U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Restoring Natural Resources in the Housatonic River Watershed Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program

The Problem Highlights The Housatonic River flows through  Protected 267 acres of wildlife habitat; western Massachusetts and Connecticut  Constructed five canoe access areas and 2.6 miles of recreational trails; and empties into Long Island Sound.  Conducted rare species surveys (2 species of rare dragonfly have already been From 1932 through 1977, the General documentd for the first time in the Housatoic watershed); and Electric Company (GE) facility in  Provided environmental education to schools in ten towns. Pittsfield, Massachusetts, released polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) into the Housatonic River environment. The PCBs contaminated the river’s water, sediment, riverbanks, and floodplain, as well as various species of fish and wildlife.

Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration Program When hazardous substances enter the

environment, fish, wildlife, and other USFWS Association Pool Vernal Leo Kenny, natural resources can be injured. The Restoration projects help protect the rare Protecting land along the Housatonic Department of the Interior, along with Bog turtle. provides vital habitat for the Wood frog. State, Tribal and other Federal partners, acts as “trustee” for these resources. Trustees seek to identify the natural been divided between the geographic Wildlife Resources and Habitat resources injured and determine the areas of Massachusetts and Connecticut Habitat Protection on the Mainstem extent of the injuries. Trustees work for restoration projects in the watershed.  Acquire and protect 161 acres of with the responsible parties to carry out Through Round 1 of funding allocations, undeveloped land (1.4 miles of restoration activities, or recover funds the Massachusetts Trustee SubCouncil shoreline) abutting the Housatonic from responsible parties to carry out the allocated $4 million to ten multi-year River in Great Barrington. restoration activities. These efforts are projects:  Partners: Berkshire Natural possible under the Natural Resource Resources Council, Inc. Damage Assessment and Restoration Aquatic Biological Resources and Program (NRDAR), the goal of which Habitat Habitat Protection on the Southwest is to restore natural resources injured Rare Species Recovery Branch by oil spills or the release of hazardous  Expand protection for rare species by  Acquire 31 acres along the river’s substances. identifying previously unknown species Southwest Branch to protect wildlife locations throughout the watershed, habitat and provide recreational Restoring the Resources generating conservation maps, and opportunities. In October 2000, the Natural identifying sites for habitat protection  Partners: City of Pittsfield. Resource Trustees, which include the and rare species restoration. Massachusetts Office of Energy and  Partners: Massachusetts Division of Floodplain Forest Restoration Environmental Affairs (MA EEA), Fisheries and Wildlife’s Natural  Restore and enhance floodplain forests the Connecticut Department of Heritage and Endangered Species along the Housatonic River through Environmental Protection (CT DEP), Program. native plantings and invasive species the Department of the Interior’s control, and conserve habitat through United States Fish and Wildlife Service West Branch Housatonic River land acquisitions and easements (USFWS), and the National Oceanic and  Remove the Mill Street Dam to restore totaling approximately 75 acres. Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), natural flows to approximately 13  Partners: Project Native, Inc., The reached a settlement with GE for various contiguous river miles. Nature Conservancy, Sheffield Land specific restoration activities as well as  Partners: City of Pittsfield, Trust, Kampoosa Bog Stewardship for approximately $15 million in natural Massachusetts Riverways Program, Committee, Natural Resource resource damages. These funds have Berkshire Regional Planning Conservation Service. Commission. Environmental Education and Outreach Housatonic Environmental Literacy Program (HELP) ■ Enhance the stewardship of the Housatonic River by working with local schools to implement an environmental education and hands-on river experience program involving all 4th and 6th graders within the watershed (ten towns). ■ Partners: Massachusetts Audubon Society, Housatonic Valley Association

Berkshire Conservation Agent Program ■ Provide municipal conservation commissions with technical assistance and training regarding the Massachusetts Wetlands Protection Act, including field work, application review, permit preparation, and monitoring and administration of projects, resulting in increased protection for wetlands in the Housatonic River watershed. ■ Partners: Berkshire Regional Planning Munney Ken Commission Kayaking the river.

Recreational Uses Great Barrington Housatonic River Walk ■ Stabilize and restore the steep river banks along a recreational trail by removing non-native invasive vegetation and planting native species. Enhance river stewardship through environmental education. ■ Partners: Great Barrington Land Conservancy, Simon’s Rock College, Flying Cloud Institute

Enhanced Public Access ■ Construct five new canoe access areas along the Housatonic River. ■ Partners: ESS Group, Inc., Housatonic Valley Association, City of Pittsfield, Towns of Lee, Lenox, Great Barrington, and Sheffield.

Old Mill Trail Varela Veronica ■ Construct a passive recreation trail Great Barrington Housatonic River For additional information or questions along 2.6 miles of the Housatonic River. Walk. ■ Partners: Housatonic Valley contact: Association, Crane & Company, Inc. Molly B Sperduto U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 70 Commercial Street, Suite 300 Concord, New Hampshire 03301-5087 603/223-2541 [email protected] http://www.fws.gov/newengland

Birds such as Downy Woodpecker Federal Relay Service (pictured left), Eastern Tufted Titmouse, for the deaf and Veery, Northern Parula, Blackpoll hard-of-hearing Warbler, and Mourning Warbler will 1 800/877 8339 benefit from protection and restoration of March 2010 Dennis Donohue/ through-my-lens.com floodplain forests.