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A pair of Atlantic wolffish, which remain classified as a species of concern. (Jonathan Bird ) |
The Green Blog
Roach Ponds purchase links Maine wilderness areas
Excerpts from the Globe’s environmental blog.
A missing link is restored
Connectivity is a key word in the conservation movement these days: As land becomes more fragmented because of roads or subdivisions, environmental groups are looking to ensure large tracts of protected land are linked together.Now, with the announcement the Appalachian Mountain Club has purchased 29,500 acres of Maine woods, hikers, skiers, and backpackers have a 63-mile corridor to enjoy the wild, from near Greenville north to Baxter State Park. The purchase ensures almost 650,000 contiguous acres of conservation land is open for public recreational use.
The $11.5 million Roach Ponds purchase is the first milestone in a planned 400,000-acre conservation effort. The acreage, buffering more than 20 miles of the Appalachian Trail, also protects the headwaters of the West Branch of the Pleasant River, beloved by fishermen for brook trout.
This “marks an incredible step forward for land conservation and outdoor recreation in Maine,’’ said the AMC’s deputy director, Walter Graff, who helped broker the deal. “This parcel has been the missing link in a corridor of protected land.’’
AMC has donated a conservation easement on the property to the state to ensure it is protected forever.
Wolffish not endangered
The National Marine Fisheries Service has determined the ever-so-ugly Atlantic wolffish should not be placed on the endangered species list.Last year, the Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation petitioned the government for a listing, noting that wolffish numbers have severely declined. They also hoped the wolffish’s plight would draw attention to its neighborhood - the rocky, boulder-strewn sea floor, which can be disrupted when fishermen drag a net across the bottom.
The government did say the Atlantic wolffish will continue to be classified as a species of concern, meaning there will be research dollars available to ensure it does not become endangered.
Making do with less
Hoping to figure out how to make do with a lot less money, the state Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has scheduled six “listening sessions’’ to hear the public’s ideas on how to meet environmental goals, despite budget cuts.Secretary Ian Bowles is focusing on three areas: public-private partnerships to help manage state parks and other Department of Conservation and Recreation properties; regulatory models that protect the environment through innovative means, such as privatization of the cleanup of hazardous waste sites; and reorganizing agencies to help clarify missions and reduce duplication.
Here is the schedule:
■Public Private Partnerships: Nov. 17, 4-6 p.m., 100 Cambridge St., Boston, 2d floor, conference Room A-B-C; Nov. 18, 4-6 p.m., Governor’s Western Mass. Office, 436 Dwight St., Springfield.
■New Regulatory Models: Nov. 17, 4-6 p.m., DEP office, 617 Main St., Worcester; Nov. 20, noon-2 p.m., DEP Office, 1 Winter St., Boston, 2d floor.
■Reorganization/Consolidation: Today, 4-6 p.m., DAR Amherst Office, 101 University Drive, Amherst, main conference room; Nov. 19, 4-6 p.m., 100 Cambridge St., Boston, 2d floor, conference room B
Written comments may be submitted to: EEA Budget Reform Teams, 100 Cambridge St., Suite 900, Boston, MA 02114
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