LYME, N.H. (WCAX) – The Connecticut River is the longest in New England and it’s getting a big financial boost for ecosystem restoration. The $11.5 million grant to the Connecticut River Conservancy is the largest in the organization’s 72-year history.
The 410-mile river that stretches from Canada to the Atlantic Ocean is as majestic as it is massive.
Roy and Ellen Knights have lived on the Connecticut River in Lyme, New Hampshire, for more than 30 years.
“To watch the transformation of the fog in the morning lift, and the birds and the blue herons, the eagles,” Roy Knights said.
“We watch the beaver swimming back and forth from here to the island. I caught a snapping turtle running across our lawn,” Ellen Knights said.
Work is underway to make sure the river’s natural beauty is protected. The Connecticut River Conservancy has been awarded a grant for just under $11.5 million from the USDA’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program.
“The direct beneficiaries of this grant will be farmers and private land owners,” said Rebecca Todd of the Connecticut River Conservancy.
The Conservancy will work with onsite contractors in all New Hampshire counties that abut the Connecticut River to help landowners become more resilient in a changing climate.
One goal is to reduce nitrogen and sediment entering the waterway.
“We’ll be doing streambank stabilizations, we’ll be doing forest management planning, removing obsolete dams and culverts, and planting riparian areas with native trees and shrubs,” Todd said.
It’s a dedication to clean water and healthy habitats, something the Knights have a personal stake in, as well.
“Certainly it is great that they got it and it was designated as one of 12 scenic rivers in the United States,” Roy Knights said.
The money will be spent over the next five years, however, officials say the restoration work will be felt downriver for generations.