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butts on the beach; grant allows Portsmouth to map vernal pools
Friday, 02 May 2008

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.
 
overlooked pond in need of friends
Thursday, 27 March 2008

Long neglected and abused, Portsmouth’s North Mill Pond can’t get healthy without help from the community. Not only have The Advocates for the North Mill Pond answered the call, but they’ve also teamed up with fifth grade students from New Franklin Elementary School to monitor water quality and pond cleanup.

Now the two, in conjunction with the Hodgson Brook Restoration Project, are asking local residents to attend their banquet Tuesday, April 1, at the New Franklin Elementary School in Portsmouth. The banquet will be a combination of informational messages—many of which composed by the children—and celebration, to begin at 6:30 p.m. and end around 7:30 pm.
The partnership between The Advocates and New Franklin Elementary school was forged out of the need to provide local residents with a basal level of knowledge regarding local watersheds.

“If you are going to start somewhere (in the education process), you might as well start with the kids,” says Candace Dolan. As the Hodgson Brook Restoration Project watershed coordinator, Dolan saw the children as conduit to reach the community as a whole. She hopes an early education will lead to a lifetime of sustainable practices, but is also counting on the children to relay this newfound message to their parents.
 
how’s your smelt?
Wednesday, 12 March 2008

this year’s season in review

As large chunks of ice break up and head out to sea, with them goes another smelt fishing season. For many Seacoast ice fishermen, the season ended in disappointment. Initially, temperatures were cold enough for a thick layer of ice to form over Seacoast rivers. But higher temperatures later in the winter caused the season to fizzle out like a poorly cast fishing line.

On a scale of one to 10, with seven being the average, Kyle Walsh gave this season a four. He works at Suds N Soda in Greenland, which seems to be the epicenter of smelt fishing on the Seacoast. Upstairs, he sells gear and licenses for hunting and fishing. His observations, however, are free of charge.

“We had ice, but you couldn’t get out on it,” he said. “It never really developed, or (it) would come and go.”

High temperatures and abundant rainfall in the last month of the season prevented the ice from fully developing.

“When you have poor ice conditions, you have a lot less people fishing,” said Josh Borgeson, biological aid in the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Durham office. He said an influx of fresh rainwater also caused smelt to stay away longer. “They are staging to get ready to spawn. They hang back where there is more salt water, where you can’t fish for them,” he said. 
 
take these broken wings
Wednesday, 05 March 2008

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barred owls suffer from harsh winter

Deep in the woods of Cape Neddick, Maine, rests a collection of unassuming buildings sheltered by thick forest. On Tuesday, Feb. 26, the only sound in this remote spot came from falling snow. Life seems to move a little bit slower here. That is, until you step into The Center for Wildlife’s main office.

“This is supposed to be our slow season,” said Laura Dehler, the center’s development director and outreach coordinator. This winter has been anything but slow at the rehabilitation facility for injured animals.

Most of the victims in this latest cavalcade of misfortune have come from one species—the barred owl. As of last week, 37 owls had been brought to the Center for Wildlife since late November, including 33 barred owls. With a month of winter still remaining, the numbers have already dwarfed the center’s typical count of six to eight barred owls. Many factors are contributing to the birds’ inauspicious winter, but foremost among them is their struggle to find food.

“It has been determined by scientists that there is a shortage of red-backed voles. That is their primary food source,” Dehler said.
 
cheering her way to the Super Bowl
Wednesday, 27 February 2008

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UNH student/Patriots cheerleader featured in Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue

For the New England Patriots Cheerleaders, saying goodbye to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, last April was a bittersweet moment. They were there to shoot the team’s annual swimsuit calendar, but the sunny weather was more appealing than anything New England had to offer at the time. The team members had just boarded the plane and settled into their seats when Tracy Sormanti, the Patriots Cheerleaders’ director/choreographer, cut through the plane’s continuous drone.

“You got it!” Sormanti shouted. The jubilant announcement caught cheerleader Meghan White off guard.

“Got what?” she inquired.  

