Manomet has long presented a different model of conservation. The motto, "A World Of Science, Doing A World Of Good" implicitly involves the public
benefit of our work. Now we are preparing to take that another step further.
For years, our collaborative approach has strived to bring stakeholders to the table to shape the direction of our scientific work: forest landowners and conservationists debate forest practices in light of the shared values and goals of biodiversity, water quality, and sustained economic vitality. Fishermen worked with us to forge new gear and fishing techniques that help regulators rebuild overfished species and reduce vexing bycatch and discard problems.
Along the way, as a science-based conservation organization Manomet has become keenly aware of the difficulty in translating scientific knowledge into informed policies that all stakeholders can willingly abide by. The languages of science and policy don't share much in common, perhaps because the science that Manomet conducts is rooted in understanding natural systems, while policy is rooted in understanding social and economic systems.
"Scientists produce reams of information at great expense and with frustratingly little practical results," wrote Manomet's Senior Scientist John Hagan in a grant proposal to fund two pilot projects in Maine. He adds, "The problem in part derives from lack of a decision making 'structure' to deliver science. Stakeholders and decision makers are not organized in a way to effectively process or use the information that scientists produce, and often scientists produce information that is not relevant to what the stakeholders seek to sustain. This problem has been variously referred to as the knowing-doing gap."
Manomet is now placing greater emphasis where it is needed most: with the communities. Developing solutions through community involvement, once a rare triumph even for Manomet, is an overarching principle of Manomet's day-to-day operations.
Stakeholder relations carries sustainability far beyond environmental issues. "Possibly the most important outcome is building social capital," says Hagan. "Science can and will play an important role. But rather than the data, it is human relations that will ultimately make the difference."
John Hagan will direct the new operational department to ensure that Manomet delivers the full potential of its mission.
Vernal Soup
Vernal pools tend to be biodiversity hotspots. These isolated spring wetlands range in size from a few hundred square feet to an acre or more. The key
fact is that they dry up over the summer, so they lack fish. Fish tend to be predators on larval amphibians. Some amphibians such as Spotted Salamanders
and Wood Frogs depend on vernal pools for breeding habitat; Spotted Turtles, Spring Peepers, and Green Frogs concentrate there too.
The life cycle of amphibians in vernal pools is well known, but surprisingly little is known of the relationship between habitat health and water quality. These seasonal wetlands are protected from alteration or being filled in, but they may not be protected from chemical pollution.
Manomet scientists Kathy Parsons and Paul Cavanagh are embarking on a major project to gain a better understanding of the relationship between land use in suburban environments and the relationship between water quality and wetland biodiversity. The premise is simple: a vernal pool in suburbia may be on the receiving end for runoff containing herbicides, fertilizers, and pesticides used in household lawns and gardens.
Roads may contribute salt either in runoff, or from salt spray which can travel hundreds of feet from roads and create saline conditions in vernal pools. Metals may also contribute to the chemical composition of vernal pools. Car tires leave metals on the road when they break down. This, and atmospheric deposition of metals such as mercury and other compounds, may also show up in Manomet's analysis.
The ultimate goal is to identify sources and ways to prevent contaminants from getting into the vernal pools. In some cases that may mean changing lawn care practices; in other cases there may be roadway and transportation issues.
Cavanagh and Parsons will look at 120 vernal pools in the watersheds of the Taunton and Charles Rivers. Both rivers go from rural to urban landscapes. Collaborating with the Charles River Watershed Association and the Taunton River Watershed Alliance, they will also reach out to landowners whose property is in vicinity of a vernal pool.
At the outset, they will test for everything. "We don't know anything yet," says Cavanagh. "Over time we'll be able to narrow down the suite of chemicals we need to test for. The good news is, if we find problems that we can address at local level, we have the opportunity to make a positive impact."
Brian Harrington Retires
In 1972 Brian Harrington started working as the first paid biologist at what was then the Manomet Bird Observatory. He was among the first of the new
hires of the organization who, in addition to carrying out bird research, also mowed the lawn and painted the buildings. Manomet has grown up since
then and expanded its scope to include conservation science in the fields of forest, agriculture, and wetlands ecosystems.
For over 34 years Brian worked tirelessly on behalf of shorebirds. His studies on shorebird migration have led to the preservation of critical migration stopover habitats and his 1996 book "Flight of the Red Knot."
