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Visionaries ponder direction for next decade of Gulf of Maine stewardship

By Suzy Fried, Editor

Gulf of Maine - As the Gulf of Maine Council begins its second decade of promoting cooperation on behalf of the Gulf ecosystem, the Gulf of Maine Times asked past recipients of the Gulf of Maine Council's annual Visionary Award to reflect on the current state and future direction of stewardship.

The Visionary Award recognizes individuals and organizations from the states and provinces bordering the Gulf for their outstanding contributions to maintaining and enhancing a sustainable Gulf of Maine ecosystem.

Wayne Castonguay of Ipswich, Massachusetts, received the Visionary Award in 1992 for his anti- pollution activism as part of the Ipswich Coastal Pollution Control Committee, which began working in the 1980s to restore the town's shellfish beds.

"I think the generation coming along has been much more educated than my generation and my parents' generation and grandparents'. Hopefully, this generation will be proactive and take charge of the situation."

Sue Foote of Seabrook, New Hampshire, received a 1998 Visionary Award for her dedication to the protection, restoration, and enhancement of the natural resources in coastal New Hampshire and to educating others about their value.

"You can't protect a resource by regulation. The most effective way is to prove by example and education that certain actions are detrimental to the way of life. Too many people don't understand that something as simple as the high nitrogen fertilizer they put on their lawn will eventually make its way to the salt marsh, and most likely degrade the marsh habitat, which becomes the small snowball that eventually creates the avalanche that affects their ability to have a fresh haddock fillet for their dinner."

David Getchell Sr. of Appleton, Maine, was recognized in 1991 for his work as Trail Coordinator for the Maine Island Trail Association. The group established and maintains the Maine Island Trail, a recreational waterway along the Maine coast that includes 40 public and 40 private islands.

"I think modern man has to always keep in mind that he has the technological ability to just overwhelm almost all of nature. Our dependence upon machines, particularly on the water and on the land, both, over a long period of time, can have a tremendous effect on these waterways. The users have to be encouraged to be stewards as well as consumers."

Janice Harvey of Waweig, New Brunswick, received a 1993 Visionary Award for her role in helping launch the Conservation Council of New Brunswick's (CCNB) marine conservation advocacy efforts. She is now Director of Marine Conservation for CCNB, which works throughout the Bay of Fundy.

"Unless we start treating the Gulf of Maine as a single system, regardless of jurisdiction, our current piecemeal approach will continue to fail to address the large scale problems."

Steve Hawboldt of Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, received the Visionary Award in 1997 for his work to improve environmental quality and public education in the Annapolis River Basin. Program Director of the Clean Annapolis River Project, he is also one of the founders of the Gulf of Maine Coastal Monitoring Network.

"People have to participate in deciding how they want the resources used and developing a common vision, and figure out what to do to obtain that vision. The governments can't fix it, industry can't fix it, individuals can't by themselves fix it, but everyone working together can fix it."

Mary Majka of Mary's Point, New Brunswick, received the Visionary Award in 1996 for her lifelong commitment to preserving and enhancing the upper coastal region of the Bay of Fundy, including founding the New Brunswick Federation of Naturalists, launching efforts to protect colonies of seabirds on Machias Seal Island, and leading efforts to protect important pieces of shoreline used by migrating shorebirds.

"The whole Gulf of Maine concept [has] already created something very positive, because nature does not respect borders. Borders are only humans' and politicians' creations. Nature thinks of the Gulf of Maine as one unit and that unit needs to be protected." - Mary Majka

Julia Steed-Mawson of Lee, New Hampshire, was recognized with a Visionary Award in 1991 for her creative marine education programming with the University of New Hampshire Sea Grant Extension Program, as the first director of the Visitor Center at Odiorne Point State Park.

"Youth, including those from under-represented audiences - economically, racially/culturally, developmentally diverse - [must be] integrated into the learning, monitoring, research, and decision making regarding the Gulf. They will, after all, be it's future, and its power, might, and beauty can touch their souls." - Julia Steed-Mawson

Michael McAdam of Truro, Nova Scotia, received the 1992 Visionary Award for his work with the Colchester River Enhancement Association. The organization hired federal parolees and unemployed people to work on salmon and trout habitat restoration projects, conduct surveys, and collect data about spawning streams in Colchester County.

"We're more aware of what we're dumping out into the waterways, but they may still get overwhelmed by growing industry and populations."

Scott Hecker of Duxbury, Massachusetts, was recognized in 1998 for his direction of the Massachusetts Audubon Society's Coastal Waterbird Program, which combines research, conservation, environmental education, land acquisition, and advocacy to protect nesting sites along the state's coastline.

"We need better enforcement of coastal legislation. I think there are many good laws already on the books, but I know that enforcement is lagging behind primarily because of a lack of funding for enforcement. That's something that is desperately needed."

Jeff and Deb Sandler of South Portland, Maine, received the Visionary Award in 1994 for their work as marine educators. Known as "Mr. and Mrs. Fish," the Sandlers visit schools throughout the Gulf of Maine's coastal communities - usually costumed as sea creatures - to teach students about marine ecosystems.

"The role of scientists and researchers is not only to do the science but to be able to translate that to the public so the public can be well-informed and act in favor of the Gulf's well-being." - Deb and Jeff Sandler