Restoring Balance to the Great Bay Ecosystem

SWA Symposium, May 11, 2011Richard Langan, UNH

Lay of the Land.. and Water

• Great Bay Estuary & Watershed

• Multiple stressors & cumulative effects

• Population growth, development

• Loss of habitats and ecosystem services

• It’s about quality of life too….

• Business as usual won’t cut it

An alternative approach?

• Ecosystem problems require ecosystem solutions

• Science matters, but so do a lot of other things• We need to all share the pain.. and eventual gain• Process is important• We don’t need to know everything to do

something• We do have some tools – let’s start using them

Population in GBE Watershed towns

200,000

250,000

300,000

350,000

400,000

450,000

1975 1985 1995 2005 2015

Series1

52% increase in 28 years

Top down options: bioextraction

Microalgal Biomass Production?

Possible Plant Locations

Dover, NHNewington +

PSNH

Portsmouth, NH

Durham, NH

Exeter, NH

Collectively contribute 330 tons TN

Recommendation• Establish an inclusive forum

– Collectively define problems, solutions and goals– Consider non-technical barriers

• Be creative• Measure progress• Be flexible• Cautions

– Process takes time, $, skills and commitment– Restoration takes longer– There will always be gaps– $$ are limited, use them wisely