As a way to better gain understanding of shorebirds' highly migratory life cycle, Brian launched the International Shorebird Survey (ISS). At the time it was one of first broad-scale citizen science projects in the country; many more have since followed its model. More importantly, it worked. The ISS database has been pivotal for shorebird conservation planning for over 15 years, and has been a major contribution for many shorebird species assessments. For some species the ISS provides all data available.
Brian's tireless work on behalf of shorebirds over the years contributed more than scientific knowledge. Many times, his persistence, calm demeanor, and congenial spirit paved the way to common ground in frustrating or contentious circumstances. The tone he set at Manomet for decades is a legacy that continues to inspire his co-workers and those who know him.
Manomet will host a retirement party for Brian at the end of the year. To offer your thoughts and to wish him well you can reach Brian by phone at Manomet (888-231-3345) or via email at bharr@manomet.org.
Redefining the Good Life
The daily newsfeed about the potential impacts of global warming affecting sea levels, coastal communities, agriculture, forests, and biodiversity
yields a torrent of statistics that can make us desperate. Manomet's shorebird work in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is at once a hopeful effort
to monitor wildlife populations, at the same time delivering a snapshot of a landscape that is experiencing rapid ecological change. Gauging the impact
that change might have to shorebird survival will be a valuable scientific contribution.
There is good news in this story of climate change, but it comes only after the part about changes in human behavior. To set the stage, energy-hungry consumption patterns in the world's industrialized countries are a leading cause of global climate change. The 12 percent of the world's population that lives in North America and Western Europe accounts for 60 percent of private spending on consumption; people living in South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa (one-third of the worlds population) account for only 3.2 percent.
"More stuff" doesn't necessarily translate into a life of leisure. Today, Americans consume more than twice as much as we did 20 years ago, but to feed the habit, workers are putting in the equivalent of an extra month of work time every year.
If the reward for economic growth means more consumption, greater strain on natural resources, but less spare time, it raises questions about
priorities. Consider all the "things" you buy and use in a year, then try to imagine 1.7 billion fellow consumers in the industrialized world doing the
same. Results from this habit are coming home to roost the world over: landfills full to bursting, declining fish stocks, unhealthy, obese populations.
Factory farms churn out meat and foul waste, lone drivers pilot three-ton vehicles that average 16 miles per gallon. While we at the top of this food
chain are buying goods that support destructive industries, 2.8 billion others at the bottom struggle to survive on less than $2 a day, who suffer from
hunger, homelessness, and poverty.
Now for the good news.
Businesses, governments, and concerned citizens are learning to channel their purchasing power for constructive change. Informed choices are beginning to build markets for less-hazardous products and services. Demand for organically grown and fair-traded foods is outstripping supply, causing a revolution not only domestically but in countries that export to the US, as they scramble to satisfy our hunger for clean fields and clean produce.
Green electric power, environmentally designed commercial and residential buildings, and vehicles powered by hybrid and fuel cell technologies are becoming smart choices, and not just to score environmental points in the annual report. Savvy managers recognize the economic benefits of practices that make sustainable use of natural resources. Beyond their short-term up-front costs these products and services deliver far greater economies over the long term.
"Given the choice between laggards and leaders in environmental issues, consumers will opt for the greener company," says Bob Sheppard, Business Program Manager at Clean Air - Cool Planet.
This Portsmouth, NH-based non-profit is dedicated to promoting practical solutions to global warming by partnering with companies, campuses, science centers, and communities to help reduce their carbon emissions. "We provide networking and environmental intelligence to our partners, many of whom are in the for-profit sector," says Sheppard.
Energy audits, messaging, and competitiveness are part of the mix that helps bring down emissions, while at the same time boosting sales and corporate standing. "It's all about getting an opportunity to sit across the table and seeing what opportunities there are for competitive energy pricing, or employee incentives," says Sheppard. Last year CA-CP helped The Timberland Company create an employee incentive program to offset added costs of purchasing hybrid or ultra-low emissions vehicles.
Sheppard says these initiatives pay dividends in economic as well as environmental performance. These companies ultimately keep their best employees and are more likely to attract the next rising star because it makes them proud to work there.
Taking even modest steps to curb emissions doesn't have to be costly. Highly industrialized societies like Norway and Japan have already developed standards and policies to encourage energy efficiency and conservation, and they accomplish this without compromising their high standard of living. All it takes is willingness to take the first step. After that, the next steps come easily. For the sake of shorebirds on the arctic coastal plain, those steps need to happen soon.
Sources: The Global Development and Environment Institute, Tufts University, and Worldwatch Institute
