INDEX:
---EDITOR'S NOTE---

---EDITOR'S CHOICE---
Extension of Public Comment Period on SWANCC ANPRM
EPA Finds No Basis for Withdrawing Ohio Environmental Programs
NY Times: Wetlands Protection Fades
NJ: Amendments to Coastal Permit Program and Freshwater Wetlands Rules Proposed

---NATIONAL UPDATES---
Bush Administration Fails 2002 Salmon Test
Interior Secretary Working on Ways to Avoid Water Fights in the West
Satellites Reveal Ground Subsidence from Water-Level Declines in Parts of Mojave Desert
One-Fifth of US in Drought, Little Relief Seen
Waterfowl Experts Say Duck Hunting is on 'Last Line of Defense'
USDA Seeks Farmers' View on Conservation Program
New Scientific Assessment Details Future of Chesapeake Bay

---LEGISLATIVE UPDATES---
FY 2003 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed
President Releases Proposed Fiscal Year 2004 Budget

---STATES NEWS---
Fish and Wildlife Service Designates Plant Critical Habitat on Kauai and Niihau     
Virginia Approves Plan to Put 1 Million Asian Oysters in Chesapeake Bay
OH: 401 WQC Application Reviewers Assigned to Watersheds
NJ: Stormwater Runoff Impacts to Wetlands Results in Fines
MN: 904 Acres of Prairie, Wetlands Protected
California Coastal Commission to be Restructured, Continue Regulating
CT DEP Plans $800,00 Wetland Restoration Project in West Haven
FL: State Partnership Creates 16,000-Acre Conservation Corridor
FL DEP Releases Everglades Water Quality Standard
[OR] Coho Boom of 2002 May Herald Recovery
Florida’s Indian River Lagoon Protection Caps 15-Year Effort

---PUBLICATIONS AND RESOURCES---
FWS Report Identifies Birds of Conservation Concern
HGM Regional Guidebook Released for Blackwater Riverine Wetlands in Peninsular Florida
EPA Releases New Watershed Management Guide for Stakeholder Involvement
NEW! A Comprehensive Guide to Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands
Species Diversity Remains in Remnant Wetlands
With Fewer Parasites, Invasive Species Gain Competitive Edge
Bird Poop Helps Damaged Seagrass Beds Recover
USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Posts Updates, Abstracts to Website

---POTPOURRI---
New Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies MS Program Looking for Students
Great Lakes National Program Office Funding Guidance - Request for Proposals
Seasonal Wetlands Positions in Eugene
$34.8 M in Grants to Support Habitat Conservation for Imperiled Species on Private Lands

---MEETINGS AND CONFERENCES---
For a rolling calendar of meeting, conferences, and other events visit the ASWM calendar

EDITOR'S NOTE

Dear friends and colleagues,

A SWANCC ANPRM 45-day extension on the comment period was printed in the 2/28/03 Federal Register and is posted on the U. S. Environmental Protection Agencies' website at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/swanccnav.html#extension The end of the comment period will be April 16; additional details are below.

On the home front: When I decided that we could wait until spring to sell the old car and replace it with a newer model, my husband shrugged his shoulders and said, “Fine.  You drive it.”  So I did.  And, within a week of my driving in below zero weather in a car with no heat and a driver side door that would not open, we had a new car. A Honda Civic Hybrid.  I always knew I married a smart man.  My daughter shows signs of intelligence, too, yet her favorite word is “poopie.”  As in, “poopie-head”, “poopie-doctor,” etc. She would be pleased to see that I included an article in this edition with the word “poop” in the headline. 

If you are still reading, thanks to the contributors to this Edition, including Earle Cummings [enjoying life in California], Sean Rolland [America’s Clean Water Foundation], and Jeanne Christie [ASWM].

