MASSACHUSETTS BAYS PROGRAM

WORKING TOGETHER TO PROTECT THE BAYS

MASSACHUSETTS BAYS PROGRAM

PROGRESS REPORT 1990 - 2000

Welcome to the Massachusetts Bays Program Year 2000

Progress Report. We are excited to have this opportunity to

showcase our successes over the past ten years and present our

future goals to protect the coastal environment. Inside the fol-

lowing pages, you will find an overview and brief history of the

Massachusetts Bays National Estuary Program, discussions of the

most pressing coastal environmental issues, highlights of the Bays

Program's activities, and specific actions you can take to help.

We thank you for your support, and hope that you continue to

partner with us as we work together to protect and restore our

precious estuarine ecosystem for generations to come. Please

enjoy reading about Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays and

what the MBP is and has done to preserve and enhance this

national treasure.-Massachusetts Bays ProgramStaff, Volunteers, and Supporters

ESTUARY—A partiallyenclosed body of waterformed where freshwaterfrom rivers and streamsflows into the ocean, mixing with the salty sea water.

THE MASSACHUSETTS BAYS PROGRAM PAGE 2Why are Estuaries Important?

Meet the Bays Program

How it Works: Then and Now

Partners in Protection

WORKING LOCALLY PAGE 6Map of MBP Sub-regions

Local Governance Committees

MBP COASTAL INITIATIVES PAGE 8Protecting Coastal Habitat

Restoring Shellfish Beds

Managing Municipal Wastewater

Preventing Stormwater Pollution

FOCUSES FOR THE FUTURE PAGE 15Managing Land Use: a Focus for the Future

The Healthy Habitats Initiative

CONTENTS

CREDITS

WRITING

Ben Carlisle, Eastern Research Group

DESIGN

Arden Miller, Massachusetts Office of Coastal Zone Management

PHOTOGRAPHY

E. Lindsay Gray: cover, 11

Stephen Tucker: sailboat, forward fisherman, Contents; egret, page 3; seal, page 5.

Jeff Hannigan: urchins, page 2.

Karen Hopkins: child, Contents; sampling, page 9; pipe, page 13; Salem Harbor, page 14

Stephan Gersh: Rowley River, page 12.

Susan Clemence, Clemence Photography: children, page 7

All other photography: Massachusetts Office ofCoastal Zone Management archives

WHY IS THE MASSACHUSETTS BAYSESTUARY IMPORTANT?Massachusetts is blessed with a rich anddiverse coastline of salt marshes, tidalflats, beaches and estuaries that are ofimmeasurable value to the Common-wealth’s citizens and its native wildlife.Estuaries – where the land meets the sea– provide unique habitats for marine life,including commercially important shell-fish, and provide economic, recreationaland aesthetic value. Residents and visitorsenjoy the pleasures of swimming, boat-ing, bird watching, and recreational fish-ing. Tourists spend approximately $1.5billion per year and support nearly81,000 jobs. And despite declines inregional fish stocks, commercial fishingin Massachusetts continues to be a multi-million-dollar industry.

Today, however, Massachusetts’ estuar-ies are increasingly jeopardized by devel-opment along the coast and in uplandwatersheds. Development has destroyedor degraded thousands of acres of criticalwildlife habitat, and has broughtincreased pollution from stormwaterrunoff, municipal and industrial discharges, and other sources.

Fortunately, it is not too late to reverse the trend of habitat loss anddeclining water quality. The MassachusettsBays National Estuary Program (MBP) isleading the effort to develop regionalsolutions to pollution problems inMassachusetts Bay, Cape Cod Bay, and the adjacent watersheds—an area ofabout 1,650 square miles stretching from the tip of Cape Cod to the NewHampshire border (see map on page 6).

MEET THE MASSACHUSETTSBAYS PROGRAMThe MBP is a partnership of local, state,and federal governments, as well as citi-zens, scientists, educators, and businesses,all united behind a principal mission: thepreservation and management of a healthyecosystem of living resources, useable bythe public. Since the program’s launch, in1988, we have made significant stridestowards succeeding in our mission. Howhave we done it? By setting specific,measurable goals for restoring and protecting water quality and the diversenatural resources of the MassachusettsBays. By promoting regional problem-solving to protect and manage sharednatural resources. And by developing and implementing locally based solutions to some of our most intractable environmental problems.

