The North American Wetlands Conservation Act: Working for

The North American Wetlands Conservation Act (NAWCA) is an incentive-based, landowner-friendly program that fosters the development of public-private partnerships to protect North America’s migratory bird habitat.

NAWCA Positively Impacts the Economy and Creates Jobs NAWCA benefits the national economy by translating $411 million in federal appropriations into nearly $3.5 billion in addi- tional economic activity in the United States. These expenditures have created, on average, nearly 7,500 new jobs annually in the United States, generating over $200 million in worker earnings each year.

NAWCA Effectively Leverages Private Sector Funds Since enactment, NAWCA grants have leveraged more than $3.2 billion in matching funds to deliver a total of over $4.2 billion in on-the-ground conservation. NAWCA requires a 1:1 match, but federal funds are often tripled or quadrupled by partners at the local level.

NAWCA Expands Recreational Opportunities For People / Alder Stream Wetlands The abundance of wildlife including many species of water- NAWCA grant: $1,000,000 fowl, migratory birds, fish, and mammals supported by wet- lands translates into multi-billion dollar activities for Americans Partner Funding: $2,048,718 who enjoy hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and photography. Led by the Northeast Wilderness Trust, this project was able to permanently restore and protect 9,428 acres on the NAWCA Benefits Hundreds Of Wildlife Species the Piscataquis River/Alder Stream Wetlands complex in NAWCA helps fulfill the mission of the North American Wa- central Maine—one of the largest and most varied intact terfowl Management Plan by providing migratory birds with freshwater wetland systems in the state. essential habitat needs. NAWCA projects also benefit other fish and wildlife species, including rare, threatened, and endangered The habitat acquired through this project lies within a species that are dependent on wetlands ecosystems. larger landscape of contiguous, protected conservation land totaling nearly 20,000 acres. This project Conserving And Restoring Wetlands Increases Water permanently protected freshwater wetlands, emergent Quantity And Quality wetlands, decreasing forested wetlands types, riverine Wetlands store water and recharge aquifers, thus securing fu- wetlands and shrub-scrub wetland. The project also ture water supplies. Plants and soils in wetlands play a signifi- protected frontage along the Piscataquis River, Alder cant role in purifying water, removing high levels of nitrogen Stream and Brown Brook, as well as tributary streams. and phosphorus, and in some cases, removing toxic chemicals These habitats provide breeding and migration habitat before entering the groundwater supply. Some wetland plants for waterfowl including American black ducks, mallards, have been found to accumulate heavy metals in their tissues at wood ducks, hooded mergansers and American wigeon. 100,000 times the concentration in the surrounding water.

Maine Maine currently has 72 NAWCA projects either complete or underway. These projects have NAWCA conserved a total of 1,019,523 acres of wildlife habitat. NAWCA funding of over $25.9 million stimulated partner contributions of nearly $137.4 million. Projects:

