butts on the beach

More than 11,000 pounds of garbage were collected from New Hampshire’s 18 miles of coastline in 2006, and Marine Debris research  results recently released by the University of New Hampshire revealed that between April 2005 and September 2006, more than 52,000 cigarette butts were found at Hampton Beach alone.

Since 2006, UNH has been working in conjunction with the Blue Ocean Society and New Hampshire Sea Grant to identify and target sources of beach pollution in the state.

Using data collected by Blue Ocean in its Adopt-a-Beach program, UNH researchers examined pollution trends on 14 local beaches.

After cigarettes, plastic bottles and cans are the most common forms of litter. Other items commonly left by beachgoers include six-pack rings, balloons, glass bottles and plastic bags. Ocean debris also comes in the form of lost fishing gear, such as ropes, nets, traps and buoys, as well as light bulbs, gloves and other items dropped overboard from passenger vessels.
Researchers plan to use the data they have collected to fine tune their approach to combating beach pollution. Already, the N.H. Department of Environmental Services has partnered with the N.H. Coastal Program and the N.H. Division of Parks and Recreation to launch the “Carry It, Don’t Bury It” campaign, installing 20 new cigarette butt receptacles along the boardwalk at Hampton Beach. Another campaign, called “Catch the Wave—Keep Our Beaches Clean,” has resulted in five new trash containers near the Seashell complex at Hampton Beach.

UNH’s Environmental Research Group and the Coastal Response Research Center are exploring new technologies to find better ways of collecting data on marine debris and preparing for emergencies like oil spills.

“The projects we’ve done have shown ocean-based debris is a problem in New Hampshire,” UNH research assistant professor Jenna Jambeck said in a release. “Now, we’ll be able to see if what we’re doing has an impact.”

grant allows Portsmouth to map vernal pools

A new collaboration with the New Hampshire Estuaries Project will create an inventory of Portsmouth’s vernal pools, which are being threatened by rapid development.

Vernal pools are temporary bodies of water that fill up in spring and disappear by late summer. They are a critical habitat for a number of amphibian and insect species, including wood frogs and yellow spotted salamanders. Because vernal pools are devoid of fish, amphibians and insects are able to lay their eggs in the pools without the threat of them being eaten.  
The challenge is figuring out how to conserve the pools without impeding development too much.

“That’s the trick. You don’t want to craft something that’s so cumbersome and so difficult to enforce,” said Steve Miller, chair of Portsmouth’s Conservation Commission. Vernal pools have no protection under state or local law. Miller wants the city to adopt a zoning ordinance to provide vernal pools with a buffer zone from development.

With a Community Technical Assistance Grant from the New Hampshire Estuaries Project, the city will be able to hire a pre-approved wetlands scientist who will review aerial photos and topographic maps to identify likely vernal pools. A team will then travel into the field to verify the number and location of the pools. The data will be compiled into an inventory report, including a detailed map and recommended zoning language.  

Once all the data is in, Miller envisions an ordinance resembling the city’s wetlands protection ordinance, which requires a 100-foot setback. Vernal pools typically require a setback of 350 feet, but Miller said that would be unrealistic. “That’s a great idea in a perfect world, but it means any lot with a vernal pool is un-buildable. We don’t want to drive the city and everybody crazy,” he said.

The city is currently engaged in a zoning rewrite process, which provides an opportunity to enter a vernal pool protection ordinance. “We’ve had great work sessions between the Conservation Commission and the Planning Department. Nothing has been decided, but it’s been really good,” Miller said.