The following pages tell the story of theMBP—our history, the exciting coastal ini-tiatives underway to protect the Bays, andour goals for the years ahead. But, mostimportantly, you’ll read about how you canget involved...because the MassachusettsBays will continue to thrive only if all of uswho use and enjoy our bountiful resourcesshare the responsibility for their protection.

MASSACHUSETTS BAYS

BRINGING OUR ESTUARIES NEW LIFE

Shellfish have historicallybeen one of the most

abundant and heavilyutilized resources

along the coast of theMassachusetts Bays.

A wide variety of species is found in the

Massachusetts Bays’diverse habitats.

2

The Program

3

Protecting sensitive marshhabitats is one of morethan 70 actions that theMassachusetts Bays Pro-gram takes to preserveMassachusetts and CapeCod Bays (Great Marshesof Barnstable).

The combined efforts ofscientists, government offi-cials, and private citizens

has helped the return ofharbor seals, like this oneon the Sandy Neck Barrier

Beach/ACEC (BeachPoint) in Barnstable.

4

HOW IT WORKS: THEN AND NOWThe MBP was launched in 1988 toactively address the mounting threats tothe health of Massachusetts and CapeCod Bays. In 1990, the U.S. Environ-mental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA)accepted the MBP into the NationalEstuary Program, which was establishedto identify nationally significant estuariesthreatened by pollution, development, oroveruse, and to promote the preparationof comprehensive management plans toensure their ecological integrity. Over a 6-year period, the MBP developed aComprehensive Conservation andManagement Plan (CCMP) for the Baysregion with the help of hundreds of indi-viduals representing a wide array of pri-vate, government, and community inter-ests. The final CCMP, published in 1996,

serves as a blueprint forcoordinated action formanaging and protectingthe Bays’ resources. It fea-tures 15 action plans con-taining over 70 specificrecommended actions for preventing pollution, pre-serving habitat, and restor-ing the Bays’ degradedresources.

Today, the MBP’s staff andresources are entirely com-mitted to implementing theactions called for in the

CCMP. We do this in a number of ways:

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

The CCMP identifies dozens of organiza-tions, both governmental and non-govern-mental, that are responsible for taking thesteps needed to protect and restore the

Bays. The MBP works to build partnershipsand promote coordinated action amongorganizations who share a common goal orwhose responsibilities overlap.

PROMOTING LOCAL AND

REGIONAL SOLUTIONS

The unique structure of the MBP enablesus to identify and remedy environmentalproblems that require a local and regionalfocus. To implement actions at the localand regional level, we depend heavily onthe Commonwealth’s Regional PlanningAgencies and on the MBP’s five LocalGovernance Committees (LGCs). See page 6.

DEVELOPING MODELS THAT WORK

Throughout our history, the MBP hasacted as an innovator, generating locallybased models for addressing environmen-tal challenges, initiating and nurturingprograms based on these models, thenworking with our partners to replicatelocal successes regionwide. The followingpages describe several of these innovativeprograms.

WHO PARTICIPATES IN THE MBP?As you read this brochure, you’ll encounterbrief profiles of some of the partners whoparticipate in the MBP. The MBP dependson the contributions of hundreds of part-ners, from the U.S. EPA (the primary fun-der) to various state agencies responsible forspecific actions in the CCMP, from localgovernment representatives to the innumer-able volunteers working to implement theCCMP in their own communities. Theprogram is a true partnership of diverseorganizations and individuals, workingtogether for a common goal.

PROGRAM BACKGROUND

The MBP is a true partnership of diverse

organizations and individ-uals, working together

for a common goal.

PARTNERS IN PROTECTION

Formed as the public participationarm of the MBP, the Coastal Advocacy Network

(CAN) is a coalition of local and regional environmental

advocacy and educational organizations from the com-

munities around the Massachusetts Bays. Members of

the CAN played a critical role in the creation of the

MBP’s Comprehensive Conservation and Management

Plan, promoting the views of non-governmental organi-

zations concerned about management of the Bays. The

CAN also has provided key public review of major

government projects that threaten the Bays’ ecosystems,

including the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority’s

new sewage outfall in Boston Harbor. Today, after years

of administrative and funding support from the MBP, the

CAN functions as an independent entity—the only

advocacy group that presents a united front on state-

wide coastal issues. It is well respected on Beacon

Hill and frequently weighs in on national issues.

