MILTON MILLS, NH - Nearly 100 paddlers from all over the state meandered down four scenic miles of the Branch River on Saturday, June 11. Joined by representatives from Branch Hill Farm, the Cocheco River Watershed Coalition, Moose Mountains Regional Greenways, the NH Department of Environmental Services, and UNH Cooperative Extension, the group learned more about the critical connections between land and water.
Much of the land on both banks of the river belongs to Branch Hill Farm and is permanently preserved via conservation easement. Such voluntary land preservation agreements ensure that property remains in a natural state forever. "Keeping the land around water bodies in a natural, undeveloped state helps keep rivers and lakes clean," said Sonya Carlson, a graduate student at the University of New Hampshire, who gave a brief presentation on water quality. "Pollutants are filtered out by the plants and soil."
"What a great day," said Michele Westin from Dover, who came up for the event after hearing about it through a friend. "I learned so much, and I met some great people. I am definitely going to get more involved."
Moose Mountains Regional Greenways is a non-profit organization that works to conserve and connect the most special natural resource areas of New Hampshire's northern Strafford and southern Carroll counties. For more information about Moose Mountains, call 603-817-8260.
University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension provides New Hampshire citizens with research-based education and information, enhancing their ability to make informed decisions that strengthen youth, families and communities, sustain natural resources, and improve the economy. For more information, visit www.ceinfo.unh.edu
The Cocheco River Watershed Coalition is a citizen and community based organization dedicated to improving the environmental quality of the Cocheco River Watershed. For more information about CRWC, email lorie.chase@unh.edu or call 603-749-4445.
The mission of the Department of Environmental Services is to help sustain a high quality of life for all citizens by protecting and restoring the environment and public health in New Hampshire. For more information, visit www.des.state.nh.us
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