Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, also known as Wells Reserve, is a

National Estuarine Research Reserve The National Estuarine Research Reserve System is a network of 29 protected areas established by partnerships between the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and coastal states. The reserves represent different biogeographic re ...

located in

Wells Wells most commonly refers to: * Wells, Somerset, a cathedral city in Somerset, England * Well, an excavation or structure created in the ground * Wells (name) Wells may also refer to: Places Canada *Wells, British Columbia England * Wells ...

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

History

Established in 1984, Wells Reserve manages of coastal habitat and is

headquartered Headquarters (commonly referred to as HQ) denotes the location where most, if not all, of the important functions of an organization are coordinated. In the United States, the corporate headquarters represents the entity at the center or the top ...

at the historic Laudholm Farm. The land managed by the reserve lies partially within the

Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is a National Wildlife Refuge made up of several parcels of land along of Maine's southern coast. Created in 1966, it is named for environmentalist and author Rachel Carson, whose book ''Silent Spring'' ...

. Funding for the reserve is provided in part by the

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (abbreviated as NOAA ) is an United States scientific and regulatory agency within the United States Department of Commerce that forecasts weather, monitors oceanic and atmospheric conditio ...

, as well as by the nonprofit Laudholm Trust.

Description

Wells Reserve is located along the coast of the

Gulf of Maine The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America. It is bounded by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and by Cape Sable Island at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northeast ...

. The land managed by the reserve includes fields, forests,

salt marsh A salt marsh or saltmarsh, also known as a coastal salt marsh or a tidal marsh, is a coastal ecosystem in the upper coastal intertidal zone between land and open saltwater or brackish water that is regularly flooded by the tides. It is dominated ...

, tidal freshwater marsh, and sandy beaches. The reserve includes the campus of Laudholm Farm, which serves as the reserve's headquarters. Laudholm Farm is listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

. The reserve also features a visitor center and the Maine Coastal Ecology Center, which hosts educational exhibits featuring the landscape, history, and ecology of the reserve. The Maine Coastal Ecology Center also has research facilities for visiting scientists.

Research and monitoring

Since the 1980s, the Wells Reserve research program has been expanding knowledge of coasts and estuaries with an emphasis on ensuring healthy salt marsh ecosystems. Some key areas of research include: * Fish distribution and growth * Salt marsh restoration * Coastal watershed land use * Invasive species * Biological productivity in estuaries * Patterns in plant communities * Avian productivity and survivorship * Lyme disease ecology Staff scientists also continually monitor trends in weather, water quality, nutrients, and plant and animal communities, contributing to a national effort that promotes effective coastal zone management.

Education and training

Wells Reserve educators engage people in

environmental education Environmental education (EE) refers to organized efforts to teach how natural environments function, and particularly, how human beings can manage behavior and ecosystems to live sustainably. It is a multi-disciplinary field integrating discip ...

, both on-site and in local communities. Each year, more than 3,000 children and adults participate in a variety of educational programs at the site, which serves as a living laboratory. The Wells Reserve also maintains indoor facilities to enrich teaching opportunities. Formal educational offerings include: * school field trips * teacher trainings * guided tours and programs * lectures and workshops * curriculum kit rentals * activity backpacks and trail guides * summer day camps The nationally recognized Coastal Training Program provides resource managers, regulators, politicians, and other decision-makers with information on sound

coastal management Coastal management is defence against flooding and erosion, and techniques that stop erosion to claim lands. Protection against rising sea levels in the 21st century is crucial, as sea level rise accelerates due to climate change. Changes in s ...

, as well as opportunities to collaborate on watershed initiatives.

Conservation and stewardship

Wells Reserve resource specialists manage about representing many habitats that support an impressive flora and fauna. Acting as a model site for stewardship, methods of active management employed at the Wells Reserve include: * controlling invasive plant species * maintaining and creating shrublands as wildlife habitat * protecting rare plants and endangered animals * maintaining fields for grassland nesting birds * managing an over-abundant deer population The Wells Reserve also involves communities in conservation by providing mapping services, technical assistance, training programs, and conservation data useful for the protection and care of land and water resources.

Protection and preservation

The protected lands comprising the Wells Reserve are entirely within the Town of Wells, Maine. These conservation lands are owned by the Maine Department of Conservation (533 acres),

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior dedicated to the management of fish, wildlife, and natural habitats. The mission of the agency is "working with othe ...

(1,428 acres), Town of Wells (249 acres), and Wells Reserve Management Authority (40 acres). The Wells Reserve site, farmed for over three centuries, holds a prominent place in the town's history. The Laudholm Farm campus reflects New England's progressive farming era. By the 1970s, farming had ceased to be viable, but the effort to permanently protect Laudholm stimulated the establishment of Maine's only National Estuarine Research Reserve. Laudholm Farm's buildings were restored and renovated to respect a treasured heritage while creating a platform for Wells Reserve research, education, and stewardship programs.

References

Wells Reserve
retrieved June 4, 2009
Laudholm Trust
retrieved June 4, 2009
Kennebunk, Kennebunkport and Wells Water District
retrieved October 4, 2005

External links

Laudholm Trust
- A nonprofit organization that supports the Wells Reserve through monetary and in-kind donations
Wells Reserve
- A quasigovernmental organization with a research, education, and stewardship mission
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve
NOAA {{Authority control National Estuarine Research Reserves of the United States Protected areas of York County, Maine Nature centers in Maine Wells, Maine Protected areas established in 1984 1984 establishments in Maine Estuaries of Maine Bodies of water of York County, Maine