Until next time,

Jennifer Brady-Connor
Editor, Wetland Breaking News

EDITOR'S CHOICE

Extension of Public Comment Period on SWANCC ANPRM

EPA WaterNews for February 25, 2003. In response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Solid Waste Agency of Northern Cook County v. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.  EPA and the Department of the Army jointly issued an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on Jan. 15, 2003.  The ANPRM seeks information on factors related to the jurisdictional status of isolated intrastate non-navigable waters under the CWA, invites comments as to whether any other clarifications are needed to the existing jurisdictional regulations, and seeks information on the potential aquatic resource impacts of SWANCC as well as information on state water resource protection programs for isolated waters. The ANPRM was issued with a 45-day comment period closing on Mar. 3, 2003.  In light of requests from the public for an extension of that public comment period, EPA and Army on Feb. 24, 2003, signed a notice that will be published in the Federal Register providing an additional 45 days for public comment.  As a result, the ANPRM comment period now closes Apr. 16, 2003.  Additional information on SWANCC and the ANPRM may be found on EPA's website at http://www.epa.gov/owow/wetlands/swanccnav.html.

Clean Water Act Bills Introduced to Stave Off Isolated Wetland Losses

IWLA news release, 2/26/03. Legislators in both the House and Senate announced plans to introduce legislation that would clearly define the waters of the United States that are protected by the Clean Water Act. Broad protection of critical wetland resources was put in jeopardy by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited the Clean Water Act’s protection of so-called isolated wetlands. “This legislative effort in both the House and Senate takes a important step forward in our effort to protect all wetlands, reflects a common view that these wetlands should be protected under the Clean Water Act, and moves this debate forward in a constructive way,” said Jim Mosher, the Izaak Walton League’s conservation director. “These legislators have proposed a bill that will move this debate forward in a meaningful and bipartisan way and ultimately lead to a common sense solution that protects these vital wetlands and the ducks, geese, and other wildlife that depend on them.” U.S. Reps. John Dingell (D-MI), Jim Oberstar (D-MN), Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY), and Jim Leach (R-IA) and U.S. Sens. Russ Feingold (D-WI) James Jeffords (I-VT), and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) were expected to introduce the Clean Water Authority Restoration Act of 2003 in the House and Senate today. http://www.iwla.org/pressrel/release.asp?p_releaseid=84

EPA Finds No Basis for Withdrawing Ohio Environmental Programs

EPA Region 5 news release. CHICAGO (Feb. 13, 2003) - Following an extensive 2-year review, USEPA Region 5 announced it has found no basis to withdraw federal approval of Ohio Environmental programs. Four Ohio environmental groups had requested the review. "We exhaustively reviewed Ohio EPA's programs, along with each of the thousands of comments provided by the petitioners, the public and state officials.  We found nothing that would justify the withdrawal of these programs," said EPA Region 5 Administrator Thomas V. Skinner. EPA reviewed the state's administration of the federal Resource Conservation and Recovery, Clean Water and Clean Air Acts. EPA also looked at Ohio's environmental enforcement offices and criminal enforcement program. EPA staff visited Ohio district and central offices, the Ohio attorney general's office and local air agencies; interviewed employees; and reviewed files. The final report and other relevant documents are online at www.epa.gov/region5/ohioreview/. A notice of the decision will be published soon in the Federal Register and will be available at www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/ the same day it is published.

NY Times: Wetlands Protection Fades

By DOUGLAS JEHL, February 11, 2003. NY Times, SEABROOK, TX — “The first time the Army Corps of Engineers counted how much federally protected wetlands would be lost to a colossal new container port being planned here, it came up with more than 100 acres. The next time, the agency revised that count to fewer than three acres. That was good news for the Port of Houston, the sponsor of the $1.2 billion project. But it was bad news for environmentalists, who found that one of their main arguments against the terminal, its effects on protected wetlands, had been deeply undercut. The revision in the wetlands figure may have been drastic, but it was not isolated. For two years, the engineers, by statute the country's pre-eminent protector of wetlands, have been recalculating its authority, and what is now emerging, in places like Seabrook is evidence of a broad retreat . . . ” http://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/11/national/11WETL.html?ex=1045964405&ei=1&en

NJ: Amendments to Coastal Permit Program and Freshwater Wetlands Rules Proposed

NJ DEP news release, 2/18/2003. The proposed amendments to the Coastal Permit Program Rules relate to an increase in the application fees for waterfront development permits, Wetlands Act of 1970 (coastal wetlands) permits, and Coastal Area Facility Review Act (CAFRA) permits. In addition, the Department is proposing to amend the application fees for waterfront development permits to add a fee for the request for a written determination of exemption from the permitting requirements.  The proposed amendments to the Freshwater Wetland Protection Act Rules relate to an increase in the application fees for letters of interpretation (LOIs), general permit authorizations (GPs), transition area waivers (TAWs), individual permits (IPs), and the combination of these fees with one another and with fees pursuant to the Flood Hazard Area Control Act rules (N.J.A.C. 7:13). In addition, a new fee is proposed for Individual Water Quality Certificates. For more information, see the secondary public notice at www.nj.gov/dep/rules/notices/021803b.html.

