(e) Preference given to proposals that have strong local support; (g) Preference given to proposals for areas that have substantial (h) Preference given to proposals where the conservation objectives are compatible with the existing uses of the area. Because the Committee felt that it was important that all coastal towns and citizens should have an opportunity to participate in the program, interested towns and citizens were reminded that this was their opportunity to recommend areas for the program. Suggestions were to be presented to SPO by February 2, 1981 and additional data relevant to the evaluation of these areas was to be sent to the State Planning Office by February 16, 1981. B To be eligible, each proposed area had to meet four additional criteria: 1. 2. Through the contribution of cash, property rights and services 3. 4. The proposal must contain a scientific research and educational One or more local government, State agency, or conservation The Coastal Natural Areas Committee and SPO also weighed how closely each of the proposals met the following guidelines in making its selection: (a) Preference given to proposals for areas that are the most (b) Preference given to proposals which would protect types of (c) Preference given to proposals for areas of unusual natural significance to the State of Maine. Factors indicating unusual natural significance include: It was not expected that all or perhaps any proposals would meet all these criteria, rather that the relative strengths and weaknesses of each proposal would be weighed and balanced in reaching a decision as to which was the best one to pursue. The final list of areas that was suggested is contained in Appendix 5. Additional data was then requested for fourteen of the areas. This information was submitted to SPC and the Advisory Committee to review and rank these areas. The Advisory Committee met on March 19, 1981 to consider the following areas for final selection: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. Drakes Island-Laudholm Area, Wells, York County Cape Island, Kennebunkport, York County Goosefare Estuary Region, Saco and Old Orchard, York County Jackson Lot, Sand Island, and Agry Archaeological Site, Eustis Preserve, Georgetown, Sagada hoc County 9. Indian Town Island, Boothbay Harbor, Lincoln County 10. 11. Orrington Conservation Picnic Area and Boat Landing Area, 12. 13. Machias Bay, Machiasport, Washington County 14. Wilber Neck, Pembroke, Washington County The Committee felt that because of the diversity of estuarine types in Maine, a multiple-site sanctuary should be established to represent the Maine coast. The Committee selected areas that it felt best met the criteria and also represented the different types of estuaries in Maine. The sites finally selected were the Machias Bay, the Marsh River, and Drakes Island-Laudholm area. The Committee further recommended that acquisition funds for Machias Bay and Marsh River be applied for immediately and that funding for the Drakes Island-Laudholm Area be applied for later. 3. Alternative Boundaries Alternative Machias Bay boundaries that were examined include: (a) The areas between Fairy Head in Cutler and Great Wass (b) The entire Machias River estuary enclosed in the towns (c) All water and islands within the Town of Machiasport. (d) Smaller boundaries. Alternative (a) included all of Machias Bay (a natural unit) as well as adjacent waters encompassing several smaller estuaries. However, this alternative was rejected because of the potentially lengthy negotiations with eight towns (one of which opposed the concept because of recent losses of large parcels of land to The Nature Conservancy-1,400+ acres of Great Wass Island), plus anticipated high acquisition costs. Alternative (b) which included the entire Bay as a natural unit, likewise was excluded because of potentially lengthy negotiations with contiguous towns within the Bay. Most of the important fish and wildlife resources in the neighboring outer bay are part of either Cross Island National Wildlife Refuge or are owned by the U.S. Navy. Inclusion of the neighboring towns' waters could still be considered if additional funding becomes available in the future. Alternative (d) was not selected because the sanctuary would become less of a natural unit. The entire waters within the Town of Machiasport were included because of the diversity of fish and wildlife that are dependent on them for survival. The favored alternative (c) was selected for two reasons: (1) It avoided lengthy negotiations with contiguous towns within the Bay which would have prevented the sanctuary from being established in the nearterm. (2) Required acquisition funds would be within a manageable budget. The water boundaries of the proposed estuarine sanctuary lie entirely within the Town of Machiasport and include all open waters out to the 120 foot isobath and all intertidal areas. The land boundaries of the proposed estuarine sanctuary include six parcels on the mainland. The mainland areas are included to provide access, protect important wetlands and headlands from development, and to provide natural areas for science and education. 