
landscape model highlighting the vulnerability of vernal pools to rapid
development in southern Maine due to insufficient conservation lands
and
wetland regulatory protections.
At this time, MDIFW is actively working with cooperators at University
of
Maine and Maine Audubon Society to promote voluntary protection
measures for
this valuable wetland habitat. Workshops on vernal pools have been held
throughout the state and several publications describing the resource
are
now available to the public. A vernal pool fact sheet, describing
threats
and management considerations, is available upon request from MDIFW for
use
by landowners, municipalities, and land trusts. In 2003, a Maine
Citizen's
Guide to Locating and Documenting Vernal Pools was updated and
republished
in cooperation with Maine Audubon and University of Maine and is
currently
available from MDIFW (207-287-8000). Following extensive input from
experts
in Maine's wildlife and forest management community, a new document
entitled
Forestry Habitat Management Guidelines for Vernal Pool Wildlife was
published in 2004 by the Wildlife Conservation Society and is now
available
from Maine Audubon (207-781-2330, ext. 222) and MDIFW. A companion
document
for developed landscapes, Best Development Practices: Conserving
Pool-Breeding Amphibians in Residential and Commercial Developments in
the
Northeastern United States, is also available from Maine Audubon.
Collectively, these publications provide techniques for identifying
high-value vernal pools and specific recommendations for their
conservation.
Finally, MDIFW recently participated in a state vernal pool-working
group
organized by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) for
the
purpose of developing a definition of significant vernal pools, a
Significant Wildlife Habitat designated by the state's Natural Resource
Protection Act (NRPA). The scientific criteria for designating
"significant"
vernal pools include a) presence of a state Endangered or Threatened
species, or b) evidence of exceptional breeding abundance by one or
more
pool-breeding amphibians. The definition includes a 250-foot "critical
terrestrial habitat" area around the pool. Designating a subset of the
state's vernal pools as "significant" will help MDIFW and DEP provide
regulatory guidance on development activities within a critical upland
life
zone surrounding this important wildlife habitat. Following public
hearings
during the fall of 2005, MDIFW adopted the definition of a significant
vernal pool and the state's Board of Environmental Protection
unanimously
adopted the new rules for significant vernal pools. Both agencies will
be
reporting back to the Legislature in 2006 for the final consideration
of
proposed changes to NRPA by the Joint Standing Committee on Natural
Resources. MDIFW's work with vernal pools is made possible by support
from
Maine's Loon Conservation Plate, Chickadee Check-off funds, the U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency, and the Maine Outdoor Heritage Fund.
Phillip deMaynadier, Wildlife Biologist, Reptile, Amphibian, and
Invertebrate Group
Freshwater Mussels - Living Aquatic Filters
Freshwater mussels are relatively sedentary, bottom-dwelling
invertebrates
found in most of Maine's lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams. Often
referred
to as a "clam," the freshwater mussel's inconspicuous and seemingly
drab
lifestyle belies its importance. As filter feeders, mussels provide a
valuable service to aquatic environments by filtering impurities such
as
algae and bacteria from the water, and by returning nutrients to the
ecosystem. In turn, mussels provide food for a variety of larger
predators
such as muskrats, raccoons, and otters. Unlike their saltwater
relatives,
however, freshwater mussels are no culinary delight for humans --
tasting
and smelling much like you might imagine the river bottom would!
A female yellow lampmussel attracts potential
host fish for her young by displaying a fleshy
lure that looks remarkably like a small minnow.
The yellow lampmussel is listed as threatened in Maine.