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NATIONAL UPDATE

Bush Administration Fails 2002 Salmon Test

Save Our Wild Salmon Coalition news release, 2/26/03. For the second year in a row, the Bush administration and various federal agencies failed to implement its own plan designed to save endangered Columbia and Snake river wild salmon and steelhead from extinction. According to a report card issued today by conservationists and members of the sport and commercial fishing industries, the government failed to implement more than 70 percent of the 150 measures required in 2002 under the federal Salmon Plan. http://www.wildsalmon.org

Interior Secretary Working on Ways to Avoid Water Fights in the West

ENN Daily News for February 28, 2003. Interior Secretary Gale Norton has begun developing ways to ease some of the perennial conflicts over water in the West before another potentially fierce wildfire season and more drought-related fights. http://www.enn.com/news/2003-02-28/s_3049.asp

Satellites Reveal Ground Subsidence from Water-Level Declines in Parts of Mojave Desert

USGS news release, 02/24/03. Using the satellite mapping process known as interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR), USGS scientists have detected large earth surface depressions near agricultural areas in the southwestern portion of the Mojave Desert. The subsidence occurred between 1992 and 1999 and is linked to declining water levels. "The compaction of the aquifer systems in these areas may be permanent," said Michelle Sneed, USGS scientist and lead author of the study. The report can be found on the Internet at http://water.usgs.gov/pubs/wri/wri034015/

One-Fifth of US in Drought, Little Relief Seen

Planet Ark World Environment News, 2/13/03. Washington – “Despite winter storms, one-fifth of the United States remains in a drought with some Plains and Western states facing the worst conditions in a century, U.S. government weather forecasters said this week. The drought, which began last year, has withered grazing pastures, dried up water reservoirs and reduced crop yields, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration . . . “
http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/19816/story.htm

Waterfowl Experts Say Duck Hunting is on 'Last Line of Defense'

2/12/03. By Bob Marshall, Outdoors editor, The Times-Picayune. “As duck hunting ended two weeks ago, many waterfowlers complained the season was one of their worst . . . But the nation's top waterfowl managers have some sobering news for the nation's 3 million duck hunters and the $1 billion industry that relies on them: Even leaner days may be ahead, including shorter seasons -- or no seasons at all. ‘What they experienced this year could seem like a picnic compared to what might be coming,’ said Ron Reynolds, waterfowl habitat specialist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service . . . Reynolds is referring to a chain of events started two years ago when a Supreme Court decision stripped federal protection from the continent's most critical duck-breeding habitat, a loss the Bush administration last month decided not to remedy. That has left protection of key duck-breeding grounds resting with a provision of the Farm Bill called the "Swampbuster," an effective but voluntary program that encourages farmers not to drain wetlands . . . “ For the complete article visit http://www.aswm.org/wbn/archive/03/030228a.htm

USDA Seeks Farmers' View on Conservation Program

Planet Ark World News, 2/12/03. Washington – “[USDA] asked farmers and environmentalists to suggest how the government should structure its new Conservation Security Program, which rewards producers for soil, water and wildlife stewardship . . . Some lawmakers have tried to limit it to a one-state pilot program this year rather than a nationwide program. ‘Comments gathered during the 30-day comment period will help us develop a proposed rule,’ said Bruce Knight, head of USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service. The USDA expects to publish the notice in the Federal Register soon, which would kick off the public comment period, after which a proposed rule would be drawn up . . . “ http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/19786/story.htm

