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7

NATURAL HERITAGE NEWS

The Newsletter of the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program

Inventorying and Protecting the Biological Diversity of the Commonwealth Since 1978

VOLUME 3, NUMBER 1

SPRING 1993

Program Faces Serious Budget Deficit

Donations to the Natural Heritage &
Endangered Species Fund have de-
creased by almost one-fourth over the last
two years; contributions on 1991 tax forms
totalled only $310,000. The Natural Heri-
tage & Endangered Species Program
(NHESP) receives 84% of its operating bud-
get from this Fund and has received no
support from the state's General Fund since
1987. This means that, without addi-
tional revenues, the Program's operating
budget of about $600,000 could be cut in
half on July 1st.

Senator Durand (D-Marlborough) and
Representative Angelo (D-Saugus) have
filed a bill that would restore General Fund
support to NHESP by providing a three-to-
one match of General Fund revenue to
money donated by the public to "Endan-
gered Wildlife Conservation" on their tax
forms. (See "Legislation" in News Notes on
Page 7).

In This ISSUe-
Forest Fires Page 2

Old-Growth Forests Page 3

Floodplain Forests Page 4

Spotted Turtle Page 5

Vernal Pools Page 5

List Changes Page 6

News Notes Page 7

Staff Changes Page 7

Publications Page 7

Research Contracts Page 8

In March, Governor William Weld posed with a Peregrine Falcon to promote
contributions to the Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Fund.

Over the past 9 years, your voluntary contributions have enabled the Natural
Heritage & Endangered Species Program to restore the following rare species to
Massachusetts:

Peregrine Falcon: nesting again for the first time since 1957.
Ba'd Eagle: nesting again in the state for the first time since 1905.
Osprey: made such a strong recovery it was removed from the state's
rare species list.

Plymouth Redhellv Tni-tlp- its population has doubled since captive-reared
turtles began to be released back into their natural habitat.

As many of our readers know, the Program tracks the locations of endangered
plants and animals, maintaining a data base that serves natural resource agencies
and other organizations. By providing each town's conservation commission with
information on rare wetlands wildlife in their town, the Program helps to protect
critical wetland habitat under the state's Wetlands Protection Act. Also, because
NHESP identifies lands that are critical to conserving biological diversity, 1200
acres of vital habitat have been purchased for protection over the last six years.
The Program also certifies vernal pool habitats, thus providing these pools some
protection under state wetlands regulations.

Your contributions have also enabled the Program to assess the potential
impacts of over 1500 proposed development projects a year to safeguard rare
species and their habitats as well as exemplary natural communities.

We need your help! Please mail in the form on Page 7 with your

\^ contribution, or call NHESP at (617) 727-9194 for more information.

Publication No 1 7354-8-3000- 5/93-CR

Approved by: Philmore Anderson, State Purchasing Agent

- Sally Carroll

Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife

100 Cambridge Street, Boston, MA 02202 (617) 727-9194

NATURAL HERITAGE NEWS

SPRING 1993

What Smokey The Bear Didn't Tell Us About Forest Fires

Those of us who grew up watching
Smokey the Bear tend to believe that no
living thing benefits from forest fires;
but more and more, land managers are
recognizing the role a planned fire (pre-
scribed burn) can play in maintaining

certain types of natural communities.
Benefits of Fire

Now we know that there are good
reasons for conducting prescribed burns;
here are some:

• Reduces fuels to lessen the intensity of
wildfires.

• Prepares the site for regeneration of
groups of plants that would otherwise
not flourish.

• Maintains habitat for certain wildlife
species.

• Opens up habitat to a greater diversity
of species.

• Controls certain insects and diseases.

• Reduces potential damage from un-
controlled fires.

