Partners for New Hampshire’s Fish and Wildlife Announce Eight Grants to Restore Forests and Rivers in New Hampshire

Durham, NH (Aug 2, 2016) – The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) today announced eight grants totaling nearly $1 million to restore New Hampshire’s forest and freshwater habitat. The grants were funded through Partners for New Hampshire’s Fish and Wildlife, a partnership between Eversource and NFWF.

Collectively, the eight conservation grants announced today will open 175 miles of streams for eastern brook trout through modification and replacement of culverts and other barriers, will improve habitat for New England cottontail, American woodcock, and golden-winged warblers on 852 acres of forestland, and reduce polluted runoff from entering streams, including 47 tons of sediment and 41 tons of phosphorus.

“We are extremely pleased with the impact this partnership has had in its first year, and the grants we are announcing this week will build on that success here in New Hampshire,” said Amanda Bassow, Northeastern Regional Director of NFWF. “The contribution from Eversource also has had ripple effects throughout New England, providing the seed funding to grow a larger public-private initiative that is accelerating the restoration of our northern forests and rivers.”

“The recipients of these grants are focused on action-based projects that are making a real difference in improving and preserving New Hampshire’s valued wildlife and waterways,” said Ellen Angley, Vice President/Supply Chain, Environmental Affairs and Property Management at Eversource. “We’ve been pleased to see the grant recipients working directly with their communities and other organizations to produce beneficial results, and look forward to seeing the positive impacts these new grants will help to achieve.” 

The grant recipients are:

  • University of New Hampshire - Achieving multi-species benefits from young forest restoration and management in southern Maine and New Hampshire (Maine and New Hampshire) $197,982
  • Belknap County Conservation District - Restoring and protecting Gunstock Brook habitat for eastern brook trout through stream bank restoration and improved forest management (New Hampshire) $70,033
  • Wildlife Management Institute - Providing technical assistance to New Hampshire landowners to create young forest habitat for New England cottontail, American woodcock and other priority bird species (New Hampshire) $145,000
  • Connecticut River Watershed Council, Inc. - Removing seven barriers to fish passage to restore access to one hundred and forty miles of eastern brook trout spawning habitat (New Hampshire and Vermont) $199,165
  • Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve - Creating New England cottontail habitat on under-utilized lands in southern Maine and New Hampshire (Maine and New Hampshire) $60,000
  • Audubon Vermont - Recruiting private landowners in the Champlain Valley to restore habitat for golden-winged warbler and other priority bird species (Connecticut, New Hampshire and Vermont) $70,000
  • University of Connecticut - Improving pollinator habitat in New England rights-of-way  (Massachusetts and New Hampshire) $111,077
  • Town of Brownfield, Maine - Replacing an undersized culvert on the Shepards River to reconnect habitat for eastern brook trout (Maine and New Hampshire) $100,000

These grants were solicited competitively through NFWF’s New England Forests and Rivers Fund, of which Partners for New Hampshire Fish and Wildlife is a major contributor, and were evaluated by a technical review committee composed of government, academic and other experts. Funding decisions were based on the project’s potential to achieve long-term, measurable conservation outcomes that match the program’s goals.

The New England Forests and Rivers Fund is awarding a total of 16 grants today throughout New England, eight of which include work in New Hampshire (listed above). In addition to funding from Eversource’s Partners for New Hampshire’s Fish and Wildlife, major funding for the New England Forests and Rivers Fund is provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service.

For a list of the grants funded under Partners for New Hampshire’s Fish and Wildlife, please click here.

About the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation

Chartered by Congress in 1984, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) protects and restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, plants and habitats. Working with federal agencies, corporations, foundations and individual partners, NFWF has funded more than 4,500 organizations and committed more than $3.5 billion to conservation projects. Learn more at www.nfwf.org. 

About Eversource

Eversource (NYSE: ES) is New Hampshire’s largest electric utility, serving more than 500,000 homes and businesses in 211 cities and towns. Eversource harnesses the commitment of its more than 8,000 employees across three states to build a single, united company around the mission of delivering reliable energy and superior customer service. For more information, please visit our website (www.eversource.com) and follow us on Twitter (@eversourceNH) and Facebook (facebook.com/EversourceNH).

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