Since its inception in 2015, the Northeast Forests and Rivers Fund has awarded 96 grants that will restore early successional and mature forest habitats, modify and replace barriers to fish movement, restore riparian and habitat, and engage thousands of volunteers in forest habitat restoration and stream connectivity projects in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, as well as the Lake Champlain, Saint Lawrence, and Upper Hudson watersheds in New York. These projects are expected to:
- Open 1,271 stream miles to eastern brook trout and river herring by modifying or replacing 168 fish passage barriers.
- Improving management of 5,663 acres of young forest habitat for golden-winged warbler, New England cottontail, and American woodcock.
- Improving the management of 9,662 acres of mature and late successional forest habitat for black-throated thrushes and thrushes.
- Plant 98 miles of forested streams to improve water quality for trout.
- Plant 16,000 native trees. and
- Recruit at least 2,675 volunteers to participate in field maintenance.
The program has awarded more than $12.8 million to date. Grantees, in turn, leverage an additional $22.7 million in matching contributions, for a total conservation impact of more than $35.5 million.