Studies have shown that recently
burned Pitch Pine/Scrub Oak barrens
have a greater diversity of native species
than unburned sites. This is because fire
increases the rate of nutrient cycling in
the soil, as organic material that is slow
to decompose in dry soil releases its
nutrients as ash after a fire. This results
in new growth of plants and an increased
variety of accompanying insects and
birds. Some of this new growth is also
due to plants that specialize in growing
immediately after a fire or other land
disturbance. Fire can also control plant
diseases by regulating the population of
forest insects and reducing microbes and
plant infections.

In the past century, U.S. land man-
agers attempted to suppress all forest
fires because of the difficulty in stopping
wildfires once they began and the result-
ing damage that they could cause. When
fire is suppressed, the growing thickness
of vegetation starts crowding out species
that are adapted to more open areas, and
to areas disturbed by fire.

History of Burning

Early Native Americans knew that
when they burned the woods their berry
crops and hunting would improve. Be-
fore European settlement, some areas of
eastern Massachusetts burned regularly
from lightning or ignition by Native
Americans; these places tended to be
open with less vegetation than areas like
forests, which burned only occasionally.
The resulting variety of vegetation pro-
vided habitat to many species of native
animals and plants that were adapted to a
particular vegetation and the natural com-
munity th at it was a part of.

Fire in Massachusetts

Currently, regular fire management
ofPitchPine/Scrub Oak barrens and grass-
lands is necessary for the survival of
native species populations in Massachu-
setts. In 1992, NHESP Ecologist Pat
Swain assisted at about half of the 15
prescribed burns in Massachusetts, all
totalling roughly 300 acres. Usually, a
prescribed burn requires about half a day
of physically demanding work by many
trained volunteers, and a manned firetruck
is present to provide water as a supple-
ment to the portable backpack pumps

carried by the burn crew.

On Martha's Vineyard, the habitats
of rare moths and butterflies are beingV/S'jft^
reopened through burning. Burning and
opening grasslandsmaintains much
needed habitat of native plants like the:
Nantucket Shadbush and birds such as
Northern Harriers and Short-eared Owls..

Fi re Com m u n ities • l (v i^r* :
Some plant communities, such as
pinelands and grasslands, are fire-prone
and thrive after a fire. Fire-prone vegeta-
tion and associated animals that all make ...
up a natural community tend to occur itij<
dry areas where there is a build-up or
dead plant materials. Minerals and nutri-
ents valuable to new growth are bound up
in a thick layer of needles and oak leaves
on the forest floor; this layer is slow to
break down and prevents new growth.

Page 2

Fire reduces this bed of needles and leaves
and releases their nutrients, preparing an
ideal seedbed for more new growth.

One natural community type that is
both dependent on and maintained by fire
is the Pitch Pine/Scrub Oak barrens, which
is an open shrubland plant community
with grassland or heathland in low areas.
It is found on glacial sands which are
acidic and prone to drought. Some of its
species have volatile oils that encourage
the spread of fires, and some pitch pines
produce cones that only release their seeds
when heated by fire. Member species
like scrub oaks, huckleberries, and pitch
pine have adapted to regrowing after oc-
casional fires. In the grassy openings of
these communities, the Birdsfoot Violet
is one of the first plants to appear after a
fire, and the larvae of the Regal Fritillary,
the rarest butterfly in Massachusetts, de-
pend on this violet for food.

Although fire may displace some
animals temporarily, it is clear that, in the
long run, wildlife actually benefits from
the new habitat that fire creates.

m

Sally Carroll

['■'■

NATURAL HERITAGE NEWS

SPRING 1993

Old-Growth Forests in Massachusetts

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It is difficult for most residents today
to imagine what Massachusetts looked like
in 1830; so much of our original forest land
was cleared for agricultural use and timber
that most of the state was converted to
fields and pasture. Now, after 160 years of
re-growth, 64% of our landscape is for-
ested, and most of these forests were seeded
from pasture; thus, there is very little old-
growth or "virgin" forest left in this state.
The old-growth stands that remain, escaped
logging either because they were inacces-
sible (located in steep-sloping, isolated
valleys), were on land unfit for agricultural
use, or lacked popular timber species like
white pine, which was highly prized by
early loggers.

