WAKEFIELD, NH —The New Hampshire Estuaries Project has awarded Moose Mountains Regional Greenways (MMRG) an $8,500 grant to undertake a public outreach and education initiative titled, “Thanks for all the maps and reports. Now what do we do with them?”
MMRG previously provided each of its member communities with local maps and data detailing 10 high priority wetland areas within each town, as well as wildlife habitat maps produced by NH Fish & Game. Recently, all coastal watershed communities also acquired a comprehensive, science-based resource in the Land Conservation Plan for NH’s Coastal Watershed. MMRG proposes to review these tools with land use board members, and then work with them to develop action plans to facilitate the conservation of high priority local lands.
The grant will also cover the costs involved with coordinating two nature hikes and a river run, and developing conservation displays for each MMRG member town.
By undertaking this initiative, Moose Mountains Regional Greenways will help NH Estuaries Project to achieve its own organizational objectives, which include supporting land conservation efforts, encouraging conservation easements in shoreland areas, and improving water quality and habitat within New Hampshire’s coastal watershed.
Moose Mountains Regional Greenways serves the towns of Brookfield, Farmington, Middleton, Milton, New Durham and Wakefield. This region encompasses the headwaters of several regional waterways in the Piscataqua Watershed, including the Cocheco River, Salmon Falls River, Branch River and Mad River.
Poised on the edge of the heavily developed southeastern corner of the state, the communities served by Moose Mountains Regional Greenways feature many large, unfragmented blocks of shoreline, woodlands and wetlands that feature highly varied plant and animal habitat.
“Some of the largest, most pristine, and most affordable remaining blocks of undeveloped land are located in the upper reaches of the coastal watershed in Moose Mountains Regional Greenways’ service area,” said MMRG Executive Director Joyce El Kouarti.
The organization hopes to instill a stronger conservation ethos within its member communities by increasing local awareness of the region’s most important conservation features. By providing information on land protection options and resources, Moose Mountains Regional Greenways seeks to facilitate the permanent preservation of the region’s most valuable natural resources.
Moose Mountains Regional Greenways is a non-profit conservation organization that works to conserve and connect the most special undeveloped lands of northern Strafford and southern Carroll counties in New Hampshire. For more information, call 603-817-8260.
NH Estuaries Project is part of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) National Estuary Program. The mission of the NH Estuaries Project is to protect, enhance and monitor the environmental quality of the state’s estuaries. For more information, visit www.nhep.unh.edu or call 603-862-3948.
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