New Scientific Assessment Details Future of Chesapeake Bay

Chesapeake Bay Program news release, 2/10/03. Washington, DC – A new report details potential futures of the Chesapeake Bay, depending on the course of action the Bay region takes in the next three decades. Among its findings, Chesapeake Futures: Choices for the 21st Century makes clear that failing to meet current Bay commitments may result in losing hard won gains made in fifteen years of Bay restoration. Chesapeake Futures provides a forward-looking analysis of the environmental health of the Bay ecosystem in 2030 by examining three possible scenarios. The scenarios – based on continuing recent trends, meeting current objectives, and implementing feasible alternatives – paint three distinct pictures of the Bay’s future. http://www.chesapeakebay.net/press.htm

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LEGISLATIVE UPDATES

FY 2003 Omnibus Appropriations Bill Passed

NRCS Legislative Update, 2/24/03. “On Thursday, February 20, President Bush signed into law, H.J. Res. 2, an omnibus appropriations bill containing 11 FY 2003 appropriations bills. The legislation is more than 3,000 pages in length with an overall cost of $397.4 billion. The House passed the measure by a vote of 338-83 and the Senate later cleared the bill with a vote of 76-20. This law provides appropriations until September 30, 2003.”

President Releases Proposed Fiscal Year 2004 Budget

Excerpted from Audubon Advisory 2/14/03. On February 3rd, the Bush Administration released its budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2004, initiating the process in which the U.S. Congress determines how to fund the federal government from October 1, 2003, through September 30, 2004. This enormous bill lays out the President's funding allotments for every federal government agency and the programs and services coordinated by those agencies, such as taxes, social security, and the U.S. Mail. It also includes funding requests for EPA, NOAA, and US DOI . . . The Administration's proposal now moves to Congress, where the U.S. House and Senate will review the President's funding requests, and make their own - and then final - determinations for the country. Read Audubon’s summary of the Administration's proposal here: http://www.audubon.org/campaign/budget.html

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STATES NEWS

Fish and Wildlife Service Designates Plant Critical Habitat on Kauai and Niihau     

Federal Register, 2/27/03. The USFWS published a final rule designating critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act for 83 threatened and endangered plants on the islands of Kauai and Niihau, in accordance with a federal court order. After taking into account new information and public comments, the Service has reduced the acreage to be included in critical habitat for threatened and endangered plants by almost 50 percent. Cyperus trachysanthos, a member of the sedge family (Cyperaceae), is a perennial grass-like plant with a short rhizome found in wet sites on the island of Kauai. On Kauai, the threats to this species are the loss of wetlands and a risk of extinction from naturally occurring events, such as landslides or hurricanes. http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/a030227c.html

Virginia Approves Plan to Put 1 Million Asian Oysters in Chesapeake Bay

ENN Daily News, 2/26/03. “Virginia officials Tuesday approved putting a million Asian oysters into the Chesapeake Bay, despite concerns that the experiment to save the beleaguered seafood industry could go awry. Harvests of the bay's native oyster have slumped badly, largely because of disease. [An] industry group submitted a similar proposal last summer but withdrew it after scientists said the two-year experiment could lead to unpredictable ecological consequences. The Virginia Institute of Marine Science supports the revised plan, saying it uses a more reliable method to render the oysters sterile and prevent them from spreading . . . “ http://www.enn.com/news/2003-02-26/s_2944.asp

OH: 401 WQC Application Reviewers Assigned to Watersheds

Ohio EPA Division of Surface Water has announced that 401 Water Quality Certification Application reviewers in the 401/Wetlands Section have been assigned specific watersheds across the State. According to the announcement, “By consolidating the areas in which reviewers conduct application reviews, the Section will increase the efficiency of its operations and allow better coordination with watershed groups and TMDL activities.” http://www.epa.state.oh.us/dsw/whatsnew.html

NJ: Stormwater Runoff Impacts to Wetlands Results in Fines

NJ DEP news release, 02/15/03. Trenton— New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced that Kaplan and Sons Construction Corporation, which is responsible for the La Mer residential development in Middlesex County, is being fined $208,500 for illegal stormwater discharges and for failure to prevent severe soil erosion runoff from impacting local wetlands. The DEP’s penalty assessment of $208,500 is based on violations of the New Jersey Water Pollution Control Act, including failure to properly maintain soil erosion and sedimentation controls. http://www.state.nj.us/dep/newsrel/releases/03_0015.htm