For the past five years, old-growth
forests have been the subject of national
controversy since the logging of these for-
ests in the Pacific northwest was found to
interfere with the habitat of the Northern
Spotted Owl, a federally endangered spe-
cies. The likelihood that there are species
of plants and animals in Massachusetts
that, like the Spotted Owl, depend on old-
growth forests for survival, underlines the
importance of preserving the few stands of
old-growth mat we have left .

For the past two years, NHESP has
funded a survey by Peter Dunwiddie, an
ecologist with the Mass. Audubon Society,
in which he identified 13 tracts of old-
growth forest in the Berkshires ranging in
size from about 10 to 70 acres each and
totalling more than 300 acres. (In contrast,
in New York's Adirondacks there are tracts
of old growth in excess of 50,000 acres.)
These stands are located in the towns of
Florida, Monroe, Mount Washington, New
Ashford, Savoy, and Williamstown, mainly
in or near state reservations. They are
dominated by Hemlock and Northern Hard-
wood forest types, mainly Beech, Sugar
Maple, and Yellow Birch.

Besides being largely undisturbed by
humans, a main characteristic of an old-
growth forest is that dominant trees are at
least half as old as their average life expect-
ancy, and some trees should be approach-
ing that life expectancy. To determine their
ages, Peter measured the diameters of large
trees and drilled core samples of chosen

^

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ones. The radial cores were then mounted
and sanded in a laboratory, and the growth
rings were counted to estimate the trees'
ages, one year for each ring. The core
samples showed that all the plots contain
trees between 200 and 225 years, and some
of the hemlocks are over 400 years old-a
lot of rings to count.

While some trees in our old-growth
forests tower over 100 feet high, there
should also be many smaller trees of all
ages growing there, indicating that the
forest is constantly reproducing itself an(^kU|iJ&i
has a healthy, diverse structure. These V*
forests should include standing dead trees -
("snags") and downed, dead trees ("logs").
As canopy trees die, more light is let in
which encourages the growth of smaller
trees, while the dead trees provide food
and habitat for wildlife.

Using your donations, NHESP is
also helping to support a study this sum-"*\ m
mer of bryophyte species (mosses and V*'<
liverworts) by Sarah Cooper-Ellis, a
graduate student in plant ecology at
Smith College. The aim of this research
is to find out whether any of these plants
particularly depend on old-growth for-
est habitats for their survival in Massa-
chusetts. Bryophytes can be valuable
indicators of habitat quality and can
help to stabilize soil for other plant spe-
cies.

The value of old-growth forests is
many-fold. Besides the intangible ben-
efits of their pristine beauty, their unal-
tered gene pool makes them a museum of
original seed stock of many wild species of
plants. Like the Pacific Yew, a source of
the cancer-fighting drug Taxol found in
the old-growth forest of the northwest,
there may be similar undiscovered ben-
efits here in Massachusetts.

Old-growth forests are links to our
natural past; analysis of tree rings, dead
wood, and soil particles can be used to date
severe storms and other climatic changes,
fires, and insect outbreaks, as well as
changes in air and water quality. Also,
some of these trees were alive during the
Civil War and the American Revolution,
which makes them a part of our historv /

-Sally Carroll

Tree illustrations by Robert A. Leverett

Page 3

NATURAL HERITAGE NEWS

SPRING 1993

Natural Community Profile: Floodplain Forests

r loodplain forests develop next to riv-
ers and streams that flood regularly in the
spring. Undisturbed floodplain forests
support a key part of the state's diversity
of plants and animals, and protect the
quality of water in adjacent streams. There
are distinct vegetation and soil character-
istics of floodplains.

Important Habitat

Low areas on the floodplain may
stay wet longer than the rest of the area in
the spring, forming vernal pools which
are important breeding areas for sala-
manders, toads and frogs. Other areas
such as oxbows (ponds in old stream
channels) may remain wet throughout
the growing season and support aquatic
and emergent vegetation.