4. Alternative Management Schemes Three alternative management schemes for the sanctuary were examined in the planning process before the final method was selected. Under this alternative, The first approach was State management only. a State agency would be responsible for overseeing and managing all three sanctuary sites on both a long-term and day-to-day basis. This option was rejected for two reasons: (1) strong area-wide support for sanctuary management at the local level where it was felt that the stewardship of each site would be conducted in a more sound and economical manner; and (2) sanctuary management at the State level would impose further hardship on State agencies in terms of both funding and limited personnel. The second alternative was to have individual sanctuary sites managed by area conservation organizations. However, no conservation organizations showed strong interest in this option. Again, the overwhelming interest was to manage the sites at the local level. The third and preferred alternative was to establish a coordinated State/local management plan in compliance with broad Federal guidelines. The Town of Machiasport would manage the Machias Bay site. At the State level, BPR, within the Department of Conservation would monitor the Town's management of this area to assure consistency with the goals of the National Estuarine Sanctuary Program and the specific terms agreed upon between the State and local levels of government. A State staff person would be assigned responsibility for coordinating among all three of the sanctuary sites. 5. Funding Maine has considered several sources of State, Federal, and private funding for the creation of an estuarine sanctuary at Machias Bay. Land that is owned by the Town of Machiasport would be used as part of the match. The difference between Fair Market Value and the purchase price of private lands that can be purchased for less than Fair Market Value would also be used as match. Negotiations would be conducted with the Nature Conservancy, Maine Coast Heritage Trust, and Maine Audubon Society to seek donations. Federal and State agencies such as the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife have constraints that might preclude using their funds for preserving the proposed areas. These agencies probably would not consider protecting mainland areas without significant wildlife resources such as colonial seabird nesting species. Their primary objective is protection of natural resources rather than research and education. Funding through the Estuarine Sanctuary Program was selected for these three reasons: (1) Land and Water Conservation Fund monies are not available this (2) The Estuarine Sanctuary Program includes five years of management (3) The estuarine sanctuary would attract national attention to Maine, enhancing research, development, educational and research opportunities in the selected sites. The Machias River estuary or Machias Bay is located in eastern Maine near the New Brunswick, Canada border. The Bay empties into the ocean near the western approach to the Bay of Fundy. The boundaries of Machias Bay are the 120-foot (37 m) isobath located in the mouth or lower portion of the estuary and the head of tide in Machias and East Machias in the upper portion. The offshore and inland boundaries are separated by about 13 miles (20.8 km). The offshore boundary corresponds to a line between Libby Island on the west and Outer Double-Head Shot and Old Man Islands on the east. It is about 10 miles (16 km)+ wide at the mouth and less than 1/4 mile (0.4 km) wide near the head of tide. Parts of the Towns of Machias, East Machias, Machiasport, Cutler, Whiting and Roque Bluffs are in the estuary. The proposed estuarine sanctuary, however, lies entirely within the Town of Machiasport. The Machias River estuary is fed by the Machias and East Machias Rivers. It is a drowned river valley, formed as a result of the rise in sea level over the recent geological past. Considerable tidal exchange relative to freshwater flow results in a well mixed estuary, even in the upper portions. The average tidal flux in lower Machias Bay is 12.6 feet (4.2 m). With the exception of Cobscook Bay to the east, the tidal range in Machias Bay is among the highest along the eastern United States coastline. The high tidal amplitude has resulted in extensive intertidal and subtidal habitats which are highly diverse and support an equally diverse assemblage of species. Most major coastal habitat types characteristic of the Arcadian biogeographic region are included in the proposed sanctuary. These include open water, islands, old headlands, extensive intertidal mud and sand flats, algal beds, mussel reefs, rocky shores, salt marshes, cobble beaches and spits, eelgrass bed, spruce-fir forests, and a large plateau shaped bog or peatland. The public educational interpretive section of the sanctuary will be centered at Jasper Beach in Howard Cove. 1. Natural Environment a. Geology The geology of the sanctuary has a primary role in shaping the ecology of both the marine (encompassing marine and estuarine) and terrestrial systems. Biological communities that comprise these systems are often related to substrate types. The origin of substrate types and/or sediment types within the Bay is from erosion of adjacent uplands and shallow offshore deposits (mostly glacial in origin). Suspended sediments arrive by way of tidal and nontidal currents. The substrate of the terrestrial habitats is either bedrock or unconsolidated surficial deposits derived from glacial drift. Exposed bedrock is prominent along the rocky shorelines, the peninsula at the Point of Maine, and on many of the islands (i.e. Shag Ledge). Lower |