COASTAL ADVOCACY NETWORK

PARTNER PROFILE

MASSACHUSETTSBAYS PROGRAM

5

WORKING LOCALLY

6

THE LOCAL VOICESince its inception, the Massachusetts Bays Program has relied

heavily on the participation of local citizens: to provide guid-

ance and direction, to identify pressing regional issues, and to

bring about real change leading to protection of the Bays.

LOCAL GOVERNANCE COMMITTEES (LGCS)The LGCs are the mechanism through which local citizens

lend their voices and energy to the program. The LGCs are sub-

regional committees made up of local officials and appointees

from each of the 49 coastal communities in the MBP region.

Members of the five LGCs—Eight Towns and the Bay, Salem

Sound 2000, MetroBoston, South Shore, and the Cape Cod

Coastal Resources Committee—played an integral role in the

development of the MBP’s Comprehensive Conservation and

Management Plan between 1991 and 1996, promoting the

needs and interests of their communities and providing key

guidance on regional environmental issues.

Today, the LGCs continue to serve their communities as

liaisons to the MBP. Major activities of the LGCs include public

education, water quality and wetlands monitoring, and develop-

ment of protective bylaws, pollution prevention programs, and

habitat protection initiatives. The MBP supports these local and

regional efforts by funding staff at the Commonwealth’s Regional

Planning Agencies who provide technical and planning assis-

tance to the LGCs and the communities they represent.

BUILDING PARTNERSHIPS

FORMED IN 1993, the Massachusetts Bays

Education Alliance is a community of educators who

promote the protection of Massachusetts’ bays, shores,

and watersheds through their teaching. Created as a

subcommittee of the MBP, the Alliance provides educa-

tional resources and encourages planning and imple-

mentation of environmental education programs. It

unites environmental education organizations and agen-

cies across the region. Major accomplishments of the

Alliance include the production of the highly acclaimed,

300-page Massachusetts Bays Watershed Stewardship

Guide, An Educational Resource. The Alliance has also

organized over 28 teacher workshops, six major

teacher conferences, and a graduate-level summer

course offered through UMass-Boston. Today, the

Alliance functions as an independent arm of the MBP,

securing grants for environmental education and con-

tributing to the implementation of the CCMP. Its 900

members are leading the effort to educate students,

parents, teachers, and communities about watershed

issues and the values of environmental stewardship.

PARTNER PROFILE

THE MASS BAYS EDUCATION ALLIANCE

Through formal educationand outreach, the MBPworks to instill an apprecia-tion and understanding ofMassachusetts Bays'coastal treasures (Kings-bury Beach, Eastham).

7

WATERSHED—An area ofland that drains into awater body such as ariver, lake or the sea.

Driven by local and regional goals, theMBP partnership set its focus on five priority CCMP action plans: protectingcoastal habitat, restoring shellfish beds,managing municipal wastewater, pre-venting stormwater pollution, and man-aging local land use. The following pagesdescribe specific projects underway in the MBP sub-regions.

PROTECTING HABITAT(PAGE 9)Massachusetts has lost close to 30 percentof its original coastal wetlands to develop-ment, and other key habitats throughoutthe Bays region are being steadily degraded.The MBP is leading the search for innova-tive ways to protect and restore wetlandsand other critical habitats.

RESTORING SHELLFISH(PAGE 10)Shellfish resources have historically beenabundant and heavily harvested along theMassachusetts Bays’ coast. Sadly, due todisease-causing viruses and bacteria, onlyabout 77 percent of the state’s shellfishresources remain permanently open. TheMBP has been a catalyst for the develop-ment of a cooperative, cutting-edgeapproach to shellfish management.

MANAGING WASTEWATER(PAGE 13)Mounting development pressures incoastal areas present significant challengesin providing sewage treatment and dispos-al. Both large centralized wastewater facil-ities and individual onsite septic systemscan cause local and regional declines in

water quality and ecosystem health. TheMBP is contributing to the search fornew, environmentally sensitive approaches to onsite treatment and disposal.

PREVENTING POLLUTION(PAGE 14)As precipitation falls, it washes pollutantsinto coastal waters. Development increasesthe volume of this stormwater by increasingthe amount of land that is impenetrable towater (e.g., roads, driveways, buildings).The MBP is working with municipalities tomeasure and correct stormwater impacts onwater quality.