Seasonal flooding enriches the soil
in floodplain forests with organic matter
and silts from upstream so that nutrients
are plentiful for plant growth, and many
floodplain-adapted plants benefit from
spring flooding.

Biodiversity

Diversity of floodplain animal life is
enhanced by the variety of vegetation.
Birds particularly respond to the mixed
heights of the forest trees and shrubs.
Some animal species move to floodplain
areas from uplands during dry seasons;
for example, deer move to floodplains to
eat the plants before the upland foods are
available later in the summer. Aquatic
animals including fish use the flooded
areas, getting extra nutrients from the
flooded forest floor and a breeding area in
the shallow flood waters; other animals
including some birds and turtles use the
floodplain forest both as a migration "cor-
ridor" through mountainous or other wise
difficult terrain and as a source of water
while they travel.

Massachusetts

The best floodplain forests in Mass-
achusetts occur along the Connecticut
River and its tributaries, and the Housa-
tonic and Merrimack Rivers. Davis's

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\

NHESP is funding studies this summer that deal with 3 floodplain
rarities in Massachusetts. One is Britton's Violet (Viola brittoni-
ana), which is state-listed as Threatened. The known locations of
this stemless blue violet are along trails in areas that the river
floods every 10 to 100 years. In Massachusetts it is known from
just 6 locations along the Concord and Neponset rivers. Research
on this violet will again be carried out by botanist Dr. Sally
Zielinski, who is also Executive Director of the Mass. Association
of Conservation Commissions. NHESP is also granting funds to
enable Laurie Sanders, a field naturalist, to locate and study
populations of the rare Green Dragon plant and the Ostrich Fern
Borer moth, both floodplain species along the Connecticut River.

%

/

Sedge, one of the rarest of New England
plants, grows in the floodplain forestalong
the Housatonic River. Another flood-
plain forest is along the Three-mile River
in Taunton. Dominant trees in the flood-
plain community are Silver Maple, Black
Willow, Sycamore, Cottonwood, Box
Elder Maple, and Green Ash, as was the
American Elm before Dutch Elm disease
reduced its population in the forests; also
present are River Birch (Merrimack
River), Pin Oak (Connecticut River), and
Bur Oak (Housatonic River). In Massa-
chusetts, most of these trees grow natu-
rally only on floodplains.

In spring, perennial Ostrich Ferns
grow up through inches of silt and annu-
als such as Jewelweed and Clearweed,
and by midsummer an often continuous
layer of nettles cover the ground . In less
flooded areas, vines such as grape and
Moonseed, shrubs such as wild blackber-
ries, and perennial grasses may become
common. Poison Ivy also does very well
in floodplains. A few of the state's rare
plants grow at the edge of the floodplain:
Sandbar Willow and Frank's Love-Grass
are found in the full sun of sandbars by
the river; Green Dragon grows in the
floodplain forest and in adjacent mead-
ows, often near it's relative Jack-in-the-
Pulpit; and Winged Monkey-Flower can
be found along some small tributary
streams near the Connecticut River.

Threats

Within the northeastern United
States, floodplain forests are no longer
very extensive. The flatness and richness
of the soils make floodplains ideal agri-
cultural lands, and extensive areas of our
floodplains have been converted for agri-
cultural use. Some areas on floodplains
became industrialized in the last two cen-
turies, and some areas have reverted to
town parklands or flood control areas.

One reason floodplains continue to
be developed is that when they are al-
tered, the resulting damage often occurs
downstream. For example, when up-
stream floodplains are reduced in size,
the water moves faster and cuts the banks
more so that floods worsen downstream.
The cumulative loss from 300 years of
forest removal or development has had
detrimental effects on whole watersheds
and their plant and animal species.