(IFW Photo/ Philip Wick)
The life cycle of freshwater mussels may surprise you! These animals
start
life as free-floating larvae, called "glochidia", which are vastly
different
in appearance from the adults. Released from a brood chamber within the
female mussel's gills, the glochidia of most species must quickly
encounter
and attach to a very specific kind of fish in order to mature into the
more
familiar adult form. Some species of mussels actually use "lures" that
mimic
small minnows or other prey to attract fish and increase the
glochidia's
chances. Once attached, glochidia typically encyst into the fins or
gills of
their hosts for a period of one to many weeks (they do no harm to the
fish!). After metamorphosis, the tiny new mussels drop off their mobile
nurseries and burrow into the substrate, where they often remain in the
same
spot for their entire lives. For some species, a lifetime can span 100
years
or more!
Like many aquatic organisms, mussels are very sensitive to contaminants
and
changes in their environment. This vulnerability is compounded by their
specific habitat and fish host requirements, and by an inability to
leave
their surroundings. Consequently, freshwater mussels are one of our
most
valuable indicators of water quality and ecosystem health. They are
also one
of the most imperiled groups of animals in North America. Of the nearly
300
species of freshwater mussels found in the United States, approximately
half
have already vanished or are in danger of extinction. These dramatic
declines have been caused largely by the degradation and loss of mussel
habitat from pollution, dams and other water control structures,
channelization, dredging, and the sedimentation of our once clean,
free-flowing rivers and streams. In addition, poaching of shells for
sale to
the Orient's pearl culture industry, and the recent invasion of a
prolific
foreign competitor, the zebra mussel, are also jeopardizing many mussel
populations. Too late for some species, efforts to maintain habitat
quality
and prevent further loss have now become a high priority for many
state,
federal, and private conservation agencies.
A team of MDIFW and USFWS biologists survey
mussel populations in the St. George River. (USFWS/Mark McCollough)
In Maine, our freshwater mussel fauna has fared relatively better than
that
of many states. We have not lost any species, our freshwater habitats
are
reasonably clean or have improved in water quality, and the zebra
mussel has
not yet found its way into our waterways. We are not immune, however,
to the
problems of habitat loss and degradation that have eliminated
populations
and extirpated species in other parts of the country. Of our ten native
species, two are currently listed as "threatened" under the Maine
Endangered
Species Act and three are considered of "special concern". Fortunately,
compared to most states within the range of these five species, Maine
seems
to have some of the best remaining populations and may be a last
stronghold
for these rare mussels.
Since the early 1990s, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and
Wildlife
(MDIFW) has been actively involved in research and conservation
programs for
the State's freshwater mussels. In the beginning, very little was known
about mussels in Maine. Since then, however, MDIFW biologists have
surveyed
over 1700 sites statewide to document the distribution and abundance of
our
ten native species. As a result, two species - the yellow lampmussel
and
tidewater mucket - were state-listed as threatened in 1997. Three
additional
species - the brook floater, creeper, and triangle floater - were
listed as
special concern. MDIFW frequently works with other state and federal
agencies, as well as with landowners, consultants, conservation groups,
and
others, to ensure these rare mussels are considered during projects
that may
negatively affect them or their habitat.
In 2001, MDIFW joined forces with scientists and students at the
University
of Maine in Orono to begin learning even more about Maine's rarest
mussels.
Of four research projects to date, two have been focused on identifying
the
specific fish host(s) for Maine's two threatened mussel species: one
using
laboratory propagation of glochidia, and the other using DNA analysis
of
glochidia found on wild-caught fish. The identification of host species
is a
critical component of understanding the life history and conservation
needs
of freshwater mussels. Without access to the appropriate hosts, most
freshwater mussels cannot successfully reproduce. And without knowledge
of
host requirements, MDIFW and other resource managers cannot ensure
native
fish communities provide for the needs of rare mussels.