MANAGING LOCAL LAND USE(PAGE 15)Roughly 3.8 million people now live inthe Massachusetts Bays watershed, andthe number is growing. This growth, andthe rapid development that accompanies it, exacerbates environmental problemsby increasing stormwater runoff, sewage-related pollution, and pressure on fragilecoastal habitat. The MBP’s HealthyHabitats Initiative is a new, multifacetedapproach to habitat protection and community planning.

Massachusetts harbors support numerous

commercial fishing industries and provide

recreational opportunitiesfor local residents.

TAKING ACTION

8

Coastal Initiatives

VOLUNTEERS ASSESSING WETLANDSMeasuring the success of wetland restora-tion efforts is a tricky task. Traditionally,environmental managers have correlatedsuccess with the acres of wetland restored.However, this measure does not take intoaccount the health of the wetland ecosys-tem, and whether it is serving its criticalfunction as habitat for a wide range oforganisms.

To look at wetlands preservation moreholistically, scientists from theMassachusetts Bays Program, Coastal ZoneManagement, and the UMass CooperativeExtension have developed the WetlandsHealth Assessment Toolbox (WHAT), aunique approach to assessing wetlandquality and ecological health. Using theWHAT approach, scientists can assess theecological integrity of wetland sites byevaluating the condition of six indicators:land use, vegetation, tidal influence,aquatic macroinvertebrates, birds, andwater chemistry. By combining the infor-mation obtained for each of these param-eters, scientists arrive at an overall picture

of a wetland’s health, expressed as anumeric score or ranking.

In the summer of 1999, with the helpof an enthusiastic group of citizen volun-teers, the MBP scientists and their part-ners tested the WHAT approach at fourwetland sites on the North Shore whererestoration projects are currently plannedor underway. The project began with aseries of intensive training sessions,organized by MBP’s Eight Towns and the Bay and Salem Sound 2000 LocalGovernance Committees, during whichmore than 40 volunteers received hands-on practice at a variety of monitoringtechniques. The trained volunteers thenworked in teams to gather data at thefour sites, located in the North Shoretowns of Ipswich, Essex, Gloucester, and Salem.

The MBP and its partners plan tomonitor these sites closely over a numberof years to measure the effectiveness ofeach restoration project. By comparingthe volunteers’ data with data that theythemselves gather, the scientists hope todemonstrate that citizen volunteers can,with a little training, use the WHATapproach to obtain accurate results aboutwetland health. The MBP also plans toadapt the WHAT model at numeroussites around the state to involve a largernumber of citizens in the stewardship oftheir local wetlands.

"I learned a lot of valuable

skills from participating in the

wetland health assessment

project, and I got a very dif-

ferent perspective on how

wetlands work. The training

itself was really intensive—

especially the invertebrates

training, which was two full

weekends. But people did it,

and went out and did the

monitoring and really

enjoyed themselves. It was

great to meet people who

share my concerns about the

environment and want to do

something about it."—Cindy Richmond,

Volunteer

The MBP is a leader inlinking science, policy and citizen participation.Here, a volunteer learnsfirst-hand about the impor-tance of assessing environ-mental quality through the MBP's innovativeWetlands Health program.

9

If you’re interested in participating in wetland

health assessment, call the MBP at the number

listed on the back of this brochure.

PROTECTING HABITAT

WANT TO GET INVOLVED?

DEVELOPING MODELS THAT WORKShellfish bed closures are often linked tointense development pressures experi-enced along our coastlines and coastalwatersheds. On Cape Cod, for example,restrictions on shellfish harvests increasedtenfold between 1980 and 1990—a peri-od when development rates on the Capewere among the highest in the state.Development brings with it increased discharge from sewage treatment plants and combined sewer overflows, increasedstormwater runoff from paved surfaces, and increased numbers of septic sys-tems—all of which contribute pathogens to our nearshore waters. To protect andrestore our shellfish resources, we need tocontrol these many pollutant sources,which is a job too big for any one agencyor organization.

