Friends of Conte Projects
Fannie Stebbins Floodplain Protection and Restoration Project (MA)
The Fannie Stebbins Memorial Wildlife Refuge in Longmeadow, MA is comprised of approximately 370 acres of forest, shrub swamps, and herbaceous marshes. In 2017 protection of the land was achieved and restoration of 223 acres of rare floodplain forest began. The Fannie Stebbins Unit of the Conte Refuge is the largest unfragmented area of natural floodplain vegetation in the Connecticut River Watershed. Restoration efforts included replanting fields with floodplain tree species, control of invasive plants, and restoration of natural hydrology. The project represents a true public-private partnership with many project participants of all sizes and types.
Partners
Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge
Natural Resources Conservation Service
The Nature Conservancy
All Habitat Services
Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company LLC
Funding
Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) Agricultural Easement Program (ACEP): Wetland Reserve Easement Program (WRE)
The Kirtland Landing Project (CT)
This project made the Kirtland Landing boat launch on the Menunketesuck River safer, more accessible and attractive for wild life viewing and recreation. Improvements include a paved and expanded parking area, a new boat ramp, riverbank stabilization, and creation of additional riparian buffer.
Partners
Town of Westbrook
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
U.S. Department of Transportation
Connecticut Department of Transportation
Funding
Federal Land Access Program: $170,000
Connecticut River Paddlers’ Trail Campsites and Maps (CT and MA)
This project had two components, development of two CT River Paddlers’ Trail campsites on Mass Department of Conservation and Recreation property (Montague and Whately, MA) and the creation of a GIS tool for mapping trail gaps and identifying potential campsite locations in Massachusetts down to Hartford, Connecticut. The Appalachian Mountain Club developed the campsites and The Trust for Public Land created the GIS mapping tool.
Partners
The Appalachian Mountain Club
The Trust for Public Land
Funding
MA Recreation Trails Program: $45,749
Bafflin Foundation: $10,000