A third study looked at conservation genetics of the yellow lampmussel
and
tidewater mucket. Understanding the relationships within and between
watersheds where these two threatened species occur can be a useful
tool in
determining the appropriate conservation and management measures for
individual populations - particularly when relocation of mussels is
necessary. Finally, a fourth research project is investigating the
effects
of dam removal and mussel relocation on the yellow lampmussel and
tidewater
mucket. Proposals to remove both small and large hydro-power dams are
becoming increasingly common in Maine, yet we have no way of knowing
what
the long-term effects will be on these two rare species - both of which
are
found in impoundments. When a dam is removed where rare mussels are
present,
the only conservation tool available to MDIFW biologists at this time
is to
move or relocate the stranded mussels to new habitat. However, until
this
study, we've had no data to let us know if our efforts are successful,
or if
we need to change or improve our relocation techniques.
Additional information about the status and results of all of these
studies
can be found in MDIFW's 2004 and 2005 Wildlife Division Research and
Management Reports at www.maine.gov/ifw/wildlife/wildlife.htm
<http://www.maine.gov/ifw/wildlife/wildlife.htm>. You can learn more
about
Maine's freshwater mussels by reading "The Freshwater Mussels of Maine"
by
Nedeau et al. This comprehensive, yet easy to understand book is
available
through MDIFW's Information Center in Augusta (207-287-8000) or On-line
Bookstore (www.informe.org/ifw/merc/
<http://www.informe.org/ifw/merc/>) and
costs just $10.
MDIFW's work on freshwater mussels has been made possible by funding
from
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Geological Survey, and
University
of Maine; and by the generosity of Maine citizens through their support
of
Maine's "Loon License Plate" program, "Outdoor Heritage Fund" lottery
ticket, and state income tax "Chickadee Checkoff". Thank you!
Beth Swartz, Wildlife Biologist, Reptile, Amphibian, and Invertebrate
Group
Changes in Maine's Natural Resource Protection Act Being Implemented
The Natural Resources Protection Act (NRPA) as adopted in 1988 by the
Maine
Legislature:
"declares that the State's rivers and streams, great ponds, fragile
mountain areas, freshwater wetlands, significant wildlife habitat,
coastal
wetlands and coastal sand dune systems are resources of state
significance.
These resources have great scenic beauty and unique characteristics,
unsurpassed recreational, cultural, historical and environmental value
of
present and future benefit to the citizens of the State and that uses
are
causing the rapid degradation and, in some cases, the destruction of
these
critical resources, producing significant adverse economic and
environmental
impacts and threatening the health, safety and general welfare of the
citizens of the State."
As a result of passage of the NRPA, a permit is required when an
"activity"
will be:
--Located in, on or over any protected natural resource, or
--Located adjacent to (A) a coastal wetland, great pond,
river, stream or brook or significant wildlife habitat contained within
a
freshwater wetland, or (B) certain freshwater wetlands.
An "activity" is (A) dredging, bulldozing, removing or displacing soil,
sand, vegetation or other materials; (B) draining or otherwise
dewatering;
(C) filling, including adding sand or other material to a sand dune; or
(D)
any construction, repair or alteration of any permanent structure.
Through Public Law 116 (LD 261) the 122nd Maine State Legislature will
be
considering changes to the Natural Resource Protection Act this winter
as
requested by the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and the
Maine
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) in 2005. Maine
Audubon
also sponsored a companion bill to DEP's version. The statutory
requirement
for MDIFW to proactively map significant vernal pools, shorebird, and
wading
& waterfowl habitats and DEP to formally adopt the maps may be removed
and
these habitats then would be treated as we do any other wetland. This
legislative action required that the DEP first establish definitions
and
standards through rule for significant vernal pools, shorebird feeding,
nesting, and staging habitat, and high to moderate value wading and
waterfowl habitat. Simultaneous to this rulemaking process, MDIFW was
also
required to go through it's own rule-making process to adopt identical
definitions and criteria for these three significant wildlife habitats.
Both agencies have completed this rule-making process and will be
reporting
back to the Legislature in 2006 for the final consideration of proposed
changes to NRPA by the Joint Standing Committee on Natural Resources.
To be regulated under the original version of NRPA, significant
wildlife
habitats have to be identified and mapped in a specific location by
MDIFW.