MN: 904 Acres of Prairie, Wetlands Protected

Trust for Public Land news release, 2/21/03. Crookston, MN - The Trust for Public Land and the USFWS announced the protection of 904 acres of tallgrass prairie and wetland in Polk County, Minnesota to become a new National Waterfowl Production Area. This past year more than 2,800 acres of prairie, wetland and critical wildlife habitat have been set aside as part of the Thorson Prairie conservation effort, becoming the largest project supported by the state Wildlife Corridors project. The Wildlife Corridors project was established by the 2001 Legislature as recommended by the Legislative Commission of Minnesota Resources to restore the fragmented landscape corridors that connect high quality habitats for the purpose of sustaining fish, wildlife and plant populations. http://www.tpl.org/tier2_cl.cfm?folder_id=186

California Coastal Commission to be Restructured, Continue Regulating

DAILY GRIST, 19 Feb 2003. “The California legislature has passed a bill to alter the structure of the California Coastal Commission, thereby enabling the powerful board to continue regulating development along the state's coast. Seven weeks ago, a state appeals court ruled that allowing the legislature to remove commissioners at will violated the state constitution's mandate to maintain separation of the legislative and executive branches of government.  Under the new structure, commissioners appointed by the legislature would serve fixed four-year terms; those appointed by the governor could still be removed at her or his will . . . “http://www.gristmagazine.com

CT DEP Plans $800,00 Wetland Restoration Project in West Haven

CT DEP news release, 2/18/03. The CT Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has proposed design plans for the restoration of the degraded Old Field Creek tidal marsh in West Haven. Efforts will focus on stopping the ongoing degradation, restoring wetland functions and values to the fullest extent possible; and assuring that the restoration will not increase flood frequency to low-lying properties. The restoration of Old Field Creek is estimated to cost $800,000. Since 1980, the DEP’s Office of Long Island Sound Programs (OLISP), in partnership with federal, municipal and private non-profit organizations, has been systematically restoring degraded tidal wetlands along Connecticut’s coast. To date, over 1700 acres of wetlands have been restored. http://dep.state.ct.us/whatshap/press/2003/mf0218.htm

FL: State Partnership Creates 16,000-Acre Conservation Corridor

FL DEP news release, Tallahassee, FL - Today’s unanimous vote by Governor Bush and the Florida Cabinet approves the acquisition of environmentally significant land that creates a 16,000-acre conservation corridor in St. Johns County. The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) joined with the St. Johns River Water Management District to purchase 8,465 acres of the Northeast Florida Blueway, a chain of marshes and tidal lands. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/comm/2003/february/0211.htm

FL DEP Releases Everglades Water Quality Standard

FL DEP news release, 2/10/03. Fort Lauderdale, FL - Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Secretary David B. Struhs announced the proposed numeric water quality standard for phosphorus in America’s Everglades. Decades of scientific research and biological analyses provide the basis for the standard. The rule establishes the process for improving water quality and restoring natural systems in the famed River of Grass. http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/comm/2003/february/0220.htm

[OR] Coho Boom of 2002 May Herald Recovery

Jonathan Brinckman, Oregon Live, 2/6/03. “Oregon's coastal coho, a feisty salmon that suffered declines sharp enough to warrant endangered species protection, has rebounded to numbers not seen since the early 1950s. Roughly 242,000 wild coho returned to Oregon's coastal rivers last year, more than 15 times the record low of 1997, when just 14,068 returned. State biologists are stunned: They had predicted just 71,800 wild coho would enter Oregon rivers to climb their way back to the streams where they were born in 2002. Hatchery-born coho also had an extraordinary year. State officials had predicted that 362,000 cultivated fish would return to coastal rivers and the Columbia in 2002. The actual number was 660,100 . . . “ http://www.oregonlive.com/printer/printer.ssf?/base/news/1044536481238501.xml

