Forum to present Muscongus data

WALDOBORO – The overall health of Muscongus Bay is the main topic of a forum Saturday to discuss needs and issues involving the bay.

The agenda features presentations and discussions about public access, coastal development, environmental monitoring, clam management and more – all of which affect the region’s community members and stakeholders.

During the forum, the results of a yearlong inquiry into local views and concerns about the bay’s resources, communities and economy will be unveiled, said Jennifer Atkinson, of the Quebec Labrador Foundation/Atlantic Center for the Environment. QLF/Atlantic Center for the Environment exists to support the rural communities and environment of eastern Canada and New England, and to create models for stewardship of natural resources and cultural heritage that can be applied worldwide, according to its Web site. Atkinson is based in Friendship.

The research was conducted by the Muscongus Bay Project as a pilot project of the state’s Bay Management Study. Funding included grants from the State Planning Office for $20,000 and Maine Community Foundation for $7,500.

The project began in 2003 to better understand local uses and perceptions of the bay region and included developing 25 Geographic Information System maps of the bay area, which comprises the St. George and Medomak rivers and estuaries and the towns of Waldoboro, Warren, Friendship, Cushing, Bremen, Bristol, Thomaston, South Thomaston, St. George, and Monhegan.

Summer interns and a part-time coordinator were enlisted to compile information about the bay and to survey bay property owners about their perceptions and concerns. Five roundtable discussions were held with bay users and other direct stakeholders.

One of the issues that surfaced from the inquiry is coastal development.

“It affects working waterfront, access, scenic view and character of a town,” Atkinson said. “We’re really trying to open that discussion and get towns to cooperate.”

On the matter of public access, Atkinson said, there needs to be a balance of providing access without encouraging overuse.

The bay area has many uses from fishing to education and recreation.

Some call it the “small boat bay,” Atkinson said, because of an abundance of hidden ledges. “It’s kind of a hot spot for kayaking.”

One of the many fishing activities in the bay region is clamming, Atkinson said, noting that clam management is another discussion to take place. The towns along the St. George River work cooperatively through a management group. Along the Medomak River, towns manage clamming independently.

“Would the St. George model be helpful in the Medomak?” she asked.

The forum’s goal is to lay out the findings of the study, set up small workshops to address various issues, and make a plan for the future.

The Muscongus Bay Forum takes place from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 26, at Medomak Valley High School off Manktown Road.