Management Plan - National Estuarine Research Reserve System

Figure IX.7. Reserve exhibits in the Maine Coastal Ecology Center help tell the story of the ecology of theMaine coast.Farm, wildflowers and other Reserve plants, birdlife, signs of wildlife, estuarine ecology, and seasonaltopics in natural history. These tours are ledby docent naturalists and appeal to residents andtourists alike.Group Tours and Programs are offered to groupssuch as scouts, elderhostel, day cares, and othercommunity groups. These may be customized tothe particular interests of the attending group, butthey tend to focus on wildlife at the Reserve, estuarylife, or sandy beaches.hatchings and the return of birds. Timing of phenologicalevents are ideal indicators of the impactof local and global changes in weather and climate.Previously conducted tours have focused on owls,woodcock, vernal pools, coastal geology, celestialevents, fall foliage, and nocturnal life.Special Programs are two- to three-hour programsthat families or adults can experience together.Activities have included fish seining, casting wildlifetracks, viewing plankton under a microscope,and other hands-on fun.Seasonal Programs explore specific topics relatedto the phenology of the Wells Reserve (i.e., thestudy of plant and animal life cycle events, whichare triggered by environmental change, especiallytemperature). Many phenomena are included, fromfirst openings of leaf and flower buds, to insectFor Self-guided Group Trips, Wells Reserve educatorswork with community group leaders to customizetours that meet specific needs. Participantsare provided with equipment, curriculum materials,and background reading on their selected subjects.Self-guided Field Trip topics have included wading74 Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve