Management Plan - National Estuarine Research Reserve System

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Appendix FNational Estuarine Research Reserve SystemCode of Federal RegulationsTitle 15, Volume 3, Revised as of January 1, 2003TITLE 15—COMMERCE AND FOREIGN TRADECHAPTER IX—NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION,DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCEPART 921—NATIONAL ESTUARINE RESEARCH RESERVE SYSTEM REGULATIONSsec. 921.1 Mission, goals and general provisions.(a) The mission of the National Estuarine Research Reserve Program is the establishment andmanagement, through Federal-state cooperation, of a national system (National Estuarine ResearchReserve System or System) of estuarine research reserves (National Estuarine Research Reservesor Reserves) representative of the various regions and estuarine types in the United States. NationalEstuarine Research Reserves are established to provide opportunities for long-term research, education,and interpretation.(b) The goals of the Program are to:1. Ensure a stable environment for research through long-term protection of National EstuarineResearch Reserve resources;2. Address coastal management issues identified as significant through coordinated estuarineresearch within the System;3. Enhance public awareness and understanding of estuarine areas and provide suitableopportunities for public education and interpretation;4. Promote Federal, state, public and private use of one or more Reserves within the System whensuch entities conduct estuarine research; and5. Conduct and coordinate estuarine research within the System, gathering and making availableinformation necessary for improved understanding and management of estuarine areas.(c) National Estuarine Research Reserves shall be open to the public to the extent permitted under stateand Federal law. Multiple uses are allowed to the degree compatible with each Reserve’s overall purposeas provided in the management plan (see sec. 921.13) and consistent with paragraphs (a) and (b) of thissection. Use levels are set by the state where the Reserve is located and analyzed in the managementplan. The Reserve management plan shall describe the uses and establish priorities among these uses. Theplan shall identify uses requiring a state permit, as well as areas where uses are encouraged or prohibited.Consistent with resource protection and research objectives, public access and use may be restricted tocertain areas or components within a Reserve.(d) Habitat manipulation for research purposes is allowed consistent with the following limitations.Manipulative research activities must be specified in the management plan, be consistent with the missionand goals of the program (see paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section) and the goals and objectives set forthin the Reserve’s management plan, and be limited in nature and extent to the minimum manipulativeactivity necessary to accomplish the stated research objective. Manipulative research activities with asignificant or long-term impact on Reserve resources require the prior approval of the state and theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Manipulative research activities whichcan reasonably be expected to have a significant adverse impact on the estuarine resources and habitatof a Reserve, such that the activities themselves or their resulting short- and long-term consequencescompromise the representative character and integrity of a Reserve, are prohibited. Habitat manipulation194 Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
Appendix Ffor resource management purposes is prohibited except as specifically approved by NOAA as: (1) Arestoration activity consistent with paragraph (e) of this section; or (2) an activity necessary for theprotection of public health or the preservation of other sensitive resources which have been listed or areeligible for protection under relevant Federal or state authority (e.g., threatened/endangered species orsignificant historical or cultural resources) or if the manipulative activity is a long-term pre-existing use(i.e., has occurred prior to designation) occurring in a buffer area. If habitat manipulation is determinedto be necessary for the protection of public health, the preservation of sensitive resources, or if themanipulation is a long-term pre-existing use in a buffer area, then these activities shall be specified in theReserve management plan in accordance with sec. 921.13(a)(10) and shall be limited to the reasonablealternative which has the least adverse and shortest term impact on the representative and ecologicalintegrity of the Reserve.(e) Under the Act an area may be designated as an estuarine Reserve only if the area is a representativeestuarine ecosystem that is suitable for long-term research. Many estuarine areas have undergone someecological change as a result of human activities (e.g., hydrological changes, intentional/unintentionalspecies composition changes—introduced and exotic species). In those areas proposed or designatedas National Estuarine Research Reserves, such changes may have diminished the representativecharacter and integrity of the site. Although restoration of degraded areas is not a primary purpose ofthe System, such activities may be permitted to improve the representative character and integrity of aReserve. Restoration activities must be carefully planned and approved by NOAA through the Reservemanagement plan. Historical research may be necessary to determine the ``natural’’ representative stateof an estuarine area (i.e., an estuarine ecosystem minimally affected by human activity or influence).Frequently, restoration of a degraded estuarine area will provide an excellent opportunity for managementoriented research.(f) NOAA may provide financial assistance to coastal states, not to exceed, per Reserve, 50 percent ofall actual costs or $5 million whichever amount is less, to assist in the acquisition of land and waters, orinterests therein. NOAA may provide financial assistance to coastal states not to exceed 70 percent of allactual costs for the management and operation of, the development and construction of facilities, andthe conduct of educational or interpretive activities concerning Reserves (see subpart I). NOAA mayprovide financial assistance to any coastal state or public or private person, not to exceed 70 percent ofall actual costs, to support research and monitoring within a Reserve. Notwithstanding any financialassistance limits established by this Part, when financial assistance is provided from amounts recoveredas a result of damage to natural resources located in the coastal zone, such assistance may be used topay 100 percent of all actual costs of activities carrier out with this assistance, as long as such funds areavailable. Predesignation, acquisition and development, operation and management, special researchand monitoring, and special education and interpretation awards are available under the NationalEstuarine Reserve Program. Predesignation awards are for site selection/feasibility, draft managementplan preparation and conduct of basic characterization studies. Acquisition and development awards areintended primarily for acquisition of interests in land, facility construction and to develop and/or upgraderesearch, monitoring and education programs. Operation and management awards provide funds toassist in implementing, operating and managing the administrative, and basic research, monitoring andeducation programs, outlined in the Reserve management plan. Special research and monitoring awardsprovide funds to conduct estuarine research and monitoring projects with the System. Special educationaland interpretive awards provide funds to conduct estuarine educational and interpretive projects withinthe System.(g) Lands already in protected status managed by other Federal agencies, state or local governments, orprivate organizations may be included within National Estuarine Research Reserves only if the managingentity commits to long-term management consistent with paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section in theReserve management plan. Federal lands already in protected status may not comprise a majority of thekey land and water areas of a Reserve (see sec. 921.11(c)(3)).(h) To assist the states in carrying out the Program’s goals in an effective manner, NOAA will coordinateManagement Plan: Appendix F195
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Wells National Estuarine Research R
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Table of ContentsAcknowledgments..
