WATERFOWL ALWAYS: THE PROGRAM PLAN

Transcription

1 WATERFOWL ALWAYS: THE PROGRAM PLAN

2 WATERFOWL CHESAPEAKE INC. WHITE PAPER INTRODUCTION When explorer George Aslop visited the Chesapeake Bay in the 1600s, he wrote that waterfowl so engulfed the Bay that as they made room for us, there was such an incessant clattering made with their wings on the water where they rose, and such a noise of those flying higher up, that it was as if we were all the time surrounded by a whirlwind. Strategically located along the Atlantic Flyway, the open water, shallows and marshes of the Chesapeake and Maryland coastal bays are home to resident, as well as migratory, waterfowl species. Experts believe millions of ducks, geese, and swans once wintered here, where they built up their energy reserves for the long flight to their distant breeding grounds by eating underwater grasses, clams and mussels. Today, the Chesapeake is home to about 1 million waterfowl in the winter accounting for about a third of the entire Atlantic coast waterfowl population. While some species have thrived, others have diminished, including the American black duck, tundra swan, redhead duck and canvasback duck. In some cases, such as the black duck, populations are at historically low levels as natural and human factors have reshaped habitats, altered food resources, and changed the ecology of the Chesapeake system itself. Clearly there are ecological and cultural benefits of a healthy waterfowl community in the Chesapeake. But the economic value of these species makes an equally compelling argument for their conservation. According to a 2012 study, outdoor recreation activities on the Delmarva Peninsula drive an economy valued at nearly $4 billion per year and support tens of thousands of jobs. Hunting, fishing and wildlife watching on the Delmarva draw 1.6 million participants who spend more than $1.5 billion annually. Strides have been made since Dr. Harry Walsh, in his 1971 book The Outlaw Gunner, brought attention to the depleting populations of geese, swans and ducks that migrate annually through the Chesapeake Bay. Four decades of attention to this cause focusing primarily on restoring and replacing dwindling acreage of wetland habitat has served as a strong foundation in the efforts to restore species populations. But there is much more to be done to achieve and sustain the vision of Waterfowl Chesapeake: Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 2

3 Vision of Waterfowl Chesapeake: Present and future generations will cherish the beauty of abundant waterfowl thriving in their habitat throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and nearby coastal bays through the comprehensive efforts of Waterfowl Chesapeake. Mission of Waterfowl Chesapeake: Waterfowl Chesapeake will create, restore and conserve waterfowl habitat throughout the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and nearby coastal bays by engaging in collaborative, strategic initiatives with organizations, governments, corporations, foundations and individuals. Waterfowl Chesapeake is dedicated to taking actions in six strategic areas to achieve this mission by: Protecting and conserving critical habitat and expanding food resources available to waterfowl at all times of the year; Educating and involving citizens, landowners, and policy leaders in community-based waterfowl conservation programs; Increasing our scientific understanding of issues affecting waterfowl in the Chesapeake and facilitating the communication of relevant scientific findings; Responding to sea level rise issues, especially those associated with climate change, affecting waterfowl; Serving as a neutral convener and policy advocate for Chesapeake waterfowl conservation; and Promoting public understanding and enjoyment of waterfowl through support for environmental education programs available to the region s students. Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 3

4 FACTORS AFFECTING WATERFOWL IN THE CHESAPEAKE AND MARYLAND COASTAL BAYS TYPES OF WATERFOWL IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY REGION The major current threats to the persistence of waterfowl populations in the Chesapeake Bay region are: Loss of habitat due to coastal development and other land use changes; Loss of food resources due to water pollution and other human activities that have influenced the ecology of the system; and Effects of climate change, especially rising sea-level and heightened storm surges. While certain species of waterfowl are more adaptive to changes in the environment and/or have responded well to management solutions, overall waterfowl in the Chesapeake remain vulnerable due to the action of, or interaction among, one or more of these factors. Habitat Loss. A variety of fish and wildlife habitat have been greatly diminished in the Chesapeake Bay watershed over the past several decades. Habitats that are of particular value to waterfowl are no exception. Bay Grasses. Also called submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), the several species of Bay grasses are a primary food source for waterfowl. They also are significant nursery habitats that protect juvenile blue crabs and finfish from predators. Historically, the Bay had up to 600,000 acres of SAV; today, there are less than 70,000 acres. Wetlands. A variety of living resources depend on different types of wetlands for shelter and food. In the Bay area, there are bottomland hardwood swamps, fresh marshes, salt marshes, and beds of SAV. Although wetlands make up only about 4 percent of the Bay watershed, these 1.5 million acres of habitat serve essential functions in the ecosystem, including acting as water filters and providing habitat for fish and wildlife. Within the Chesapeake Bay, more than 60 percent of the historic wetlands no longer exist. American Black Duck Dabbling Ducks. Aqua%c plants are the chief food of dabbling ducks, which go bo:oms up to forage underwater. The familiar mallards adapt well to human ac%vi%es and their popula%on has remained strong with about 92,000 birds counted in By contrast, black ducks are less adap%ve to human ac%vi%es and more dependent upon the marshes and Bay islands for forage and nes%ng grounds. They have undergone a sharp decline. In the Bay, mallards and black ducks are year round species, while wood ducks are in the region from spring through fall. Other dabbling ducks that make the Bay their home for a por%on of the year are the green- winged teal in the fall and winter; blue- winged teal in late summer and again in the spring; and widgeons, gadwalls, and pintails from fall through spring. Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 4

