Salmon Falls Watershed Event Attracts Local Leaders and Landowners

More than ninety landowners and community leaders attended a recent program titled “Your Land, Clean Water, Your Legacy” at the Governor’s Inn in Rochester. The panel discussion and social hour was presented by the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative and the NH Association of Conservation Districts, as well as several regional non-profit organizations, including the Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance, Moose Mountains Regional Greenways, and the Strafford Rivers Conservancy, with assistance from UNH Cooperative Extension.

The Piscataqua/Salmon Falls Watershed was recently identified by the US Forest Service as the watershed most at risk in the US to suffer a reduction in water quality due to potential loss of forested land to development within the next twenty years. Program participants heard from a panel of local landowners, foresters, and staff of state and regional conservation organizations about proven practices that can protect the water quality of the Salmon Falls Watershed. Such practices are completely voluntary and can be implemented with financial and technical assistance that is available from non-profit, town, county, state and federal sources.

Linda Schier, Executive Director of the Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance, welcomed the audience, gave an overview of the Salmon Falls watershed and introduced the panel of speakers and the exhibiting organizations. LaMarr Clannon, Coordinator for Maine Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials, set the stage with a discussion of the connections between water quality and forestry management. She gave specific examples of how water pollution results from poor land management practices and how good management preserves water quality. Wendy Scribner of UNH Cooperative Extension and Farmington landowner Art LeClair described how best management practices in privately owned forests provide benefits to landowners as well as to the watershed because they increase forest uses and profitability. Amanda Stone, Cooperative Extension Specialist in Land and Water Conservation, and Milton Mills landowners Janice and Tim Long, went on to discuss conservation easements and how they protect our natural resources.

The presentation wrapped up with Dan Wright, USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), who gave information about NRCS programs available for landowners to access funding and technical assistance for best management practices of forest, wildlife, agriculture, and water resources. Due to the noted risk of degradation of the Salmon Falls Watershed (SFW), applicants for NRCS funding from the SFW area will be given priority in the funding process. After the panel, participants met one-on-one with exhibitors and panelists to discuss their individual needs for forest management programs.

For more information on the Salmon Falls Watershed Collaborative, please see www.prep.unh.edu/sfwc.htm, which also lists the contact information of all participating organizations.

Another similar program is planned in Acton, Maine at the Town Hall from 6:00 to 8:30 pm on December 7. For more information regarding the upcoming Maine event, contact Melissa Brandt of York County Soil & Water Conservation District at 207-324-0888 ext. 214.