Recognizing the need for a newapproach to shellfish management, in1993 the Massachusetts Bays Programspearheaded the development of an inte-grated, interagency program aimed atrestoring and protecting shellfish beds inthe Massachusetts Bays. The ShellfishClean Waters Initiative (SCWI) is a coordi-nated partnership of the MBP, CoastalZone Management, the Division ofMarine Fisheries, the Natural ResourcesConservation Service/MassCAP, CountyConser-vation Districts, the Department of Environmental Protection, and coastalcommunities. The goal of this partner-ship is to restore closed shellfish beds andensure the sustained management of openbeds. Twelve sites, ranging geographicallyfrom Ipswich to Harwich, have beenselected for a pollution mitigation andmonitoring program with a long-termgoal of reopening shell-fish beds.

The MBP hired a program coordinatorin 1995, who has led the effort to assesspollution sources at each of the 12 sites,design and implement mitigation strate-gies, and develop monitoring programs toensure that reopened beds remain har-vestable. Early successes of the programinclude:

� The installation of hi-tech “StormTreat” systems for treating stormwater discharge at two sites in Gloucester and Harwich. The SCWI is currently monitoring the effectiveness of these innovative treatment systems for possible use at other sites.

� The completion of preliminary assessment at all 12 sites. Current efforts are focused on determining the causes of non-point pollution and documenting storm drain discharges.

In 1998, after five years of providing staffand funding to nurture the SCWI, theMBP turned over the program to theMassachusetts Office of Coastal ZoneManagement (MCZM). MCZM built on theSCWI’s demonstrated success and expandedits scope to cover the entire Massachusettscoast. Today, MBP staff continues to workclosely with the SCWI coordinator and otherprogram partners to ensure the ongoing suc-cess of the program, now seen as a model foreffective interagency coordination.

RESTORING SHELLFISH HARVESTSShellfishing has long been a commercialand recreational staple in the Town ofDuxbury, where roughly $700,000 worthof shellfish is harvested annually. Overthe past decades, however, significant portions of the shellfish beds in Duxburyand Kingston Bays have been closed toharvest, either temporarily or permanently.The reason? High levels of fecal coliform

RESTORING SHELLFISH

10

The MBP integrates multiple approaches at

the state and local levelsto reduce fecal coliform

contamination responsiblefor closures and lost

shellfishing throughout the region.

bacteria, resulting primarily from failed oroverburdened septic systems in waterfrontneighborhoods.

Contamination of coastal embaymentsfrom onsite wastewater systems is a problem shared by many towns in theCommonwealth. In Duxbury, town officials have taken a proactive approachto dealing with the problem. Workingclosely with the Massachusetts BaysProgram, the Shellfish Clean WatersInitiative (SCWI), and the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF), the town is developing creative solutions to itsonsite wastewater problems.

In 1996, the town completed construc-tion of a shared sewer/septic system tocollect and treat waste from three houseslocated at the mouth of the BluefishRiver, a small tidal river that containshundreds of acres of softshell clam beds.The three houses stand on filled saltmarsh that floods regularly. For years, thisflooding had overburdened the houses’existing septic systems, carrying sewageinto the river and causing elevated fecalcoliform levels. The new shared system,which was designed with a $32,000 grantfrom the MBP, has brought bacteria levelsinto the safe range, leading to the reopeningof 99 acres of productive shellfish beds.

The town is now using the BluefishRiver remediation project as a model todeal with onsite wastewater problems atother locations. In a neighborhood onKingston Bay, the town is constructing ashared waste-collection-and-treatment sys-tem to stop ongoing contamination of 100acres of highly productive shellfish bedsthat have been closed since 1978. Thisshared system, known as the Bay Road system, will serve 31 houses whose waste

disposal systems have either failed or areregularly inundated by the tides, and arecontributing to bacterial contaminationof Kingston Bay. The new system willconvey waste from all 31 houses to twolarge septic tanks located on public prop-erty, well outside the tidal flood zone.

The use of shared or neighborhoodwastewater systems is an innovative solu-tion to an increasingly common problemin Massachusetts. The Bluefish River andBay Road projects demonstrate that, withcreative thinking and collaborative effort,onsite treatment of waste can be effec-tively managed even in environmentallysensitive areas.

10

12

Health officials from thetowns of Beverly and

Marblehead posted publicwarnings of unsafe waterquality at numerous storm

drainages located nearswimming beaches.