5 Canvasback Tundra Swan Canada Goose Loon Diving Ducks. Roughly 260,000 diving ducks visit or reside yearround in Bay waters, with the canvasback the most abundant. In the 1930s an estimated half million canvasbacks visited the Susquehanna Flats each Fall. Less than fifty thousand canvasbacks come to the Chesapeake today a decrease due to changes in their nesting sites in the North American prairie, overhunting, and declines in underwater Bay grasses (submerged aquatic vegetation, SAV). Other diving ducks that make the Bay their home part of the year include bufflehead, mergansers, scaup, long-tailed ducks, redheads., common goldeneyes and scoters. Large rafts of ruddy ducks can make this species a locally abundant winter resident. Swans. The tundra swan is currently the only native North American swan to visit the Bay. These Eastern population birds raise their young in summer on Arctic tundra, then head southeast. Up to 30,000 winter on the Bay (most in Maryland), feeding on clams, underwater grasses and corn in upland fields. There is evidence that small populations of trumpeter swan America s largest waterfowl -- once wintered in the region but the potential return of this species to the Chesapeake remains highly speculative. Geese. Migratory Canada geese, Atlantic brant and snow geese all overwinter in the Bay region, and Canada geese are now a common sight grazing on leftover grain in Eastern Shore fields. Their numbers declined in the 1990s due to poor tundra nesting conditions and overhunting, but with careful management stocks today are rebounding. The larger Giant Canada goose, together with at least two other species of the Canada Goose have become year-round Bay residents with over 218,000 counted in Maryland and Virginia in The impact of this subspecies on water quality, agriculture, public lands, and food for migratory geese have spurred ongoing control efforts. Loons and Grebes. The haunting cry of the loon is symbolic of North Country lakes lucky enough to have one or more breeding pairs. But waters of the Chesapeake and coastal bays host large numbers of these birds as migrants and winter residents. While loons feed mainly on fish, the smaller grebes also eat small invertebrates and some vegetation. During winter loons molt and actually lose their flight feathers for several weeks, making their survival highly dependent on finding waters that provide a reliable source of small fish. In late March through April individual birds may utter at least a piece of their famous yodel before departing for points North. Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 5

6 Oyster Reefs. Oysters were historically the single most influential component of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem, the Great Shellfish Bay. Their filtration activity removed both food and sediment particles from the water and created a food chain that was largely responsible for the Bay s legendary productivity. Their ability to form reefs tall enough to break the surface at low tide contributed to tidal mixing of the water column and served as habitat for species as diverse as marine worms, crabs, and fish - all food sources for waterfowl. Due to disease, overfishing, siltation, and other problems, only about 1 percent of the historic native oyster population remains and very different organisms now dictate the behavior of Chesapeake nutrient cycles and general ecology. Loss of Food Resources. As water quality deteriorates in the Bay and its rivers so do the conditions that support bay grasses. Too many nutrients and sediment are the leading causes of water pollution in the Chesapeake. These nutrients and sediments come from the end of pipes, such as sewage treatment plants, or from non-point sources, like parking lots, farm fields, and atmospheric deposition of chemicals from vehicle and power plant emissions. Addressing water pollution is essential if waterfowl food resources are to be restored. Sea Level Rise and Associated Climate Change. An emerging and potentially serious environmental problem is rising of sea level associated with global climate change. The Chesapeake itself is a product of sea level rise which began 10,000 years ago as the last major ice age came to an end. But global warming is accelerating the rate beyond that which natural biological and geological processes can accommodate. The result is expected to be a significant threat to the presence and extent of suitable habitat for waterfowl that depend on coastal waters for breeding or wintering. Wetland loss due to rising sea levels is also likely to be exacerbated in areas where shoreline developments prevent the natural landward migration of coastal wetlands. According to a 2008 report, Chesapeake Bay coastal habitats will be dramatically threatened if sea levels rise globally about two feet by the end of the century, which is at the low end of what is predicted. Under this scenario, the region would lose: More than 167,000 acres of undeveloped dry land 58% of beaches along ocean coasts 69% of estuarine beaches along the bay 161,000 acres of brackish marsh More than half of the region s important tidal swamp Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 6

