Summer Newsletter 2011: Geology

By . Published on August 3, 2011

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Professor of Geology leads his "Sedimentology" class to Sewall Beach and the Summit at Bates-Morse Mountain. At Summit, overlooking the Small Point Beach to left of group) and Casco Bay, Retelle and Kurt Schuler '10 address the group. Schuler's senior thesis focuses on Small Point beach erosion. He received a summer research grant from the Small Point Beach association. THE BATES - MORSE MOUNTAIN CONSERVATION AREA comprises some 600 acres, extending from the Sprague to the Morse River and to the upland edge of Seawall Beach. It is private property owned by the Bates - Morse Mountain Conservation Area Corporation, a non-profit corporation, with members from the St. John family (who originally conserved the area), Bates College, and the general public. The Nature Conservancy holds a conservation easement on the property. Bates College manages the area for research and educational purposes. SEAWALL BEACH and a portion of the Sprague River back dune area are the property of the Small Point Association, whose mission is to preserve the wild, unspoiled character of the beach, its ecology, and its endangered species habitat. HOW THE AREA IS BEING USED Conservation and Preservation: Bates College and the Small Point Association are cooperating with The Nature Conservancy and the Maine Audubon Society to preserve the plants, birds, animals, and natural communities within the area. These include the nesting sites of the piping plover and the least tern (endangered species of birds which nest on the bare sand), as well as numerous rare and fragile plants, mosses, and lichens. Education and Research: Bates College is conducting environmental research throughout the area in cooperation with other institutions and agencies.Correction: Seawall Beach

This fall, three new courses are offered that may interest geology students. Tim Cook, Mike Retelle’s sabbatical replacement, will teach the 300-level course Coastal and Estuarine Processes. Beverly Johnson will teach ES/GE 226, Hydrogeology, while Camille Parrish and Matt Duvall will teach ENVR 220, GIS Across the Curriculum. (ES/GE 217, Mapping in GIS, won’t be offered in winter 2012.) Register for these courses during add/drop period (Sept. 6-13).

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