Sally Carroll

Page 4

NATURAL HERITAGE NEWS

SPRING 1993

What is the Status of Our Spotted Turtles?
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••a* «v

•* Your donations are being used by NHESP to fund research through the ■
* Department of Forestry and Wildlife Management at U Mass- Amherst into *
I the population dynamics and habitat requirements of the Spotted Turtle. «

man from Oxford reported one
crawling up onto the beach. A Nantucket
woman noticed one in a cranberry bog. In
Middleboro, four were seen sunning
themselves in a wet meadow. The Spot-
ted Turtle (Clemmys guttata) is currently
listed as a species of Special Concern in
Massachusetts, but the rate of new
sightings and the total number of obser-
vation records are higher than other spe-
cies of state-listed wedands wildlife. That
is why the Division of Fisheries and Wild-
life (DFW) is re-evaluating the status of
the Spotted Turtle.

The DFW is reconsidering the status
of the turUe because: (a) there have been
a large number of recent documented
observations in Massachusetts; (b) the
turtle's habitat seems to be relatively abun-
dant; and (c) about 20% of the Spotted
Turtle occurrences are known to be on
conservation land which provides them
with protection.

Perhaps because of the Spotted
Turtle's intolerance to pollution and to
loss and degradation of its habitat, the
state's population of these reptiles may
have been declining since the early 1 900's.
Historic accounts have stated that the
turtle was common in western Massa-
chusetts, yet today Berkshire County has
the fewest recorded Spotted Turtle obser-
vations of all Massachusetts counties ex-
cept Suffolk.

The historic records are one reason
why some people believe that de-listing
the Spotted Turtle is inappropriate. Some
herpetologists have challenged a few of
the assumptions about the Spotted Turtle
made by the DFW. They point out that
most of the records are from eastern Mass-
achusetts and almost half are from Ply-
mouth and Bristol counties, representing
less than half of all Massachusetts cities
and towns. Additionally, most of the

records are of single live or dead turtles,
thus they do not show evidence of breed-
ing and may not represent viable popula-
tions. To be considered strong, a turtle
population should perhaps have several
hundred or more individuals, but evi-
dence of populations this size is rare.

The people against de-listing also
challenge the assumption by DFW that
Spotted Turtles on conservation land are
automatically protected from disturbance,
claiming thatovercollection, habitat deg-
radation, highway mortality, and preda-
tion are also problems for these animals.
Before any recommendation on the
Spotted Turtle is made, these ques-
tions need to be answered:

• Have threats to the Spotted Turtle in
Massachusetts been identified and do they
no longer pose a serious problem? Those
opposed to de-listing believe that DFW
should have better data on the biology,
reproduction and population status and
trends of the Spotted Turtle before mak-
ing a recommendation to de-list it.

• Are a large percentage of the known
Spotted Turtle recordspart of viable popu-
lations which are either stable or increas-
ing? One concern is that, as these turtles
are rare in New York, Vermont, New
Hampshire, and Maine, they may be de-
clining all across the northern edge of
their range.

• Do Spotted Turtles always occur where
suitable habitat exists?

The shell of the adult Spotted Turtle
is marked by scattered yellow spots, while
the young have one spot on each large
scute. Adults average about 3 to 4 inches
long and can have a lifespan of over 40
years. These turtles are shy, and usually
hide themselves in the mud of marshy
meadows, bogs, and small ponds. They
are most often seen in springtime, sun-
ning themselves along the water's edge.

OBSERVATIONS REQUEST

The Natural Heritage & Endangered
Species Program is seeking more infor-
mation on the state's Spotted Turtle popu-
lation. We would appreciate written re-
ports on any sightings, including a map
detailing the site where individuals were
found, and photographs if possible.

VERNAL POOLS

A total of 387 vernal pools have
now been certified by the Program.

Spotted Turtles are known to utilize ver-
nal pool habitats. These spring pools of
fresh water support rich communities
that may include wetland plants, frogs
and toads, salamanders, turtles, newts,
and fairy shrimp. Some of these species
are totally dependent on vernal pools for
survival. Many vernal pools have been
filled for development, so certified pools
are now regulated under the Wetlands
Protection Act.

