The Friends of Scarborough Marsh (FOSM) is an all-volunteer coalition of private citizens, businesses, organizations and government whose sole focus is the restoration and protection of the Scarborough Marsh through conservation, research and education. FOSM continues our work with community partners to set priorities, make decisions, take action and measure results. We have:
- Contributed to the Scarborough Land Trust expansion of the Warren Woods Preserve along the Nonesuch River
- Partnered with the Scarborough Public Library on our Scarborough Marsh Lecture Series covering a variety of topics relating to the marsh including the Shorebirds of the Marsh and the marsh wildlife UNE GapTracks Project
- Set up Climate Change Observatories on the Eastern Trail with Southern Maine Conservation Collaborative
- Sponsored signage of the Scarborough Marsh Watershed with Scarborough DPW to raise public awareness
- Partnered with the Maine Audubon on Scarborough grade school programs, marsh cleanups and as Season Sponsors for the Audubon Marsh Center 50th celebration
- Conducted our fourth field season of water quality monitoring in eight marsh tributary streams and rivers in partnership with the Maine DEP Volunteer River Monitoring Program
- Supported a USM study on the invasive plant Phragmites’ effect on salt marsh biomass and diversity and a U Maine study on how tidal flow restrictions from bridges and roads may affect salt marsh carbon storage
- Conducted our own scientific field studies to advance understanding of the invasive Phragmites reed problem in the marsh focused on soil salinity at eleven research sites. Final report due this December
- Updated another one thousand Scarborough Marsh Recreation & Resource Maps due to enthusiastic demand
- Recruited three Scarborough High School students to join our board
- Partnered with the Scarborough Public Library on their Makers Space Nonesuch River Virtual Tour
- Published four seasonal newsletters via email. Click the Keep in Touch button on our website to stay informed.
- Collaboration with Scarborough Land Trust on land conservation of marshlands and the upland marsh watershed and to support development of their Nonesuch River Blue Trail for canoeing and kayaking
- Implementation of a demonstration project with the Town of Scarborough and Maine DEP to reroute storm-water discharge away from the marsh to a tidal river as a potential natural control step for invasive phragmites.
- Expansion of Maine Audubon iNaturalist program and funding their Scarborough School grade 5 marsh program
- Grants to fund student research at USM and University of New England Eastern Trail Gaptracks study
- Design and installation of interpretive signs at Libby River & Blue Point preserve with grant funding awarded to FOSM by the Woodard and Curran Foundation and in partnership with Scarborough Land Trust
Mailing
PO Box 7049, Scarborough, ME 04070 Phone (207) 650-7482 info@scarboroughmarsh.org |
Contact Form:
|
|