GREENLAND, N.H. -- Twenty five years ago, the Great Bay Estuary received a gift. This gift -- prompted by a threat from Aristotle Onassis to build the world's largest oil refinery on Great Bay -- was the permanent protection of the Estuary. In October of 1989, the Great Bay became part of a national network of Reserves and became known as the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. The Great Bay Discovery Center was built as the education headquarters of the Reserve, and several new programs were developed to help educate, conserve and protect this important region.
One of the highlights of the Center is a 1,300-foot boardwalk that meanders through coastal uplands and into a spectacular saltmarsh adjacent to the Bay. For 22 years, the boardwalk has seen thousands of visitors and close to 60,000 school children. It provides one of the few handicapped accessible locations to view and experience the Great Bay. But time and weather have taken its toll and the boardwalk is reaching the end of its life.
A recent gift from a dedicated volunteer is boosting a cooperative project to restore this beloved coastal treasure. At the Reserve's 25th Anniversary Celebration, long-time volunteer educator Joe Stieglitz announced that he and his wife Pam Bertram of Lee, NH, were providing the Reserve with a check for $20,000 toward the boardwalk replacement campaign.
Surrounded by friends, supporters and board members of the Great Bay Stewards, the 501(c) 3 friends group of the Reserve, Stieglitz announced the gift. "Pam and I feel a great affection for Great Bay. We love the Discovery Center and its staff. We are grateful to be part of the community of volunteers for this special place. We both know the importance of the boardwalk and the vital role it plays in the natural and cultural history programs taught at the Discovery Center. " The heartwarming presentation of the gift brought the crowd to its feet.
"Joe and his wife Pam have not only donated financially to this effort, but have given the Reserve literally thousands of hours of volunteer time over the last two decades, educating children about the importance of the Great Bay, serving as the President of the Great Bay Stewards and now Secretary of the board, " said Kelle Loughlin, Great Bay Discovery Center Director. "Joe and Pam play a critical role in the annual Art of Great Bay fundraiser, the Great Bay 5K road race and are always there when you need them. They exemplify what it means to truly be a 'steward. '"
The Reserve needs to raise $350,000 to replace the boardwalk and to date, have raised over $225,000 thanks in part to grants and generous donations from friends and visitors to the Center and Reserve.
"Pam and I are thrilled to be able to contribute in a meaningful way to this project for replacing the Discovery Center's boardwalk. Our hope is that this will inspire many other stewards of our Great Bay to step forward and support this worthy fundraising campaign, " said Stieglitz.
"The generous gift from Pam and Joe is just one more example of the kind of dedication that earned Joe the Reserve's Evelyn Browne Conservation Award in 2003, " said Reserve Manager Cory Riley. "Joe's devotion to the Great Bay Discovery Center and conservation of the Bay has left all of us profoundly grateful. We hope that others will see this donation and also feel compelled help save this precious public resource. "
The Great Bay Discovery Center in Greenland is the education headquarters of the Reserve and is managed by the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department. The free-of-charge public facility operates as a state and federal partnership between Fish and Game and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). It is located off Route 33 at 89 Depot Road, Greenland, NH.
If you want to help save a seacoast treasure, buy a board to support the boardwalk restoration today at http://www.greatbaystewards.org.
Contact: Kelle Loughlin - 603-778-7398 or Kelle. Loughlin@wildlife.nh.gov