A book on vernal pools entitled
Spring Pool, published by the New En-
gland Aquarium, is available at the
Aquarium's gift shop for $15. 95. Spring
Pool uses spectacular photographs to
illustrate the diversity of life that is sup-
ported by vernal pools, and can be en-
joyed by both children and adults. The
Aquarium's teacher resource center will
loan out Spring Pool to teachers free of
charge, along with an accompanying
video. The video can also be purchased
directly from the center for $22.00. For
more information call Joel Rubin at (617)
973-6590.

- Sally Carroll

Page 5

NATURAL HERITAGE NEWS

SPRING 1993

1993 STATE BOX SCORE

Massachusetts List of Endangered, Threatened
and Special Concern Species

(as listed in 321 CMR 10.60, January 29, 1993)

Taxonomic Group

Endangered

Threatened

Special Concern

Listed Total

%0f

Native Species

MAMMALS
(including 6 whales)

7
(7 Federal)

0

5

12

14%

BIRDS (breeding, not
the Eskimo Curlew)

11
(4 Federal)

6
(1 Federal)

13

30

14%

REPTILES (including
five sea turtles)

8
(4 Federal)

5
(2 Federal)

3

16

53%

AMPHIBIANS

0

2

4

6

29%

FISH (inland species
only)

4
(1 Federal)

2

3

9

23%

INVERTEBRATE
(non-marine only)

22

(2 Federal)

17
(2 Federal)

54

93

N/A

PLANTS (vascular)

115
(3 Federal)

81

54

250

14%

TOTALS

167
(21 Federal)

; 113
(5 Federal)

136

416

15%*

* Total percentage excludes invertebrates since even a rough number of native invertebrate species in the state is not known.
Federal : Species also listed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service as Federally Endangered or Threatened as of January 1993.

"...The smallest, still uncensused invertebrates, algae, and fungi, the invisible players that make up
the foundation of the ecosystem." (Biologist E.O. Wilson, from his book The Diversity of Life.)

\_, ontinuing to recognize the ecologi-
cal importance of invertebrate species,
the Division of Fisheries & Wildlife added
four invertebrate animals to the state's list
of Endangered, Threatened, and Special
Concern Species, while one species was
de-listed.

Endangered

The Sunderland Spring Planarian

(Polycelis remota) is now listed as En-
dangered in Massachusetts. This flat-
worm is known from only one site in the
world. Currently, it is found at a cold
spring on a state fish hatchery property.
It is easily distinguished from other flat-
worms by the several small eyes arranged
along the rear half of its body. It is dark
in color and reaches about 3/8 of an inch
in length. This species is globally re-
stricted and has been listed because of its
extreme rarity.

Threatened

The Arrow Clubtail (Stylurus
spini-ceps) was rediscovered along the
Connecticut River. This dragonfly is
widely distributed in eastern North
America but the Massachusetts popula-
tion that used to exist along the
Merrimack River has apparently disap-
peared due to industrial pollution and
construction of dams.

Special Concern

The Smooth Branched Sponge

(Spongilla aspinosa) is now listed as a
species of Special Concern in Massa-
chusetts. It is one of the rarest and least
known freshwater sponge species in
North America. Since 1880 it has only
been found in seven other states besides
Massachusetts. In this state, it is known
from only two ponds.
The New England Siltsnail (Cincin-

natia winkleyi) has also been listed as a
species of Special Concern in this state.
This snail has been verified in only five
Massachusetts locations: in the Merri-
mack and Artichoke rivers in West New-
bury, the Egypt River in Ipswich, a drain-
age ditch in Rowley, and the Mill River in
Newbury. It is found in slightly salty or
fresh water. This species could be in
danger from runoff of polluted water.

