University of New England

Nexus
Students in environmental studies class tackle local salt marsh problems

By Sarah Day

University of New England students are no strangers to community service. As part of their fourth-year core curriculum, students are required to take a Citizenship Seminar that prepares them to make a difference in the world, their communities and their professions through community service or civic activity. While the seminar is required, many classes outside of the core curriculum choose to use community service as a way of enhancing students’ education, something that Pamela Morgan, Ph.D., associate professor of environmental studies, did with great success this past spring.
 
For the past two semesters, Prof. Morgan has recruited her students to help tackle a growing problem for Maine’s coastlines. A buffer against strong waves and a natural habitat for fish and wildlife, the salt marsh is an important, but often-overlooked part of Maine’s landscape, especially in the region of Ocean Park in Old Orchard Beach.

1800s
Development
Beginning in the 1800s, marshes were filled in to build houses and roads, disrupting the natural coastal environment and causing localized flooding. To combat the flood problem, tide gates, which prevent salt water from entering the marshes, were installed. This had a detrimental effect on the marshes, so in 2003, a middle manual sliding gate was installed that would be closed when the tide rose to 10 feet or higher. Unfortunately, humans are not infallible and the gate often remained closed when tidal height was below 10 feet, preventing adequate amounts of seawater from entering the marshes.

Concerned for the natural environment and their property, citizens of Ocean Park contacted Prof. Morgan, whose research on marshes and other areas in botany has generated extremely valuable information in the areas of mathematical modeling to predict future development of marshes as well as the development of biological criteria for measuring the effectiveness of restoration efforts underway. In turn, she recruited her spring Wetland Restoration class, a total of 11 students, to evaluate the health of four salt marshes in Ocean Park: Rachel Carson, New Salt Road, Jordan Park and Randall Ave.

Ocean park
The conditions in Ocean Park created a unique opportunity for UNE students, allowing them to put their class knowledge to use while working alongside other members of their community. “One of the best parts of this project is that the students gain knowledge and experience that will benefit them in the future,” Prof. Morgan explained. “In addition, they see local citizens who are passionate about the natural habitats in their towns. This is so inspiring to the students.”

With the help of Ray Konisky, Ph.D., of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, the students spent five months talking to community members, taking salinity readings, measuring marsh elevations, surveying the marsh plant communities and analyzing the existing tide gates. They discovered that the marshes were not receiving enough salt water or sediment, causing them not only to become fresh water wetlands, but also to sink. Without adequate elevation, the marshes would no longer act as a barrier against ocean waves, a situation the students likened to New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit. “If the [New Orleans] wetlands were still there, they would act as a large buffer, absorbing the waves generated by hurricanes,” explained Prof. Morgan. “After years of warnings about the loss of coastal wetlands, people are now paying more attention.”

The students’ involvement with the Ocean Park community didn’t end there. From their readings and measurements, they developed a plan to protect and restore the marshes including the utilization of a new tide gate regulator system (installed in April) to restore adequate tidal flow. Improved flood storage capability and fresh water drainage could be realized by cleaning out ditches and drainage channels, the students advised.

Community Presentation
In April, the students were invited by Mary Ann Conroy, director of public works in OOB, to present their findings at a community meeting for concerned citizens in Ocean Park. The students gave a detailed explanation of their findings while Konisky presented a model showing the future of the marsh if changes were made. Conroy was optimistic about the findings, but cautioned that there is still much to be done. “We’ll have to look at the whole system to decide on strategic improvements,” Conroy said at the meeting.

The students are very much aware that their work is only a beginning for the marshes, but everyone involved seems optimistic about the future. “In the long term, the health of the marshes needs to be monitored,” said Prof. Morgan. “It would be great to build a monitoring project that involves UNE students, Ocean Park community members and even high school students.” The students of the Wetlands Restoration class have provided a solid beginning and the community members have already noticed a change. “That is one of the beauties of working on a project to restore nature,” said Prof. Morgan. “You really can help undo some of the harm that has been done to the natural world.”

Though they may have completed their part in restoring Ocean Park, at least for now, the students acknowledge the wonderful opportunity they were given. “I am honored that I was able to work on a project that has a direct impact in the local community,” said Laura Nichols ’06, and that is exactly what Prof. Morgan had hoped for all along.

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