DEP would then have to adopt these maps through rulemaking. No
additional
resources were allocated to MDIFW to accomplish mapping of significant
wildlife habitats and the costs have proved prohibitive. To date, the
two
Departments have adopted only seabird nesting island maps.
When the NRPA was enacted in August 1988, it included protection for
significant wildlife habitat, which was defined in the law to the
"extent
such areas were mapped or within another protected natural resource."
Significant wildlife habitat includes the following:
* habitat, as defined by the Department of Inland Fisheries
and Wildlife, for species appearing on the official state or federal
lists
of endangered or threatened animal species;
* high and moderate value deer wintering areas and travel
corridors as defined by the Department of Inland Fisheries and
Wildlife;
* high and moderate value waterfowl and wading bird habitats,
including nesting and feeding areas as defined by the Department of
Inland
Fisheries and Wildlife;
* critical spawning and nursery areas for Atlantic salmon as
defined by the Atlantic Salmon Authority;
* shorebird nesting, feeding and staging areas;
* seabird nesting islands as defined by the Department of
Inland Fisheries and wildlife;
* and significant vernal pools as defined and identified by
the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (added in 1995).
With the changes being implemented, it will no longer necessary to go
through the mapping requirement to regulate vernal pools, shorebird
feeding,
nesting, and staging habitat, and high to moderate value wading and
waterfowl habitat. What these three types of wildlife habitat have in
common
is that they are all wetland-based, and target species rely heavily on
associated wetland or upland habitat management areas. Definitions for
these habitats recently adopted by MDIFW and DEP will guide the
identification of the habitats on the ground for regulation. Please
see the
following DEP web site for details on process to Amend Chapters 335,
Significant Wildlife Habitat, and amend Chapter 375, Section 15,
Protection
of Wildlife and Fisheries http://www.maine.gov/dep/blwq/rule.htm
By making these changes related to significant wildlife habitat in
NRPA, we
will increase consistency in how the DEP and IF&W regulate wetlands of
special significance, making regulatory oversight more predictable, and
affording these state resources the protection we are directed to
provide.
Richard L. Dressler, Wildlife Resource Assessment Section Supervisor
Working Behind the Scenes to Protect and Conserve Wildlife Habitat -
Bangor
Wildlife Habitat Group
The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW) has several
public
faces, some more visible than others. The members of the Warden
Service are
the most easily recognized Department staff, regional wildlife and
fisheries
biological staff interact with local landowners, hatcheries staff
distribute
fish to many locations throughout the state, and biologists from the
Wildlife Resource Assessment Section (WRAS) in Bangor enter the
limelight
when species-specific (deer, moose, bald eagles, waterfowl, etc.)
management
issues attract attention.
A less glamorous, but growing interface with the public is happening
through
distribution of MDIFW's wildlife habitat data. In this era of instant
information, the public not only expects that we have digital data on
wildlife habitat, but that it is readily available, comprehensive,
current,
and accurate (if it ain't Google-able, it ain't usable). Although this
expectation may be unrealistic given the limitations of staff and
resources,
MDIFW regularly receives data requests from landowners, developers,
conservation groups, industry members, the legislature, and other state
and
federal agencies. Putting wildlife habitat on today's technological
playing
field where the decisions shaping Maine's future landscape are being
made is
the job of MDIFW's WRAS Habitat Group.
We maintain data on "Essential Wildlife Habitats" (bald eagle nesting
sites;
piping plover/least tern nesting, feeding, and brood-rearing areas; and
roseate tern nesting areas) under the Maine Endangered Species Act;
"Significant Wildlife Habitats" (deer wintering areas, inland and tidal
waterfowl and wading bird habitats, shorebird areas, and seabird
nesting
islands) under the Natural Resources Protection Act; and "Rare,
Threatened,
and Endangered (RTE) Species" data in the Natural Heritage network.
