None The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts Press Releases Search All Press Releases Kerry Crisley 617-227-7017, ext.316, kcrisley@tnc.org

Conservation of Land, Rivers, and Streams Needed to Secure Bay State’s Freshwater

The Nature Conservancy sets formula for freshwater in Massachusetts

BOSTON, MA — March 3, 2008 — An additional 750,000 acres of protected land and 5,000 miles of re-connected streams are needed to effectively preserve and sustain our freshwater resources for the future, according to a document released by The Nature Conservancy.

A New Way for Water outlines a comprehensive vision and strategy for the long-term protection and management of Massachusetts’ rivers and streams. Grounded in science, the Vision advocates a holistic approach to protecting and restoring the five elements most essential to healthy rivers and streams: headwaters, intact river corridors and floodplains, connected networks, flow and protected water-supply lands.

“Massachusetts needs a cohesive plan for our rivers, lakes and streams,” said Loring Schwarz, Acting Director of The Nature Conservancy in Massachusetts. “If we work together on shared goals, we can make sure that we’ll have clean water to drink, lakes to swim in, and canoe or fishing trips to enjoy for a long time to come. At the same time, we’ll be giving a boost to all the animals and plants that depend on these resources, too.”

Specifically, the Vision calls for the following outcomes:

• Protect an additional 400,000 acres of headwater areas
• Protect an additional 150,000 acres of river corridor and floodplain lands
• Reconnect 5,000 miles of streams by removing 1,000 dams and road crossings.
• Protect an additional 191,000 acres of water-supply lands
• Establish reasonable standards that define how much water should be left in our rivers and streams

Most of this land protection and stream conservation can happen on private lands through conservation restrictions and voluntary agreements of landowners.

The National Wild and Scenic Rivers System states that freshwater animals are disappearing five times faster than land animals. And according to the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, 50 metro Boston communities will exceed their allowable water withdrawal limit by 2030.

“We have to be proactive, as climate change only stands to exacerbate these pressures,” explained Alison Bowden, Freshwater Program director in Massachusetts. “Dams and other barriers will make it difficult for animals to move when conditions change, and these structures will be tested by intense storms and flooding. More prolonged and severe droughts will put pressure on the water supply.”

But, she added, actions taken now can help in the long-term. “Rivers and aquatic species have an astonishing capacity to heal themselves when given the chance.”

The Nature Conservancy and partners are actively engaged in freshwater conservation at sites across Massachusetts:

In Southeastern Massachusetts, the Conservancy worked closely with the state and local communities to create the Plymouth Carver Aquifer Committee. This multi-town group is developing a regional open space plan and consistent bylaws to protect their shared supply of drinking water.

In the Westfield River watershed, the Conservancy and partners have surveyed road crossings, culverts and dams to identify those that pose substantial threat to wildlife and to prioritize those in need of repair or removal. A similar study is being conducted within the Taunton River watershed.

With state agencies and the University of Massachusetts, the Conservancy is developing a tool that will help planners better understand how volume and intensity of flow affects aquatic plants and animals and set targets for restoring flow to healthy levels.

View A New Way for Water and a Q&A with freshwater director Alison Bowden online at nature.org/massfreshwater.

The Nature Conservancy is a leading conservation organization working around the world to protect ecologically important lands and waters for nature and people. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 15 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 102 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Visit The Nature Conservancy on the Web at www.nature.org.