Sormanti explained that White had been selected as one of the featured models in Sports Illustrated’s 2008 Swimsuit Issue. Just being considered was a tremendous honor, but it was now official: White, a native of Bedford, would travel to New York City to pose in a photo shoot for SI’s annual swimsuit edition.
 
pros turn out for Tara Jam 2008
Thursday, 21 February 2008

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mountain biking event in Rye will raise funds for recovering racer

In the world of mountain bike racing, the names featured at Tara Jam 2008 could not be any bigger. The event on Saturday, Feb. 23, will bring the likes of Kyle Ebbett, Aaron Chase, Jamie Goldman, Jeff Lenosky, Cam McCaul, George Ryan, Dave Smutok and Seth Lolli to Rye Airfield for a day of mountain biking with the pros.

The event has attracted many acclaimed riders and garnered much warranted enthusiasm. Beau Lambert, general manager of Rye Airfield, put the evening into perspective for the less MTB (mountain bike) inclined: “This is literally a game of hoops with K.G., Shaq and Kobe,” he said.

Lambert indicated that events like Tara Jam are becoming more difficult to organize due to the burgeoning success of MTB racing and freestyle competitions. “It’s difficult to get everyone together, but every year we have a couple of opportunities to support a good cause,” he said. 
 
a record-setting day for eagles
Thursday, 07 February 2008

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bald eagle numbers flourish in New Hampshire

Each year, the New Hampshire Audubon Society, in cooperation with the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Nongame and Endangered Wildlife program, meticulously tracks the state’s bald eagle population. This year, the efforts were rewarded with a pleasant surprise. A record 59 bald eagles were spotted on survey day, and a total of 67 were seen during the two-week Mid-winter Bald Eagle Survey period. The 59 birds seen on survey day represent a 30 percent increase from the previous record of 44, set in 2006.  

Chris Martin, a senior biologist in N.H. Audubon’s Conservation Department, uses the survey to assess the bald eagle’s progress. “It is a bottom line confirmation. The eagle population is on the increase,” he said. 

These numbers are not just a regional phenomenon, as the bald eagle was taken off the Threatened Species list last June. The Threatened Species list is a slightly less urgent precursor to the Endangered Species list, which included the bald eagle until 1995. However, Martin suggests, this is no time for too much celebration. “The efforts have gone into what the numbers ought to have been all along,” he said.
 
taking the Polar Bear plunge
Thursday, 17 January 2008

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This is the time of year when most Seacoast residents ask themselves, “Why do I still live here?”  Frigid temperatures and constant snowfall can wear down even the most enthusiastic proponents of winter. But, while most of us wallowed in self-pity, some courageous souls chose to laugh in Mother Nature’s face on Saturday, Jan. 12. The Portsmouth Rotary Club’s fifth annual Polar Bear Swim enticed approximately 30 people to brave the elements at New Castle Beach in the middle of winter. 
For January standards, last Saturday’s weather was sunny and warm, but the water was still a frosty 42 degrees. So, the question remains: Are the participants displaying acts of bravery or cries for help?

“It’s not for the faint of heart,” said Mike Bolduc, of Dover.
 
the creek man swimeth
Thursday, 17 January 2008

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Gary Sredzienski prepares for a big winter dip

There have been several sightings of an unusual creature swimming through the tidal backwaters of southern Maine and New Hampshire. People have referred to it as “creek man,” “creek monster” and “the chauncesmith monster.” The Wire caught up with the elusive creature, which turned out to be Gary Sredzienski—accordion player, host of WUNH’s Polka Party radio show and an experienced creek swimmer.

“They gotta know I’m not genetically different from anyone. I’ve worked at this and I’m totally comfortable,” he said. 
For the past six years, Sredzienski has been swimming the Seacoast’s tidal backwaters five days a week, 12 months a year. While most people are hunkering down for the winter, creek man is exposing himself to some of the most extreme elements of winter. And every time he takes the plunge, he learns something new.