De-listed

The Pink-edged Sulphur (Colias
interior) has been removed from the state
list of species of Special Concern. This
butterfly is characteristic of acidic heaths,
barrens and bogs and is considered se-
cure in most of Maine and New Hamp-
shire as well as globally. It had been
recorded in four Mass. counties and in
1986 was state-listed; since then, it has
been determined not to be part of the
state's native wildlife.
- Sally Carroll

Page 6

NATURAL HERITAGE NEWS

SPRING 1993

NEWS NOTES

EAGLE NUMBERS UP FROM 1992
70 Bald Eagles were recorded in the
state in early January, a 25% in- (
crease over last year's count of
56 eagles. This year marks the^
highest documented number of
wintering eagles in the state.

NEWS NOTES

STAFF CHANGES

B

JUPERMAN SUPPORTS \ye qjq pleased to announce that

ENDANGERED SPECIES FUND three NHESP interns have moved into

ActorChristopher Reeve, who is well- full-time positions! Patricia Huckery

known for playing Superman, made a is now the Program's Wetlands

30-seeond TV spot endorsing the Natu- Environmental Reviewer. She will

ral Heritage & Endangered Species replace Steve Roble and continue to

Fund. We thank Mr. Reeve, a part-time review development projects in wetland

IN CASE OF AN OIL SPILL. . .

Our Program has produced maps for the
U.S. Coast Guard and the National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administra-
tion (NOAA) delineating where listed
species and waterfowl need to be pro-

resident of Berkshire County, for do-
nating his valuable time and talent to
our Program.

OUR THANKS: to The Nature Con-

habitats for their effects on the state's
rare wildlife species to fulfill the
Program's responsibilities under the
Wetlands Protection Act. Henry
Barbour is our new Habitat Protection
servancy, Mass. Audubon Society, and Specialist. NHESP was able to refill
Mass. Association of Conservation this position because we received a two-
Commissions for running columns on year private grant solely to pay for a
tected in the event of an oil spill off the Natural Heritage & Endangered habitat protection position. Henry will

Massachusetts shores. Under the fed-
eral Oil Pollution Act of 1 990, all states
are required to have an oil spill contin-
gency plan. The plan is expected to be
in place July 1st.

PUBLICATIONS

NHESP has published an Atlas of Pri-
ority Habitats of rare wildlife, plants,
and exemplary natural communities.
This atlas includes the highest priority
wildlife and plant habitats, both up-
lands and wetlands. This atlas is in
addition to the Atlas of Estimated Habi-
tats of Rare Wetlands Wildlife annually
produced by the Program, that refers to
animal, but not plant, species. These
atlases can be purchased for $35 each.

work with public land managers and
private landowners to protect key rare
species habitats. Kelly Slater, formerly
a data intern with NHESP, is now the
Assistant Data Manager. She will

2*-,

Species Program and our funding needs
in recent issues of their newsletters.

LEGISLATION

The matching contributions bill

(H4707) proposed by Senator Durand continue working with our data manager

and Representative Angelo would pro- Gretchen Eliason on updating and

vide critical operating revenue to our expanding the 7,000+ records in our

Program and help encourage voluntary Biological Conservation Data base.

contributions. As this newsletter goes documenting the state's biological

to press, the bill is currently being diversity.

reviewedby the House Ways and Means

Committee.

A separate bill (S1014) filed by
Senator Durand and Representative
Resor (D- Acton) creates a special en-
dangered species license plate. At $25
a plate, this would generate a little
revenue for the Program while promot-
ing the Natural Heritage & Endangered
Species Fund. This bill is in the Com-
mittee on Public Safety.

I am interested in receiving a free subscription to Natural Heritage News (published twice yearly). Please send future issues to:

Sally Carroll

NAME

ADDRESS

APT.

CITY

STATE

ZIP

Please mail to:

Natural Heritage News

NHESP

Division of Fisheries & Wildlife

100 Cambridge Street

Boston, MA 02202

Spring 1993

□

SAVE SOMETHING ON YOUR TAXES.

