New Hampshire
From Wetland Research
New Hampshire ranks 46th in land area, with 9,350 sq mi and 41st in population, with a population of 1,315,809. New Hampshire has the shortest ocean coastline of any U.S. coastal state, with a length of 18 miles, with approximately 7500 acres of coastal wetlands. Of the 50 states, New Hampshire has only lost 9% of its wetlands, between the 1780's and 1980's. The state had an estimated 220,000 acres of wetlands in 1780's and approximately 200,000 acres in the 1980's.[1] New Hampshire is the second most forested state in the country, after Maine due to the abandonment of farms during the 20th century as many farmers took jobs in urban areas or moved to more productive areas. The state is Nmore than 80 per cent forested, and about 6 to 10 percent of the state is considered wetlands including marshes, wet meadows, bogs, swamps, scrub-shrub wetlands, and vernal pools.[2]
The National Wetland Inventory has identified approximately 290,000 acres of wetlands, or 5% of the state’s land as wetlands. Of the 290,000 acres, 278,000 acres are Palustrine wetlands, of which 50% are forested wetlands, 26% are scrub-shrub wetlands mand emergent wetlands and ponds combined make up the additional 23% of wetlands (Emergent Wetlands 14%, ponds 9%.) [3]
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[edit] State Law & Policy
[edit] Time Limitations on State Wetland Actions
The New Hampshire Supreme Court has ruled the State does not need to follow the statue of limitations placed on citizens, citing the common law principal nullum tempus occurrit regi or "Time does not run against the King". The State Department of Environmental Services sought to fine a developer after the three year statue of limitations had passed for wetland violations. The developer appealed and lost. [4]
[edit] Notable New Hampshire Wetlands
[edit] Manchester Cedar Swamp
Totaling 602 acres, the Manchester Cedar Swamp was purchased in 2 separate events in 2001 and 2002 from the City of Manchester. The site has a range of rare species including Atlantic white cedar, black gum, giant rhododenron and has a network of trails. [5] [6]
[edit] Wetland Organizations
[edit] Mapping and GIS Resources
The New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services (NHDES) was given a $525,000 grant by the EPA in January 2009 to develop a GIS tool to integrate state water programs to better protect wetlands and wildlife habitat. The DES will also create an inspection and tracking program for wetland mitigation, permitting and impact assessments for its new mitigation program and share reports and GIS created maps detailing conservation lands and mitigation sites. [7]
[edit] See Also
[edit] References
- ↑ Wetlands losses in the United States 1780's to 1980's Dahl, Thomas E. 1990. Wetlands losses in the United States 1780's to 1980's. U.S. Department of the Interior, Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. Jamestown, ND: Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center Online. Wetland Losses (Version 16JUL97).
- ↑ Environmental Fact Sheet - Clues to Identifying Forested WetlandsRetrieved June 19, 2009.
- ↑ New Hampshire Wetlands and Waters: Results of the National Wetlands InventoryTiner, R.W. 2007. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Northeast Region, Hadley, MA. NWI Technical Report. 21 pp. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
- ↑ State officials aren't bound by limitsNashua Telegraph Published: Thursday, June 18, 2009
- ↑ The Nature ConservencyRetrieved August 20, 2009.
- ↑ Hike New England - Manchester Cedar SwampRetrieved August 20, 2009.
- ↑ New Hampshire Awarded Over $525K to Boost Wetlands Protection Release date: 01/09/2009 US EPA.
[edit] External Links
[edit] New Hampshire Wetlands in the News
Yahoo! News Search Results for New Hampshire wetlands
- Bridgewater closes parks in response to EEE threat
The Bridgewater Board of Health has ordered all town parks closed at 6:30 p.m. in the wake of a Badgers football game held at Legion Field Thursday night despite a strong recommendation from the Board of Health to cancel or reschedule such events due to EEE concerns. The Board of Health order requires all outdoor town activities and events begin to wind down at 6 p.m. and end by 6: 30 p.m. and ... - Federal help for farmers and landowners
MILFORD – Agriculture or forest landowners in New Hampshire interested in protecting, conserving or restoring the natural resources on their property through technical or financial assistance, or through a conservation easement, can contact their local USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service office to begin the conservation planning process. - Westword: Local town is bugging out
Briefly navigating away from the National Hurricane Center website—surely you check every three hours for Hurricane Earl updates like I do—I was able to find a few moments last week to read some other news. I wish I hadn’t. - DES Official Says Rye Contamination 'Really Bad'
A technician with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Service says the level of bacterial contamination in the Parsons Creek area in the town of Rye is "really bad." - NH official says Rye contamination "really bad"
A technician with the New Hampshire Department of Environmental Service says the level of bacterial contamination in Parsons Creek area in the town of Rye is "really bad." New Hampshire - United States - Government - Business and Economy - Recreation and Sports - Rye creek bacteria deemed 'really bad'
RYE — Though researchers expected to find a high level of bacteria in Parson's Creek and surrounding marshy areas because of the proximity to roads and septic systems, a recent study of the area still managed to surprise them. - Tampering charges leveled
Concord Lawyer interfered in case, police say A lawyer who assisted Concord developer Kevin Guay as he awaits trial on charges of illegally burying solid waste has been indicted by a Merrimack County grand jury on witness tampering charges. David Pellenz, 63, of Dunbarton tried to induce a witness who provided the police incriminating information about Guay to withhold testimony "by claiming ... - N.H. Port seeks $14M in stimulus dollars for expansion project
PORTSMOUTH — If the state were to receive federal funding to repair and expand the Market Street Marine Terminal, the Port of New Hampshire could experience a much-needed boom in business activity, Port Director Geno Marconi said Tuesday. - Weather reduces EEE fears
Risks of the potentially fatal mosquito-borne disease Eastern equine encephalitis appear to have been abated locally by the region's dry summer, even as other nearby areas remain on heightened alert due to cases being discovered in three Bay State horses and a man in Rhode Island who is in critical condition. - Big plan on campus: Mixed-use development features CCRC
STRATHAM — A retirement community and mixed-use development including a charter school, family-oriented health and wellness center, multi-purpose room suitable for meetings of up to 300 people with a stage for performances, medical office space,...