“I learned yesterday that I need to hydrate before a swim,” he said last week.  
 
a trip to the playground
Thursday, 03 January 2008

latest Warren Miller ski film headed to Newburyport

With all the snow that fell in December, skiers and snowboarders have plenty to be excited about this winter. As the season progresses, riders at New England mountains will showcase sweet tail grabs, helicopters, twisters, double daffies and even spread eagles. Yes, the mighty spread eagle.

The Firehouse Center for the Arts in Newburyport, Mass., is about to help winter athletes get even more stoked. The venue will show Warren Miller’s latest sports film on the afternoon and evening of Saturday, Jan. 5, filling skiers and boarders with visions of big air and deep powder. Miller’s latest documentary, “Playground,” which is billed as “the world’s largest action sports film,” comes to Newburyport as part of the annual Warren Miller film tour, which has unofficially kicked off each ski season since 1949. 
 
when it’s white outside, it's time to ride
Thursday, 20 December 2007

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a roundup of local sledding/snowboarding/skiing spots

As it turns out, you don’t have to spend $40 on gas and $80 on a lift ticket to slide down some good slopes this winter. With lots of fluffy white stuff spiraling from the sky in December, there are a number of local hills—some better known than others—where sledding, snowboarding and skiing are welcome. The key is keeping your eyes peeled for a snowy slope with a steep grade.

Even before the ground was covered with snow this year, some young folks were finding ways to enjoy winter sports right in their own backyards. One day in early December, a skier and a snowboarder pulled up on Rockland Street in Portsmouth with a trunk full of snow. Where they acquired the snow is uncertain, but they proceeded to spread it in a trail down the short slope that overlooks the tennis courts behind South Mill Pond. They then erected a makeshift rail, and, after setting up a tripod with a video camera, took turns launching down the slope and sliding across the rail. (On his first try, the skier made it across the rail but spilled hard when he landed on dry grass on the other side.)

 
rural character preserved
Wednesday, 05 December 2007

Madbury purchases two conservation easements

Madbury’s Conservation Commission has been saving up to buy conservation land for years. So, when two families came forward offering to sell easements on their farms, the town was able to make an offer. Chalk it up to good fiscal planning. Pending the results of a public hearing and a federal review, Madbury will complete the purchase of easements on 91 acres at the Hayes Farm on Mill Hill Road and 68 acres at the Roselawn Farm, which is south of Perkins Road. The Roselawn Farm straddles the Madbury-Durham town line, with 48 acres in Durham and 20 acres in Madbury.   

Purchasing an easement essentially means the town will own the development rights to both properties. The farms will therefore remain undeveloped, because the town will “extinguish the rights,” said Eric Fiegenbaum, chair of the Madbury Conservation Commission. The only exception to the building ban would be any structure built for purposes relating to forestry or agriculture.
 
46 acres added to land trust; to grow or to grow smart, that is the question
Wednesday, 28 November 2007

46 acres added to land trust

A conservation easement granted to the York Land Trust guarantees that a 46-acre property in York will be protected from development in perpetuity. Mary-Leigh Smart committed her property to the Land Trust, provided it be protected from development and transformed into an artists’ colony after her death. The successful transfer of her land marks the completion of 40 projects in the Agamenticus to the Sea Conservation Initiative, which represents the protection of more than 1,800 acres in that corridor.

“We’re always pleased to get easements that are contiguous to other conserved lands. It’s our goal to create large blocks of un-fragmented conservation land,” said Doreen MacGillis, executive director of the York Land Trust.
 
the number two threat
Wednesday, 07 November 2007

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the Blue Ocean Society addresses dog waste on New Hampshire beaches

Seacoast beaches are permeated with dog poop.

A new dog waste outreach program from the Blue Ocean Society for Marine Conservation encourages pet owners to clean up after their dogs. With funding and technical assistance from the N.H. Department of Environmental Services, the Blue Ocean Society and its volunteers hope to clear the state’s shoreline of unsightly and environmentally detrimental detritus.