7 WATERFOWL CHESAPEAKE STRATEGIC AREAS Listing of Strategies 1. Protecting and conserving critical waterfowl habitat and expanding their food resources by securing funding for projects that: a. Result in long-term improvements to habitats of significant value to waterfowl, such as the various types of wetlands, submerged aquatic vegetation, and oyster reefs; and b. Address measures to improve food resources to levels that will help sustain healthy populations of waterfowl species. This aerial photograph shows the fortified isthmus that separates Hail Cove in the foreground from Hail Creek in the background. One of Waterfowl Chesapeake s most collaborative habitat restoration projects to date has been the Chester River Hail Cove Living Shoreline Project at Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, located at the confluence of the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay in Kent County, Maryland. The Project, which received a distinguished award from the Coastal America Partnership, demonstrates how an innovative shoreline project involving public, private, non-profit and corporate partners, can protect and restore high priority habitat for waterfowl. Low profile headland breakwaters, shallow stone sills and salt marsh plantings were installed to reduce the effects of wind and wave erosion that had breached a 450-foot sandbar. The protected isthmus separates 108 acres of submerged aquatic vegetation ( SAV ) in the shallow and slow moving water of Hail Creek from Hail Cove and the faster water currents of the Chester River. The restored shoreline now protects the SAV - a critical food source for canvasback, scaup, and other diving ducks - and provides shelter from Northwest winds to thousands of dabbling ducks. Additionally, it creates habitat suitable for diamondback terrapin nesting and migratory shorebird feeding. An arc of stone was also placed underwater between the breakwaters and seeded with adult native oysters to develop a reef ecosystem that benefits waterfowl, blue crabs, mussels and striped bass. Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 7

8 2. Educating and involving citizens, landowners and policy leaders in community-based waterfowl conservation programs including: a. Expanding the use of the annual Waterfowl Festival to educate and celebrate the cultural, environmental, and ecological importance of waterfowl in the Chesapeake region; and b. Investing in community-based conservation projects that serve as demonstration projects and learning laboratories for the general public, from school children to adults, and policy leaders. The Bay Street Ponds Project is an excellent example of a conservation demonstration project located in the urban setting of downtown Easton in Talbot County, Maryland. Far from simply green space, the six acre site includes two ponds which continuously collect runoff from mostly impervious surfaces within the town, along with nutrient-laden waters from agricultural lands in the 700+ acre watershed of the Tanyard Branch creek. Excessive siltation led to frequent flooding and had severely impaired the ponds ability to function properly as storm water collectors for the Town of Easton. In addition, runoff was introducing nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants into the ponds which empty into the Tred Avon River and, ultimately, the Chesapeake Bay. The Phase One restoration project, undertaken , included dredging and the planting of wetland and upland native vegetation to serve the function of filtering nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants from the ponds. In addition, a Best Practice Management facility was constructed to remove an estimated 310 pounds of total nitrogen, 64 pounds of total phosphorus and 600 tons of sediment each year from the renovated ponds. Phase One also illustrates the power of leveraging financial support through Waterfowl Chesapeake s partial match of major funding from the Maryland Department of the Environment. The completed Bay Street Ponds in Easton, Md. Phase Two of the Bay Street Ponds Project involves the installation of informative signage to prepare the ponds for conservation education initiatives as well as to enhance visitors knowledge and interest in the restoration process and the benefits of the native habitat. Phase Two is scheduled to be completed in Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 8

9 3. Increasing our scientific understanding of issues affecting waterfowl in the Chesapeake and facilitating the communication of relevant scientific findings, including: a. Soliciting proposals for, and otherwise identifying, applied research projects which Waterfowl Chesapeake could support that address critical issues such as bay grass loss, population response to habitat restoration, sea level rise, changing food sources, etc.; b. Developing a better understanding of how waterfowl can survive and prosper in an environment where human activity is a significant factor in ecosystem function; c. Undertaking and supporting initiatives that translate the results of scientific research into more effective citizen action and public policy; and d. Expanding the use of the annual Waterfowl Festival to communicate relevant scientific findings. The Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature was established by Executive Order in April 2008 as our state s local initiative under the National No Child Left Inside (NCLI) Coalition. NCLI directly addresses today s lack of opportunity for outside creative play and authentic outdoor experiences in environmental education. The Maryland Partnership includes over 250 organizations representing more than 650,000 Marylanders who are working with state agencies and public institutions to ensure that all Maryland youth have access to recreational and educational outdoor experiences and graduate environmentally literate from school. Maryland law requires that... beginning with students entering high school in , all students must complete a locally designed high school program of environmental literacy...that is approved by the State Superintendent of Schools. Waterfowl Chesapeake is particularly interested in environmental education projects that use our region s waterfowl habitats as locations for outdoor experiences that respond to the goals of the Maryland Partnership for Children in Nature. Waterfowl Chesapeake Pavilion at the 2012 Waterfowl Festival Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 9