PARTNER PROFILE

Salem Sound 2000 (SS2000) waslaunched in 1990 when a small group of local

leaders recognized the need for a regional watershed

organization that would bring Salem Sound’s communi-

ties together to share responsibility for stewardship of the

common resource. In 1992, the organization received a

major boost when the Massachusetts Bays Program des-

ignated SS2000 as the region’s Local Governance

Committee. With staffing, technical assistance, and fund-

ing from MBP, SS2000 initiated an ambitious effort to

train citizen volunteers to monitor water quality and iden-

tify pollution sources within the Sound. As SS2000 con-

tinued to grow through the 1990s, the citizen monitoring

program became the hub for a number of other volun-

teer-based initiatives, including Massachusetts Adopt-a-

Stream and Wetlands Health Assessment Toolbox pro-

grams (see page 9). Today, SS2000 is an effective and

influential non-profit organization, with full-time staff, an

active membership, and a strong board of directors.

SS2000 has trained nearly 100 volunteers in water-qual-

ity monitoring, and its data is well respected and utilized

by state and federal agencies.

SALEM SOUND 2000

Estuarine areas such as theRowley River on the North

Shore provide critical habitat for numerous

bird and fish species.

SOLVING ONSITEWASTEWATER PROBLEMSOver the past decade, there has been agrowing awareness throughout theMassachusetts Bays region of the damagedone to the environment by nutrients dis-charged from onsite septic systems. Thisawareness has focused attention on theneed for alternative wastewater technolo-gies that more effectively remove nutri-ents and other harmful constituents fromhousehold waste.

In 1994, the Massachusetts BaysProgram answered this need by launchingthe Alternative Septic System Initiative in partnership with the Barnstable CountyDepartment of Health and the Environment(BCDHE). This program has two maingoals: to gather and disseminate informa-tion on the performance, reliability, andeffectiveness of various alternative waste-water systems, and to assist with theselection and installation of appropriate systems at specific sites around Cape Cod.

Alternative wastewater systems differfrom standard septic systems by removingnutrients from household waste—some-thing that standard septic systems generallydon’t do. Overloading of nutrients incoastal waters is a major concernthroughout the Bays region, and can trigger excessive algae growth, low dissolved oxygen concentrations, and fish kills.

Alternative wastewater systems removenutrients through a variety of technologies.(Some, for example, filter waste through a material such as sand or peat before

discharging it to the soil.) Over the past six years, the Alternative Septic SystemInitiative has played an integral role inencouraging the use of these various technologies and demonstrating their effectiveness at sites Capewide. BCDHE staff, hired through MBP funding, has provided technical assistance to Boards ofHealth, engineers, and homeowners interested in alternative wastewater technologies, and has helped evaluate thesuitability of various alternative systems atsites around the Cape. With MBP funding,BCDHE also published a series of newslettersto familiarize Boards of Health with alterna-tive septic technologies, their proper applica-tion, and permitting requirements. As anincreasing number of alternative systems havebeen installed, the Alternative Septic SystemInitiative has led efforts to develop monitor-ing plans for evaluating alternative systemperformance.

As interest about alternative onsite septicsystems grows throughout the MassachusettsBays region, there will be an increaseddemand for detailed information on specifictechnologies. The Alternative Septic SystemInitiative provides an excellent model fordelivery of this critical technical assistance.

The Salem Sound 2000(SS2000) monitoring pro-gram identified a sewagebreak that was discharging17,000 gallons of rawsewage per day directlyinto Salem Sound. SS2000notified the DPW of theproblem and the breakwas repaired.

MANAGING WASTEWATER

13

MONITORING STORMWATER

Over the past seven years, Salem Sound2000 (SS2000) has conducted an exten-sive citizen monitoring program to trackchanges in the water quality of SalemSound. This monitoring has shown thatsignificant volumes of polluted stormwa-ter are degrading streams and coastalwaters within the Salem Sound water-shed. In the summer of 1999, SS2000kicked off the Clean Beaches and StreamsProgram to raise public awareness ofthese problems and to stimulate munici-palities to take corrective action.

The Clean Beaches and StreamsProgram has several goals: 1) to educateresidents, towns, and businesses aboutstormwater pollution, 2) to provide citi-zens with information about the safety ofwater quality at local beaches, 3) to coordinateefforts between SS2000 and municipalofficials to monitor water quality andrespond to pollution problems, and 4) to promote shared respect for the watershed.