Members of the Blue Ocean Society first became aware that dog waste was a problem last winter, during one of their monthly beach cleanups at Jenness Beach in Rye. “I just remember, in the middle of the winter, every five feet there was a pile of dog poop,” said Jen Kennedy, director and outreach coordinator for the Blue Ocean Society. “It was just all over the place, and basically, we got really grossed out by it.”
 
moose season opens for a lucky few; YMCA works to activate America
Wednesday, 24 October 2007

moose season opens for a lucky few

This past weekend kicked off nine days of legal moose hunting in New Hampshire. The state distributed 675 permits through a lottery system that allows moose hunters to prowl the woods in search of big game through Oct. 28. The lottery was held this past June and elicited more than 16,750 applicants.

New Hampshire is divided into 22 wildlife management units, which helps N.H. Fish and Game monitor the moose population. The management of each unit depends on several factors, including moose population and available habitat.
“For example, in the Pittsburgh (N.H.) area, they’re going to have to manage the moose population differently than they would on the Seacoast,” said Linda Verville, of N.H. Fish and Game. 

The number of permits allowed for each WMU depends on the management plan for that unit. Just over 100 permits were distributed in WMU-A2, which includes the Pittsburgh, Clarksburg and Colebrook areas. Ten permits were given for WMU-M, which includes the Seacoast and other towns in southeastern New Hampshire. The total number of permits given each year fluctuates depending on moose populations. Last year, 675 permits were given out—the same as this year. Of the 675 permits issued, 85 are for moose without antlers.
 
ski season kicks off on the silver screen
Wednesday, 17 October 2007

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“Seven Sunny Days” to debut in Portsmouth

The impending cold season is enough to make some people cringe, but there are others out there who relish the thought of another long winter. For skiers and snowboarders, the best season of the year is right around the corner. To help kick off the season, Fire on the Mountain Ski and Sport in Dover and Matchstick Productions will present the east coast film premiere of “Seven Sunny Days: Short Stories From a Long Winter.”

For the past 11 years, Fire on the Mountain has hosted a preseason gathering to get people psyched for the coming ski season.
“This is the big pre-season party of the year,” said Bob Siener, owner of Fire on the Mountain. “Several years ago, we started getting this into Portsmouth. The turnout was so good. People definitely supported it, which is why they keep coming back.”
This year’s presentation of “Seven Sunny Days” will be held at the Frank Jones Center on the Route 1 Bypass on Saturday, Oct. 20. The movie will be shown at 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on a 14-foot movie screen. The event has sold out at previous venues, prompting organizers to move it to the 900-seat Frank Jones Center.
 
the fruits of our labors
Wednesday, 03 October 2007

Apple Harvest Day takes over Dover

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, what can you fend off with 100,000 apples? The 23rd annual Apple Harvest Day celebration in Dover will feature enough apple-based products to satisfy the Seacoast’s sweet tooth for an entire year. But the daylong event on Saturday will offer more than fruit. A diverse array of musicians, handcrafters and animals will provide entertainment for around 25,000 visitors in downtown Dover.

The Greater Dover Chamber of Commerce will host the event from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 6. Entertainment at this year’s festival will include Tri-Star Gymnastics & Dance, the Extreme Air jump rope team, dancers from the Seacoast Irish Cultural Association, animals from Wildlife Encounters, the Country Cloggers dance group, the Travelin’ Barnyard live animal exhibit, carnival games and pony rides. Jody Gourlay will sing and tell stories, and Marcus Gale will do the same with the aid of his puppet crew. Merchant’s Row and Crafter’s Alley will be filled with 150 booths for area handcrafters, while children’s activities will fill Henry Law Park.
 
Strawbery Banke Vintage & Vine
Thursday, 27 September 2007

No need to pimp these rides; they came pimped.

Strawbery Banke will hold its annual Vintage & Vine fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 29 from 5 to 10 p.m. A number of vintage and classic automobiles will be on display from car collections across the state, including a wine red 1966 Maserati Ghibli Spider, a red 1948 British MG-TC Roadster, a red 1948 Kurtis-Mayer-Drake midget Racer, a 1937 classic Packard V12 coupe roadster, a green 1932 Rolls-Royce Phantom II Henley roadster, a 1929 Schafer Buick Indianapolis Racer and other vehicles.