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Representation on the Reserve Manag
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Objectives and Strategies.. . . . .
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XIII. Volunteer Plan.. . . . . . .
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xiiWells National Estuarine Researc
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I. OverviewIntroduction to the Rese
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Exhibits and Interpretive Trails; P
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The Wells Reserve requires specific
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II. IntroductionThe Value of Estuar
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Figure II.3. Biogeographic regions
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1.2.3.Address coastal management is
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Department of of CommerceNational O
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16 Wells National Estuarine Researc
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III. Wells NERR SettingPhysical Set
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Figure III.3. The two principal wat
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Wells Reserve campus and adjacent s
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230 bird species and at least 32 ma
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landscapes are assuming a suburban
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IV. Strategic Plan29
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Objective 2: Optimize educational u
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V. Accomplishments33
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Figure V.2. Chris Feurt, the CTP Co
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Figure V.4. The barn complex was co
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◊With partners (U.S. Fish and Wil
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VI. Administration41
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RMAManagerEducationResearch & Stewa
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◊The York County Audubon Society,
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The Reserve Manager serves as the c
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Figure VI.4. An October sunrise gra
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VII. Facilities andConstruction51
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◊Make facilities available to par
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Figure VII.2. The Reserved Life Est
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Killing House (early 1900’s)This
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Estate and are currently privately
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VIII. Public Access61
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Figure VIII.2. An artist at work by
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Figure VIII.4. A family enjoys a wa
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IX. Education and Outreach67
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Strategies◊ Work with partners to
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K-12 EducationThe Wells Reserve edu
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signs of wildlife, water quality mo
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irds, beach exploration, seasonal m
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X. Research and Monitoring77
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Figure X.1. Jeremy Miller (right) a
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System-wide Monitoring ProgramThe N
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tions concerning the sustainability
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permit, the Research Department als
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XI. Stewardship87
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◊◊◊◊◊Protect pristine hab
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Reserve cooperates with the followi
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will monitor this site (and others
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Figure XI.6. The Wells Reserve Stew
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XII. Reserve Boundary andAcquisitio
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Proposed Changes to the Reserve and
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Figure XII.2 (top): The main stems
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By expanding its boundary the Wells
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forests, and wetlands. It has habit
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Conservation EasementThe Wells Rese
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XIII. Volunteers109
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Figure XIII.1. Beach Profiling volu
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XIV. Communications113
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images, and cultivates interest in
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AppendicesAppendix A: Memoranda of
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Appendix A: Memoranda ofUnderstandi
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Appendix A-1Management Plan: Append
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Management Plan: Appendix A127
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Management Plan: Appendix A131
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Appendix B: ConservationEasementsMa
Page 157 and 158: Appendix B-1Management Plan: Append
Page 167 and 168: Management Plan: Appendix B153
Page 179 and 180: Appendix C: State of MaineLegislati
Page 181 and 182: Appendix C-1Management Plan: Append
Page 185 and 186: Management Plan: Appendix C171
Page 189 and 190: Appendix D: Rules forPublic UseMana
Page 191 and 192: Appendix Das part of the Reserve. T
Page 193 and 194: Appendix D(a) No person shall remov
Page 195 and 196: Appendix D(a) Third through fifth g
Page 197 and 198: Appendix E: NaturalResource LawsMan
Page 199 and 200: Appendix Ecomponents of the Program
Page 201 and 202: Appendix Eability of these areas to
Page 203 and 204: Appendix ETowns experiencing less g
Page 205 and 206: Appendix Emust be in place before a
Page 207: Appendix F: FederalRegulations—NE
Page 211 and 212: Appendix F(b) The biogeographic cla
Page 213 and 214: Appendix Fzone. Key land and water
Page 215 and 216: Appendix Fminor construction projec
Page 217 and 218: Appendix Finterests therein, for an
Page 219 and 220: Appendix Fagencies and/or private o
Page 221 and 222: Appendix Fand the additional compon
Page 223 and 224: Appendix FResearch Reserve System.(
Page 225 and 226: Appendix FDC 20235. The following m
Page 227 and 228: Appendix FThis typology system refl
Page 229 and 230: Appendix Fthe boring clam Playdon,
Page 231 and 232: Appendix FC. Inlet type. Inlets in
Page 233 and 234: Appendix FB. pH Regime: This is ind
Page 235 and 236: Appendix G:CZMA—Section 315Manage
Page 237 and 238: Appendix GIn developing the guideli
Page 239 and 240: Appendix H:Wells National Estuarine
Page 241: Appendix HWells National Estuarine
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