The centerpiece of the program is theClean Beaches and Streams Network—a newpartnership designed to facilitate communica-tion on stormwater issues among SS2000,municipal health officials, and Department ofPublic Works (DPW) staff in the region.SS2000 focuses its water monitoring on stormdrains and streams that discharge into SalemSound, whereas the six local health officials

conduct separate water quality monitoring atarea beaches. Under the Network, SS2000and health officials communicate regularly,coordinate monitoring efforts, and sharelab results. If a pollution problem isdetected, SS2000 and health officials workwith DPW staff to organize a fastresponse, which can include identifying the pollutant source (for example, a broken sewer pipe), posting a beach or storm drain to warn the public of a health hazard, and/or planning a corrective strategy.

To provide the public with clear,understandable information about waterquality and safety at local beaches, SS2000also published and widely distributed monthlyBeaches and Streams Reports throughout thesummer of 1999. SS2000 plans to build onthis success by publishing these reports morefrequently in coming years and by developinga public education pamphlet showing citizenswhat they can do to become good advocatesand stewards for their beaches and streams.

PREVENTING POLLUTION

14

During its 10 year history, Salem Sound

2000 has successfully rallied citizens around a

common resource andcontinues to work for acleaner Salem Sound.

The Massachusetts Baysregion includes nearly

40 lighthouses.

15

The previous pages described some of theexciting work the Massachusetts BaysProgram is doing to protect and restore thediverse natural resources of the Bays.However, much work remains to be done.In January 2000, the MBP launched anew campaign—the Healthy HabitatsInitiative—to address two priority goals for the next three years: protecting andenhancing coastal habitats and managinglocal land and resource use.

HEALTHY HABITATS INITIATIVE

Over the past decade, the MBP has maderemarkable progress in its efforts to protectand restore coastal habitat. Reopening shell-fish beds impacted by septic discharge,restoring tidal flow to wetlands fragmentedby road construction, monitoring the effectsof stormwater runoff—these critical actionsare bringing us closer to the preservationand management of a healthy Bays ecosys-tem. However, none of these actions targetthe root cause of most habitat loss anddegradation: uncontrolled or poorlyplanned development.

MBP’s Healthy Habitats Initiative is amultifaceted approach to resource manage-ment that treats habitat protection and landuse planning as the interlinked issues thatthey are. The Initiative will allow the MBPto leverage innovations in research, protec-tion, management, and education town bytown and throughout the region.

The goal of this three-year initiative isto protect critical habitat and uniquecommunity character by helping townspreserve open space, protect wetlands,

prevent stormwater impacts to water quality, and manage coastal resources. TheHealthy Habitats Initiative consists of twomajor elements: a regional research and man-agement conference entitled “A New Visionfor Environmental Protection in the 21st

Century: Using Biology to SignalEcological Health,” and a number of individual subregional supporting projects.

The regional conference (November 2and 3, 2000) aims to help environmentalmanagers use biological indicators, such asthe number of bird species in a restoredwetland, to determine the health of anecosystem. The MBP recognizes the impor-tance of measuring the quality and diversityof life, in addition to chemical water quali-ty, to fully evaluate the health of an ecosys-tem. Our Wetlands Health AssessmentToolbox (WHAT) program is based onusing numerous biological, chemical, andecological indicators to analyze ecosystemhealth. The conference will showcase theWHAT program, and other cutting-edgetechnologies and methodologies designed toimprove protection efforts (see page 9).

The Initiative’s supporting projects target two areas: habitat preservation and innovative community planning. The intent of these projects is to use the MBP’s partnerships and technicalexpertise to implement specific solutionsto local and regional habitat threats.Some projects build on current successesof the MBP, others are new, but alladdress local needs, and all have beendesigned, and will be guided, by theMBP’s five regional Local Governance

MANAGING LAND USE:

A FOCUS FOR THE FUTURE

16

Committees. A partial listing of the projectsin the Healthy Habitats Initiative includes:

� Expanding the Wetlands Health Assessment Toolbox program on theNorth Shore (see page 9). This project will train additional volunteers, assess thehealth of wetlands, and produce a modelapplicable throughout New England.

� Restoring tidally restricted wetlands on the North Shore, South Shore, and Cape Cod. Roads and railroads often cross wetlands, limiting the flow of tides and changing the natural occurrence of species, reducing viable habitat and allowing flooding in storm conditions. These three projects will inventory impacted wetland areas. These inventories will then be used to prioritize and guide restoration efforts to improve wetland health.