The fundraiser will also include wine and food from Seacoast area caterers, offering hors d’oeuvres and gourmet meals. The Ben Baldwin Quartet will provide music as live and silent auctions take place throughout the evening.
 
buns of steel
Wednesday, 29 August 2007

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the Iron Butt Rally swings through Portsmouth

There’s a reason they call it the Iron Butt. Riding 11,000 miles in 11 days on a motorcycle requires exceptionally firm buttocks, and that’s exactly what the Iron Butt Rally entails. Held every two years, the rally sends motorcyclists on a marathon mission across the United States and Canada, challenging participants to obtain bonus points with various detours along the way.

One of those detours took bikers to downtown Portsmouth on Tuesday, Aug. 21, where they received extra credit for picking up a copy of the New Hampshire Gazette at Federal Cigar on Ladd Street. Just fewer than 100 participants had departed from the 2007 headquarters in St. Louis the previous morning. Not all of them stopped in Portsmouth, but those who did reported a rough first day.
 
Portsmouth then and now
Wednesday, 29 August 2007

a look at our changing landscape

It’s no surprise that Portsmouth’s landscape has changed over the last 400 years. At times, changes have been slow and barely noticeable, but there have also been big events—such as the arrival of Europeans—that dramatically altered Portsmouth’s appearance. Native Americans came close to living in perfect balance with the landscape. Early Europeans, however, exploited the environment in pursuit of money. But they still depended on the landscape for their livelihood and achieved a level of self-sufficiency rarely seen in modern times. That model of independence and self-reliance served as the foundation for this country. Unfortunately, it’s a model that all but a gritty few have forgotten.
 
fishing for tranquility in the Powderhorn Valley
Thursday, 23 August 2007

an amateur angler reports back from Colorado

Standing knee deep in fast moving, freezing cold water is not the time to lose patience. Fly fishing is supposed to be a calming, contemplative hobby, and, at moments, it is. But, for someone picking up the sport for the first time, those tranquil moments are cloistered by frustration and failure. So long as patience prevails, fly fishing can catch your enthusiasm—and your dinner.

 
damp weather makes for soggy business
Friday, 03 August 2007

rain and mild temperatures create obstacles for summer businesses

Anyone who’s lived on the Seacoast for any length of time has probably noticed that this summer’s weather has strayed a bit from the norm. Heavy rains and flooding this spring seem to have set the stage for buckets of precipitation even after the “April showers,” and the unusually warm winter has given way to a relatively chilly summer. This is great news for our air conditioners, but not for local businesses that rely on heat and sunshine to stay afloat.
 
the plight of the piping plover
Friday, 27 July 2007

endangered birds hatch at Hampton Beach

Two weeks ago, Hampton Beach State Park witnessed a rare event: the hatching of four piping plover chicks. The birds are more significant than their small size suggests.

Piping plovers are an endangered species in New Hampshire, meaning their population is not sustainable in the state. In fact, there are currently only six plovers in the entire state, and one nest is located at Hampton Beach State Park. “There were originally three nests here, but two were destroyed by storms and the one nest that made it through didn’t end up hatching,” said N.H. Fish and Game’s plover monitor Samantha Niziolek, who keeps a close watch on hatchlings and their nests. “But one that re-nested had some chicks.” This nest was home to four chicks, but so far only two have survived.
 
An Alien Invasion on the Seacoast
Wednesday, 18 July 2007

New Hampshire battles invasive plant species

Six months ago, Dave Kellem was wading through a colony of tall wetland reeds called phragmites. He reached down and cracked open one of the long stems and found that it was a perfect tube, ideally suited to form the body of a pen. On that fateful day, Kellem decided to start a business manufacturing and selling pens made from the stems of the invasive plants. He calls them Phragwrites. “The name is what sold me into starting the company. So, Phragwrites, it’s hard to go wrong with that,” Kellem said. 

 
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