Please contribute to "Endangered Wildlife Conservation"

on your state income tax form.
This donation is deductible on federal tax forms.
We also welcome direct donations to the Fund by personal check.

Please accept my contribution of $ . Please make checks payable

to "Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Fund".

Page 7

NATURAL HERITAGE NEWS

SPRING 1993

SOME OF THIS YEAR'S SMALL RESEARCH CONTRACTS

This field season, the Program is helping to support over 30 research and inventory projects.

Here is a sampling.

Yellow Lampmussel, Connecticut River

Puritan Tiger Beetle, Connecticut River Valley

Northeastern Beach Tiger Beetle population & habitat

Status of Elderberry Long-Horned Beetle in Concord

Taxonomic status of Nantucket Shadbush

Ostrich Fern Borer moth in western Mass.

Lichen analysis at Myles Standish State Forest

Genetic diversity of state rare plant species

Broad Tinker's-Weed on Cape Cod & the Islands

Inventory of natural communities, Connecticut River

Pitch Pine/Oak communities, Central New England

Blanding's Turtle radiotelemetry

Spotted Turtle radiotelemetry, Nantucket

Roseate Tern demographic studies

Piping Plover breeding biology, Bristol County

Wood Turtle radiotelemetry, Scantic River

Aquatic insect inventory

American Burying Beetle survey, Nantucket

Invertebrate inventory, Southwestern Mass.

Potinus firefly survey, Middlesex County

Dragonfly/damsel fly survey, Plymouth County

Butterfly/moth survey, Atlantic White Cedar Swamps

DIVISION OF FISHERIES & WILDLIFE

Wayne MacCallum
Jack Buckley
Carl Prescott

Director

Deputy Director, Administration

Deputy Director, Field Operations

FISHERIES & WILDLIFE BOARD

George Darey
Nancy Begin
Russ Cookingham
John Creedon
Ernest Foster
Gwilym Jones
Michael Roche

Chair (Lenox)

(Topstield)

(Monument Beach)

(Brockton)

(West Boylston)

(Framingham)

(Orange)

NONGAME ADVISORY
COMMITTEE

MEMBERS

NHESP

Thomas French

Gwilym Jones, Chair
Kathleen Anderson

Henry Woolsey

Marilyn Flor

C Barre Hellquist

Tim Simmons

(vacancy)

Pamela Wealherbee

Henry Barbour
Brad Blodget
Jay Copeland
Bill Davis
Gretchen Eliason

ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

Abigail D. Avery
Christopher Leahy
Jim McDougall
Mark Mello
Mark Pokras

Patricia Huckery
Diane Lauber
Scott Melvin
Kelly Slater
Paul Somers
Patricia Swain

STAFF MEMBERS

Assistant Director for Natural Heritage
& Endangered Species
Coordinator, Natural Heritage &
Endangered Species Program
Habitaj-(frot8Etior\$pQatai|stri mj\
State Ofh^alogis>^Westbofo-Off ice)- •
Environmental Reviewer
Eagle Project Leader (Westboro Office)

Interns, volunteers,
work-study students:

Brett Berkley
Christine Bennett
Sally Cacrjoll

'Bfane:tjincpln
' Lisa McCarthy
Jeanne Voorhees

Dale Youngkin

M

Manager of Information Systems

Wetlands Environmental Reviewer

Secretary/Environmental Review Assistant We wish tottiank Dave

Gabnel. DFW Graphic
Artst, for his technical
support in the produc-
tion of this newsletter

Rare Species Zoologist (Westboro Office)
Assistant Data Manager
State Botanist (Westboro office)
Natural Community Ecologist

^JSS*S 7Ci33?5l

U.S. POSTAGE

NATURAL HERITAGE & ENDANGERED SPECIES PROGRAM
DIVISION OF FISHERIES & WILDLIFE
100 CAMBRIDGE STREET
BOSTON, MA 02202

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106
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