Keeping
these databases current and accurate requires constant updating, which
involves both field work by Wildlife Division staff and incorporating
new
information available from other geographic information system (GIS)
databases. Then there is the task of making this important data
available
to decision-makers and the public.
The Habitat Group maintains an Internet Mapping Service that allows
Internet
users to access our most current Essential Habitat data 24/7. The web
page
provides an interactive map showing the location of Essential Habitats
on
top of USGS topological maps. Users can search the state by township,
query
information about specific habitats, and print hard-copy maps. The web
page
is hosted by the Maine Office of GIS at
http://www.state.me.us/ifw/wildlife/etweb/habitat/ims_welcome.htm.
Habitat Group staff is the operational arm of the high profile
Beginning
with Habitat program (a cooperative effort with Maine Natural Areas
Program,
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Maine Audubon Society, The Nature
Conservancy,
Maine State Planning Office, and other partners). Beginning with
Habitat
provides a set of 9 maps and supporting information about habitat
resources
to municipalities, land trusts, and other organizations to help guide
conservation and landuse planning. Over the past 18 months,
responsibility
for producing these maps and handling requests for reprints, data CDs,
and
passwords to download digital map files have shifted solely to MDIFW.
To
help handle this increased workload, the Habitat Group has added a
part-time
Intern dedicated to Beginning with Habitat and will soon add a
full-time
Cartographer.
We also distribute coastal wildlife habitat data as part of planning
for
response to marine oil spills. Over 6 billion gallons of petroleum
products
are shipped into Maine each year. More oil passes Maine's coastline on
ships traveling between refineries in St. John, New Brunswick and
southern
ports. The risk for a large oil spill with catastrophic consequences
for
coastal wildlife and their habitats is always present. Keeping MDIFW
staff
prepared to respond to a spill-which could involve recovering oiled
wildlife, surveying affected habitats, documenting damage, and other
responsibilities-is the job of Habitat Group's new Oil Spill Biologist,
Nicole Munkwitz. Nicole coordinates our planning efforts with the
Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), the Department of Marine
Resources, the Department of Conservation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Environmental Protection Agency, and
the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Nicole provides DEP
with
our wildlife habitat to map ecologically sensitive areas for developing
prevention strategies to protect them in the event of a spill.
Since 1993, the only statewide landcover (habitat map of Maine)
available
was created by University of Maine GAP using satellite imagery from
the
early 1990s. Many areas of the state have changed significantly in the
ensuing 12 years. Starting in 2004, Habitat Group staff participated
in a
multi-agency effort to develop a new landcover map by helping select an
imagery-analysis contractor and by collecting data from field sites for
generating and verifying the new map. As part of the contract, the
state of
Maine also received a map of impervious surfaces, which helps MDIFW
biologists determine where development is occurring relative to
wildlife
habitats and how that might affect water runoff. Expected delivery
date of
the final landcover map is January 2006.
Don Katnik, Wildlife Habitat Group Leader
Salamander.jpg cutline -- An adult spotted salamander emerges from
hibernation and prepares for it's annual spring migration to a nearby
breeding pool (IFW Photo/ Phillip DeMaynadier)
<<salamander.jpg>>
Woodfrog.jpg cutline -- Wood frogs are conspicuous members of vernal
pools
in the spring, but spend most of their lives unseen and unheard in
cool,
moist areas of the forest floor. (IFW Photo/Megan Gahl)
<<woodfrog.jpg>>
Lampmussel.jpg cutline -- A female yellow lampmussel attracts potential
host
fish for her young by displaying a fleshy lure that looks remarkably
like a
small minnow. The yellow lampmussel is listed as threatened in Maine.
(IFW Photo/ Philip Wick)
<<lampmussel.jpg>>
Stgeorge.jpg cutline -- A team of MDIFW and USFWS biologists survey
mussel
populations in the St. George River. (USFWS/Mark McCollough)
<<stgeorge.jpg>>
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