The phone call was not what I expected nor wanted to hear. “Frank Richardson has passed away.” I was shocked. Frank had retired last year after an extensive and honorable career with the NH Department of Environmental Services Wetlands Bureau. He retired as senior coastal inspector, but he wore many more hats.
He was a teacher. He loved taking groups out onto his beloved tidal marsh and pointing out the unique ecology. Frank was eminently suited to speak about the tidal marsh. He was co-author of the “Soil Survey of New Hampshire Tidal Marshes”, which also was his PHD thesis.
Yes, he was Dr. Frank D. Richardson, or “FDR”. As he liked to joke. But he did not want to be addressed as Dr. Richardson. He preferred just being “Frank”.
Frank was deeply involved with restoration of coastal marshes. Whether it was a town grant to removed tide gates and restore tidal flow, to oversee the removal of Phragmities, or creation/restoration of tidal marshes as part of permits, Frank was an invaluable resource. Frank was the “guy” you talked to about how to make a successful tidal marsh restoration project, both in sequencing and monitoring. He sat in on more coastal restoration projects during his career than I can imagine.
Frank was a philosopher and a student of people. His gentle manner, whether taking with applicants for the most outrageous projects, or with people who had committed jurisdictional violations, Frank was always respectful and had a genuine concern that they understood the environmental issues. He never talked down to anyone. Frank would end the meeting often with a self-depreciating joke, and the meeting would end with smiles and shaken hands.
Frank was the first person who truly made me understand the concepts of function and value. Not the listing that you often find in various wetland evaluation methods. Frank was always looking at the bigger picture. What will happen on the landscape level? What will happen over time? What is truly worth saving? His knowledge and understanding of the environment as a whole never ceased to amaze me.
Life for Frank seemed to revolve around where land meets the water. His studies and interests focused on the tidal marsh and coastal estuaries. He was an avid surf caster. He loved fly fishing, both in the ocean and along freshwater steams. Frank seemed to be most at home and relaxed when he had a rod in his hand.
So, Dr. Frank D. Richardson was a “gentle” man and a scholar, and I will miss him. Frank, I hope you are listening. Keep your rod and your line tight, forever.
In My View” is an opinion article that will be posted to you once a month. It is my view of wetland and other environmental issues that will or may affect your business or organization. It will sometimes give you updates on new rules or legislation that has recently passed. In other cases, I will discuss legislation that is “in the works” at our state capital. As the name would imply, it is my view of what this rule, legislation or change means to you. I am constantly meeting with clients, friends and local regulatory officials who are asking me what this rule means or what that piece of legislation does. For that reason, I am sending this out to associates of GES who might care to have this information. I will not be political, but I do reserve the right to be opinionated. If you do not wish to receive further articles, let us know by a “reply to”, and we will delete your name. If you know of someone who might want to receive future articles, just send this on to them and copy us. We will add them to the distribution list. If in the coming months there is a topic, law, rule or regulation that you would like me to discuss, let us know. If I feel that I am competent to say something about it, I will discuss it in the future.
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Jim Gove
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