Florida’s Indian River Lagoon Protection Caps 15-Year Effort

The Conservation Fund news release, 2/5/03.  Arlington, VA – A chain of islands in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon will now be permanently protected for wildlife habitat and open space as the result of a long-awaited purchase agreement negotiated by The Conservation Fund. The $15.1 million transaction will end 15 years of controversy and litigation regarding the property, located in one of the nation’s most biologically diverse estuaries. The property, known as the Lost Tree Islands, consists of 12 islands in the Indian River Lagoon and part of the main barrier island known as McCuller’s Point, totaling approximately 500 acres. http://www.conservationfund.org/?article=2691&back=true

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NEW PUBLICATIONS and RESOURCES

FWS Report Identifies Birds of Conservation Concern

FWS news release, 2/7/03. Emphasizing the need to conserve declining species long before they require the protection of the Endangered Species Act, the USFWS released its Birds of Conservation Concern 2002 report.  The report identifies more than 100 bird species that deserve prompt conservation attention to stabilize or increase populations or to secure threatened habitats. The report will assist efforts by Federal and State agencies, conservation organizations, private companies, and landowners to protect and restore bird habitat and reduce the impact of their activities on species of concern. In addition, species included in this report can be given priority consideration for funding for research, monitoring, and management. http://news.fws.gov

HGM Regional Guidebook Released for Blackwater Riverine Wetlands in Peninsular Florida

U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center announcement. "A Regional Guidebook for Applying the Hydrogeomorphic Approach to Assessing Wetland Functions of Low-Gradient, Blackwater Riverine Wetlands in Peninsular Florida." An HMG Regional Guidebook for assessing the functions of low-gradient blackwater riverine wetlands in peninsular Florida. The report characterizes low-gradient blackwater riverine wetlands in peninsular Florida, then discusses (a) the rationale used to select functions, (b) the rationale used to select model variables and metrics, (c) the rationale used to develop assessment models, and (d) the data from reference wetlands used to calibrate model variables and assessment models. http://libweb.wes.army.mil/uhtbin/hyperion/EL-TR-03-3.pdf  

EPA Releases New Watershed Management Guide for Stakeholder Involvement

EPA is pleased to announce the publication and release of a new guide entitled "Getting in Step: Engaging and Involving Stakeholders in Your Watershed." The guide, which is the second in the popular "Getting in Step" series, features information on how to generate interest and participation in watershed assessment, planning, and management. A web-based version of the new guide (along with the previous "Guide to Effective Outreach in Your Watershed") is posted online at http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/outreach/documents/

NEW! A Comprehensive Guide to Great Lakes Coastal Wetlands

Where Land Meets Water: Understanding Wetlands of the Great Lakes presents up-to-date coastal wetland science in an accessible manner, with graphics, maps and illustrations designed to enhance understanding of these important ecosystems. The book emerged from the research and ideas presented at the Great Lakes coastal wetlands symposium at the Quebec 2000: Millennium Wetland Event. All topics are explored from a binational perspective, including wetland evolution and classification; ecological functions and values of wetlands; coastal wetland ecology; wetland stressors; wetland rehabilitation, including case studies; and wetland conservation activities. The guide is available from EPA’s Great Lakes National Program Office at (312) 886-7474 or brail.lawrence@epa.gov.

Species Diversity Remains in Remnant Wetlands

2/10/03. Great Lakes Radio Consortium's Bill Wheelhouse reports: “Nearly 90 percent of the wetlands in the Midwest are gone. They have been replaced by farm fields and development. A study in the February issue of Conservation Biology says despite the [change, most] of the native species have survived in the remaining wetlands. Co-author David Jenkins is a biologist at the University of Illinois. He says the study of crustaceans shows more than 90-percent of those species are surviving in isolated shallow ponds and puddles. Jenkins says the wetlands range in size from an office cubicle to a football field. He says there is far more biodiversity tucked away in the Midwest than previously thought, but says the remaining wetlands must be protected . . . “ http://glrc.org/story.php3?story_id=1808

With Fewer Parasites, Invasive Species Gain Competitive Edge

USGS news release, 2/5/03. Invasive species -- second only to habitat destruction in threatening biodiversity -- have far fewer parasites and less illness to contend with than their native competitors, according to two new studies in the Feb. 6 issue of the journal Nature. In super pests such as the European green crab, this escape from parasites means the crab gains an unfair advantage over the competition. http://www.usgs.gov/public/press/public_affairs/press_releases/index.html

Bird Poop Helps Damaged Seagrass Beds Recover

MARATHON, Florida, February 26, 2003 (ENS) – “Bird droppings may help to restore damaged seagrass beds in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. Biologists from [NOAA] Damage Assessment Center plan to call on wild birds for help by installing a series of bird stakes - vertical PVC pipes topped by wooden blocks - over several seagrass beds injured by boat groundings in locations from Key West to Key Largo. Weather permitting, work will begin in the next few weeks at a site near Marathon where the Motor Vessel N'Control ran aground. The use of bird stakes is one of several methods NOAA biologists are using to restore seagrass beds injured by vessel groundings . . . “ http://ens-news.com/ens/feb2003/2003-02-26-09.asp#anchor8 or visit http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2003/feb03/noaa03r405.html

USGS Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Posts Updates, Abstracts to Website

Each of the following are discussed in further detail at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/whatsnew.htm
1) Biological Resource -- Habitat Fragmentation Effects on Birds in Grasslands and Wetlands: A Critique of Our Knowledge provides a critical review of existing studies done on fragmentation effects for breeding birds in grassland and wetland habitats.
2) Biological Resource -- Multiple Tube Sampler for Benthic and Pelagic Invertebrates in Shallow Wetlands details the construction and use of a multiple tube device for quantitative sampling of small aquatic invertebrates in wetlands.
3) Update -- A species account and annotated bibliography for the Virginia Rail has been added to the Effects of Management Practices on Wetland Birds.
4) Update -- Bird Checklists of the United States has been updated to include a revised checklist for Alaska and a new checklist for Iowa.

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POTPOURRI

New Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies MS Program Looking for Students

Coastal Carolina University is seeking qualified graduate students for its new Masters Degree in Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies.  This degree offers diverse studies of the processes, features, and organisms within the coastal zone.  Current areas of strength include coastal marine geology, coastal environmental chemistry, ecology of freshwater, estuarine and marine habitats and the impact humans have on them. Further information is available at www.coastal.edu/science/coastalstudies/ or contact Dr. Douglas D. Nelson, College of Science, Coastal Carolina University, P.O. Box 261945, Conway S.C. 29526, (843)349-2202, dnelson@coastal.edu.

Great Lakes National Program Office Funding Guidance - Request for Proposals

Federal Register, 2/7/03. EPA's Great Lakes National Program Office (GLNPO) is requesting Proposals for up to $4,827,000 for projects furthering protection and clean up of the Great Lakes ecosystem. The initial deadline for all Proposals is 8 a.m. Central time, March 31, 2003, with a separate rolling deadline for specified conferences and publications. The RFP is available on the Internet at http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/fund/2003guid/.

Seasonal Wetlands Positions in Eugene

The West Eugene Wetlands Program will hire about 15 seasonal employees this spring and summer to work on one of three teams:  (a) Botanical Monitoring Team (3 people), (b) Seed Collection Team (4 people), or (c) Wetland Maintenance and Operations Team (8 people).  Employment on any of these teams will provide an excellent introduction to the successful wetland habitat restoration program of the West Eugene Wetlands Program, and employees will gain considerable experience with the identification of native Willamette Valley wetland plants and non-native wetland plants. For details visit http://www.ci.eugene.or.us/jobs/new&current.htm [Click on the link for "Botany Assistant 1, Botany Assistant 2 & Wetlands Maintenance" to view the position description.]

$34.8 M in Grants to Support Habitat Conservation for Imperiled Species on Private Lands

US DOI news release, 2/25/03. Interior Secretary Gale A. Norton announced $34.8 million in grants to states under a new partnership program to assist private landowners in conserving and restoring the habitat of endangered species and other at-risk plants and animals. The cost-share grants are part of the administration’s new Landowner Incentive Program. With these grants, states will be able to provide financial and technical assistance to interested landowners. The Landowner Incentive Program supports the administration’s overall Cooperative Conservation Initiative, which includes a number of conservation grant programs to assist states, tribes, conservation organizations, private landowners and others in conservation projects and programs. http://www.doi.gov/news/030225.htm

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