� Restoring “pocket” wetlands in the metro-- politan Boston area. The metropolitan

Boston area contains wetland enclaves. that suffer from the impacts of the surrounding urban development, such as invasion by aggressive plant species that force out native wetlands plants. This project will be a pilot effort to restore these wetlands to health.

� Providing technical expertise on stormwater issues to municipal officials and non-point source pollution outreach to the public throughout the region. The MBP has built a foundation of providing local technical assistance and outreach to the general public. These projects will include work-shops, events, and publications that promote protection of critical habitat.

� Pursuing “No Discharge Area” desig-nations and developing guidelines for personal watercraft use on Cape Cod. Discharges of human waste from boats and pollution and erosion associated with personal watercraft pose a threat to the Cape’s coastal waters, its living resources, and the economy that is dependent on the high quality of those resources. These projectswill: 1) gradually designate specific areas of Cape Cod as “No Discharge

Areas”—areas where boats cannot discharge waste; and 2) develop and implement consistent regulations governing the use of personal watercraft in especially sensitive areas of the Cape.

The MBP’s Healthy Habitats Initiativewill provide habitat protection throughoutthe Massachusetts Bays region through thecombined efforts of the conference and sup-porting projects. Specifically, these endeav-ors will produce critical research, importantlocal initiatives, innovative managementtools, and much-needed outreach to localofficials and the public about the impor-tance of habitat to the Massachusetts andCape Cod Bays ecosystem.

As we move further into the 21st century,we will use our unique regional partnership,local technical assistance, and public outreachand education to focus on protecting publichealth, reducing and preventing stormwaterpollution, and managing local land use andgrowth to restore a healthy Massachusetts andCape Cod Bay ecosystem.

The previous pages have illustrated theMassachusetts Bays Program’s rich history,coastal initiatives, and exciting future direc-tion. Help us build on the progress we havemade by contributing your talent and energyto the Massachusetts Bays Program! We areblessed with an extraordinary resource thatprovides us with recreation, livelihood, a placeto rejuvenate, and critical wildlife habitat.But, only by combining our unique abilitiescan we hope to restore Massachusetts and CapeCod Bays to a place where fishermen haul inhealthy harvests, children delight in cleanbeaches, and we all enjoy sparkling waters.You can make a difference by supporting theMassachusetts Bays Program.

The MBP's focus for the future includes

protecting critical habitatand managing land use to preserve the unique

character of Massachusettsand Cape Cod Bays.

IN CLOSING . . .

Do Your PartFIVE THINGS YOU CAN DO TO SAVE THE BAYS

1) TAKE ACTION IN YOUR HOME. Reduce your use of chemicals, detergents, fertilizers, and pesticides—it will make a difference.For details, call the MBP and request the fact sheet "A Clean Coast Begins at Home."

2) PROTECT THE COAST IN YOUR COMMUNITY. The MBP hasrepresentatives from every coastal community working to protect the coast. Contact the MBP to see how you can help.

3) PARTICIPATE IN THE ANNUAL COASTSWEEP CELEBRATION.COASTSWEEP is a great way to lend a hand, pick up some trash, and restore our coast. Watch the MBP Web site(www.massbays.org) and the Coastal Zone Management newsletter or web site (www.state.ma.us/czm) for more information.

4) SUPPORT FUNDING AND PROTECTIVE LEGISLATION FOR THEMASSACHUSETTS BAYS. State and federal legislators need to hear from you, their constituents. For alerts on issues that need you support, contact the MBP or the Association of NationalEstuary Programs, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit organi-zation that supports the 28 National Estuary Programs(703-333-6150, drvolk@erols.com).

5) ENJOY AND PROMOTE THE BAYS’ RESOURCES. Whether youpaddle, swim, hike, fish, or boat...whether the Bays provide you with recreation or your livelihood, communicate yourinterest in their protection to elected officials, educators, peers, and your children. Support your local watershed group. Volunteeryour time to a local board. Speak up at Town Meeting. Writea letter to your local newspaper. Contact the MBP for more information.

MASSACHUSETTS BAYS PROGRAM251 Causeway Street, Suite 900

Boston, Massachusetts 02114(617) 626-1230

www.massbays.org

WWW.MASSBAYS.ORG

Developed by the Massachusetts Bays Program,a cooperative venture of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Environmental Affairs/

Coastal Zone Management and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER