www.longislandsoundstudy.net February 2007: This month at longislandsoundstudy.net:LIS Stewardship Act focus of Citizens Summit
LISS’s Stewardship Initiative took a giant leap forward last year with the passage of the federal Long Island Sound Stewardship Act and the designation of 33 Stewardship areas. To find out what this means for coastal communities trying to protect and preserve their special places, attend the 17th annual LIS Citizens Summit, which will be held on March 3 at the Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, NY. Speakers will include John Flicker, president, National Audubon; Tim Profeta, director of
Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Environmental Policy, and the co-chairs of the Long Island Sound Congressional Caucus Rep. Steve Israel (NY) and Rep. Christopher Shays (CT). | |  | | See the summit flier for details on the conference and how to register. Descriptions of inaugural stewardship areas are provided in the Stewardship Atlas. |
| LIS Water Quality Programs Featured in EPA Webcast
Mark Tedesco, EPA Long Island Sound director, and Gary Johnson, Senior Environmental Engineer with the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, will be featured speakers in a Feb. 21 EPA Webcast celebrating the 20th anniversary of the National Estuary Program (NEP). The Long Island Sound Study will be highlighted as a case study on how the 28-designated estuary programs in the U.S. involve government and private agencies and organizations to solve water quality issues. Tedesco will discuss how the agreement to reduce nitrogen is being accomplished in Connecticut and New York through a Total Maximum Daily Load. Johnson will be discussing Connecticut’s innovative nitrogen trading program. See Watershed Academy Webcast for more information on the program and registration. |
| Riparian Toolbox
The LISS Web site has a new portal to research information on protecting riparian buffers—the ecologically valuable vegetated banks of rivers or streams, and shorelines of lakes or ponds. The portal allows users to view, read, copy, or download documents, including: public education brochures, model regulations, scientific articles regarding riparian buffers, a glossary of terms, and GIS data. Visit www.longislandsoundstudy.net/riparian. |
| LISS Enhancement Grant Deadline
Feb. 28 is the deadline to submit applications for the LISS Enhancement Grant program. Proposals should address one of these LIS management goals:
• A riparian area regulation adoption project
• Enhancement and application of a decision support tool to facilitate nitrogen load reductions in the LIS region
To learn more about how to apply for the grant, and whose eligible to apply, visit the New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission's Enhancement Grant page. | |
| Local Links of Interest
• Community Resource Inventory (CRI) Online, Sponsored by the Connecticut NEMO program, the site provides comprehensive environmental, cultural, and economic resource data of Connecticut communities. Want to know the amount of tidal wetlands, or the water quality of streams and lakes, in your community? CRI has it.
• Bronx River Video Produced by the American Museum of Natural History, this seven-minute video provides an excellent overview of the restoration work being done by the Bronx River Alliance to transform a polluted urban river into a healthy ecosystem. The video shows footage of environmental crews stabilizing banks, removing invasive species, planting native plants, improving shellfish habitat, and releasing alewives into the river.
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| Around the Sound
• CT Conference on Natural Resources (CCNR). The CCNR brings together individuals working in natural resource and environmental management to share research, information, and ideas. March 9 at UCONN Storrs. More Info: www.ccnr.uconn.edu
• Sediment and Erosion Control Workshop. Two CT watershed groups host an all-day workshop open to municipal staff, developers, contractors, commissioners, and other professionals. March 22 at Waveny Park, New Canaan, CT. Contacts: Sally Harold, Project Director, Saugatuck River Watershed Partnership, (203) 226-4991 Ext. 207 or Jessica Kaplan, Norwalk River Watershed Initiative, (203) 834-0033
• Friends of Flax Pond Lecture Series. Biologist Matthew Draud, an expert on the diamondback terrapin in LIS, presents a talk: “Turtles for Kids of All Ages” on Feb. 25. Archaeologist James Doherty discusses the archaeology of Flax Pond, a tidal pond and salt marsh, on March 25. Lectures at Childs Mansion, Crane Neck. Setauket, NY. More Info: www.flaxpondfriends.org
• Free Tree Seedling. Fifty tree seedlings or a mixed packet of 20 wildlife shrubs are being provided to any interested public or private school in NY. The seedlings can be planted on school grounds or other community space to provide students with hands-on environmental conservation experience. Orders must be received by March 31. Contact: NYSDEC's Saratoga Tree Nursery at (518) 587-1120 or (518) 581-1439. |
| Water Fact
Replacing a pre-1994 toilet with a new high-efficiency model can reduce water used for toilets by at least 60% and save about 14% of total indoor water use. Savings for a typical household would be more than 10,000 gallons per year, enough to fill a backyard swimming pool. Source: EPA.  Back to top |
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