Nature Conservancy receives $2.5 million grant for four-state Connecticut River Program

Ashuelot River and Connecticut Lakes headwaters among the focus areas.

CONCORD, N.H., — Jan. 11, 2006 — A new five-year, $2.5 million grant to The Nature Conservancy will fund conservation projects along the entire Connecticut River, from its start at the northern tip of New Hampshire to Long Island Sound. The grant is being provided by the Bingham Trust, a small, private trust founded in 1935.

“This grant from the Bingham Trust will allow us to gain a better understanding of the river and its tributaries,” said Kim Lutz, director of the Conservancy’s Connecticut River Program. “Figuring out how water flows through the system will enable us to identify strategies with our partners that will improve the quality and diversity of life throughout the watershed.”

Launched in 2003, the Connecticut River Program is examining ways to improve the long-term health and quality of New England’s longest river. To make the Connecticut River system as healthy as it can be, Conservancy staff are focusing on several key areas, especially restoring the river’s natural flows and reconnecting key parts of the river system.

For years the Connecticut River has been threatened by development along its shores, the degradation of water quality, dams that change the quantity of water in the system and the proliferation of invasive plant species. Decades of work by numerous organizations has resulted in great improvements in water quality. As these improvements continue, The Nature Conservancy is focusing on improving other attributes that will help to sustain life throughout the system.

“While the Conservancy has had a history of protecting some of the Connecticut River’s most important ecosystems, this program takes the conservation work a giant step further,” said Daryl Burtnett, state director of The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire. “It has allowed us to think, plan and act with our many partners in ways that consider the long-term health of the river and its remarkable biodiversity, from rare mussels and plants to floodplain forests and estuaries. This generous grant allows us to move forward with that work, in ways that cross political boundaries and offer robust, lasting results.”

“Working to restore natural flows and connectivity throughout the system will improve the habitat for plants and animals,” said Lise Hanners, Ph. D., state director of The Nature Conservancy in Connecticut. “Migratory fish, such as the American shad, only have a short amount of time to travel from salt water to their fresh water spawning habitat. Having impediments, like dams or road crossings, means that some of these fish aren’t able to complete the journey, limiting the number of fish that are able to successfully reproduce. Removing or improving these barriers results in benefits for both the environment and the people who use these resources.”

Other strategies that Conservancy staff will employ include working with partner organizations to reduce the spread of invasive plant and animal species and restoring floodplain forests.

Success with these strategies will lead to a healthier river, providing a number of benefits for nature and people alike. Floods can be mitigated and damage reduced with healthy watersheds and floodplains that absorb rainwater and river flows. A vibrant river supporting healthy wildlife also provides increased recreational opportunities, such as swimming, fishing, hiking, hunting and boating. Bird watchers will see a wider range of birds, including many migratory songbirds that use the floodplain forests as a migratory corridor as well as for breeding and nesting, and water-dependent birds such as bald eagles and osprey drawn by improved habitat and food supplies.

The Conservancy will receive the grant over a period of five years and it will help to support the efforts of staff in all four states. Currently, six conservancy staff and one postdoctoral fellow work within the watershed. The program focuses on the ecological health of the entire watershed, including a specific focus on the Ashuelot River and Connecticut Lakes headwaters in New Hampshire, the West River in Vermont, the Westfield River in Massachusetts, and Salmon and Eightmile Rivers in Connecticut. These areas were identified for their high concentration of rare species and unique natural communities.

Bingham Trust
The Bingham Trust was established in 1935 by Mr. William Bingham II (1879-1955). The Trust does not accept applications and chooses its grant recipients based on the work that closely reflects the interest of Mr. Bingham during his lifetime.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, the Conservancy and its more than one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 14 million acres in the United States and have helped preserve more than 83 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific. Since 1961 The Nature Conservancy in New Hampshire has protected nearly 118,000 acres of ecologically significant land and has worked with partners to protect an additional 148,000 acres in the state. The Conservancy owns and manages 30 preserves across the state. For more information, visit nature.org/newhampshire.