10 4. Responding to sea level rise issues associated with climate change affecting waterfowl including: a. Identifying or supporting analysis that determines locations within the Chesapeake region where adaptive management and restoration projects can have successful long-term outcomes notwithstanding sea level rise; b. Supporting an adaptive restoration demonstration project that measures the waterfowl conservation benefits over time notwithstanding sea level rise; and c. Supporting community-based projects that will stabilize and/or restore atrisk coastal areas that are critical to help sustain waterbird and waterfowl populations. 5. Serving as a neutral convener and policy advocate for Chesapeake waterfowl conservation including: Students participate in Chesapeake Bay Watershed Outdoor Education Programs a. Hosting an on-going dialogue of waterfowl conservation leaders in the Chesapeake to share information on waterfowl trends, to identify shared policy and conservation priorities, and to advance shared conservation objectives; b. Using social media and other communication tools to promote best practices and policies that benefit waterfowl and their habitats in the Chesapeake region; and c. Producing conservation-themed lectures, symposia, and special publications. 6. Promoting public understanding and enjoyment of waterfowl through support for environmental education programs available to the region s students, including programs and projects that: a. Increase understanding of waterfowl issues and develop outdoor experiences that promote an appreciation and enjoyment of waterfowl; and b. Invest in activities that create and maintain wetlands and other waterfowl habitat such as schoolyard wetland habitats. Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 10

11 Implementation of Strategies 1. Waterfowl Chesapeake may choose to initiate and self-direct projects relating to any of the Strategies or to seek guidance from a group of independent advisors on projects and programs that address the Strategies and in which it may wish to participate or support. The group may include scientific and policy experts and representatives of potential funders. 2. Waterfowl Chesapeake may request assistance from the group on such matters as developing a set of goals and criteria, as well as process, by which to rate potential projects for participation; developing a list of priority projects on an annual or other interval basis; and any other matters for which the organization requests assistance. Waterfowl Chesapeake will seek to achieve significant progress its six Strategies over the next five years. WATERFOWL CHESAPEAKE PROJECT CHARACTERISTICS Waterfowl Chesapeake will seek to invest in projects that advance the organization s goals and strategically address the factors most affecting waterfowl in the Chesapeake as defined above. Specific characteristics of projects that Waterfowl Chesapeake seeks to support include at least one or more of the following: 1. Projects that result in measurable longterm improvements to waterfowl habitat; 2. Projects that can be used as a tool to inform the general public, conservation-minded landowners, and policy leaders; 3. Projects that include community-based action and that involve and educate citizens from school children to adults; 4. Projects that increase our general and scientific knowledge of waterfowl and issues affecting their populations; or 5. Projects consistent with any of the above characteristics that significantly leverage financial and technical support. Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 11

12 CONCLUSION: The Future of Waterfowl in the Chesapeake Region Mankind first entered this region 10,000 years ago. Since that time, people have become an integral component of the Chesapeake system. It is clear that we have, irreversibly, altered that system, sometimes inadvertently through pollution and sometimes deliberately according to our economic, social, and cultural needs. It is equally clear that this system has, irreversibly, influenced the economic, social, and cultural values of the people who have lived here in the past and who live here today. At its best, this is a working system in which mankind and nature mutually interact. We firmly believe that waterfowl are also an integral part of this working system. While we may not restore all waterfowl numbers to their almost legendary abundance, the presence of vibrant, stable, and diverse populations flourishing in clean and productive aquatic and wetland habitats is an achievable goal. As waterfowl fare in the region into the future, so will future generations of people fare whose lives have come to depend on a working Chesapeake system. Captain John Smith realized this relationship when he wrote in 1612,... heaven and earth never agreed better to frame a place for man s habitation. For more information, contact: Judith W. Price Executive Director jprice@waterfowlchesapeake.org 40 S. Harrison Street Easton, MD Wood Duck Hen and Chicks Special Thanks to Larry Hitchens who provided the photography in this report. Waterfowl Chesapeake Inc. 12