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Drakes Island Tidal Restoration

Science, Community, and Compromise

  • Chapter
Tidal Marsh Restoration

Part of the book series: The Science and Practice of Ecological Restoration ((SPER))

Abstract

Shortly after the landing of Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, Massachusetts, settlers arrived at the southern portion of the Province of Mayne, now the State of Maine (Butler 2005). While the area remained largely undeveloped for nearly two hundred years, by the mid- and late 1800 s the then well-settled Town of Wells, Maine, embarked on a series of coastal improvements for the sake of agriculture and vacationing summer residents. Dikes and roads caused tidal restrictions in salt marshes that resulted in changes in vegetation, encroachment of invasive plant species, and elevation subsidence. Tidal restoration to one such area, Drakes Island, has provided a series of social challenges in addition to the standard ecological and engineering concerns. Although restoration construction occurred during late spring 2005, in 2010 the marsh and town continued to be in a period of adjustment. Scientific field investigations, engineering designs, and computer modeling have and continue to be the currency of dialogue between restoration partners and the local community. Homeowner perceptions, particularly about slow stormwater drainage and potential tidal flooding, nonetheless continue to drive management of the system.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported through funds from the US Fish and Wildlife Service. The new culvert-SRT installation was made possible by funding from the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Restoration Center, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve, Town of Wells, Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, Conservation Law Foundation, and Restore America’s Estuaries. L. Wagner, K. Springer, N. Williams, A. Chessey, J. Panaccione, and C. Guindon are thanked for their dedicated fieldwork. The authors are indebted to their partners at the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and Town of Wells. This chapter was improved through the comments of anonymous reviewers and the editors.

Authors
  1. Susan C. Adamowicz
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  2. Kathleen M. O’Brien
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Rhode Island’s Graduate School of Oceanography, USA

    Charles T. Roman (professor-in-residence) (professor-in-residence)

  2. Department of Natural Resources and the Jackson Estuarine Laboratory, University of New Hampshire, USA

    David M. Burdick (associate professor) (associate professor)

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© 2012 Island Press

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Adamowicz, S.C., O’Brien, K.M. (2012). Drakes Island Tidal Restoration. In: Roman, C.T., Burdick, D.M. (eds) Tidal Marsh Restoration. The Science and Practice of Ecological Restoration. Island Press, Washington, DC. https://doi.org/10.5822/978-1-61091-229-7_19

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