Title NAWCA Partners Total Acres

1. COBSCOOK BAY $550,000 $1,355,000 $1,905,000 1,941

2. COBSCOOK BAY II $700,000 $1,174,320 $1,874,320 1,007

3. $700,000 $950,200 $1,650,200 1,022

4. MERRYMEETING BAY II $700,000 $735,100 $1,435,100 1,075

5. SPRUCE POINT CONSERVATION $37,500 $50,000 $87,500 20

6. MERRYMEETING BAY III $680,000 $1,372,200 $2,052,200 2,246

7. BOOTHBAY HARBOR WETLANDS PROTECTION $50,000 $182,216 $232,216 66

8. DEER MEADOW BROOK MARSH CONSERVATION INITIATIVE $47,000 $116,300 $163,300 179

9. LEAVITT FOREST $50,000 $1,880,000 $1,930,000 8,600

10. NORTHEAST CREEK $50,000 $474,110 $524,110 136

11. PINGREE FOREST PARTNERSHIP PROJECT $1,000,000 $3,391,774 $4,391,774 108,389

12. WESCOTT'S ISLAND ON THE $40,000 $44,100 $84,100 27

13. FLORIDA LAKE CONSERVATION & RECREATION AREA $50,000 $401,000 $451,000 152

14. MORONG COVE ACQUISITION $50,000 $175,000 $225,000 181

15. CROWLEY ISLAND $50,000 $320,000 $370,000 312

16. HOOPER POND CONSERVATION INITIATIVE $12,500 $36,500 $49,000 54

17. KENNEBEC $1,000,000 $2,830,500 $3,830,500 1,573

18. - WADE ACQUISITION $50,000 $104,800 $154,800 36

19. MIDDLE BAY HABITAT PROTECTION: SKOLFIELD SHORELANDS $50,000 $515,000 $565,000 77

20. PRESERVE ACQUISITION $50,000 $1,071,900 $1,121,900 58

21. CARNEY ISLAND & THE CAUSEWAY INTERTIDAL BASIN $50,000 $156,400 $206,400 17

22. DAY'S MARSH ACQUISITION $50,000 $73,300 $123,300 68

23. KILLICK POND CONSERVATION AREA - GANNETT TRACT $50,000 $270,000 $320,000 107

24. DOWNEAST LAKES FORESTRY PARTNERSHIP $1,000,000 $23,970,000 $24,970,000 339,080

25. GREATER PROJECT AREA $650,000 $1,328,500 $1,978,500 762

26. MAINE FOREST ECOSYSTEM PROJECT (MFEP) $1,000,000 $29,429,265 $30,429,265 476,291

27. NORTH BRANCH TIDAL WETLAND ACQUISITION $50,000 $156,000 $206,000 30

28. SCHOODIC BOG ACQUISITION $50,000 $258,500 $308,500 500

29. BLAISDELL - CLOUGH I ON THE $30,000 $241,200 $271,200 25

CONSERVING A NETWORK OF WETLANDS IN THE TATNICS: 30. TATNIC WOODS III $50,000 $211,000 $261,000 29

31. GREATER YORK RIVER PROJECT AREA $1,000,000 $2,380,200 $3,380,200 934

32. PROJECT $1,000,000 $9,100,000 $10,100,000 7,785

33. RICHARDSON SEAL COVE PROPERTY ACQUISITION $50,000 $700,000 $750,000 43

34. UPPER PROJECT: HANCOCK I $50,000 $105,000 $155,000 408 35. BIG HILL & SECOND POND FOREST RESERVE $75,000 $505,000 $580,000 1,609

36. CARIBOU BOG / KATAHDIN IRON WORKS $75,000 $473,000 $548,000 3,070

37. GREATER PLEASANT BAY PROJECT AREA II $950,000 $1,942,000 $2,892,000 676

38. KENNEBEC ESTUARY, MAINE PHASE II $1,000,000 $2,254,100 $3,254,100 631

39. NORTHEAST PENJAJAWOC PROPERTY ACQUISITION $75,000 $147,246 $222,246 83

40. NORTHERN COREA HEATH ACQUISITION $75,000 $261,307 $336,307 606

41. SUCKER BROOK PROJECT $75,000 $494,800 $569,800 227

CARIBOU BOG - PENJAJAWOC WETLAND CONSERVATION 42. PROJECT $666,566 $1,427,500 $2,094,066 3,804

43. : HEAD OF TIDE $75,000 $152,000 $227,000 91

44. HAMILTON AUDUBON SANCTUARY PROPERTY ACQUISITION $75,000 $475,000 $550,000 148

45. SOUTH POND CONSERVATION AREA ACQUISITION $75,000 $495,000 $570,000 1,279

46. ST. GEORGE RIVER COASTAL WETLANDS ACQUISITION PROJECT $75,000 $441,414 $516,414 91

47. THE BASIN, VINALHAVEN ACQUISITION $75,000 $3,029,000 $3,104,000 455

48. THE FAIRCHILD EASEMENT $75,000 $2,100,000 $2,175,000 16

49. COBSCOOK BAY - BOLD COAST PROJECT AREA $1,000,000 $2,585,010 $3,585,010 2,615

50. KATAHDIN FOREST EXPANSION $950,000 $3,832,000 $4,782,000 7,299

51. ESTUARY III $1,000,000 $2,215,000 $3,215,000 2,386

MASON BAY COASTAL WETLANDS & WATERBIRD CONSERVATION 52. PROJECT $75,000 $395,000 $470,000 95

53. OLD POINT EASEMENT ACQUISITION $65,000 $144,500 $209,500 48

54. WABASSUS LAKE PROJECT $640,000 $2,810,000 $3,450,000 6,644

55. AMHERST COMMUNITY FOREST PROJECT $75,000 $107,500 $182,500 200

56. GRANTS MEADOW III $75,000 $264,467 $339,467 150

HEADS OF THE PARTNERSHIP, MAINE: HABITAT 57. PROTECTION - PHASE I $1,000,000 $3,236,500 $4,236,500 952

MASON BAY COASTAL WETLANDS & WATERBIRD CONSERVATION 58. PROJECT - PHASE II $75,000 $82,000 $157,000 63

59. PISCATAQUIS RIVER / ALDER STREAM WETLANDS $1,000,000 $2,048,718 $3,048,718 9,428

REST & ENH OF WATERBIRD NESTING HABITAT ON MAINE COAST 60. ISLANDS $75,000 $106,280 $181,280 26

61. WATKINS CROOKED RIVER EASEMENT ACQUISITION $75,000 $136,750 $211,750 475

62. WEST GRAND LAKE COMMUNITY FOREST - PHASE I $1,000,000 $5,825,000 $6,825,000 13,050

63. ACADIA ARCHIPELAGO $1,000,000 $4,450,000 $5,450,000 1,101

64. COBSCOOK BAY - BOLD COAST PROJECT AREA PHASE II $1,000,000 $2,202,240 $3,202,240 974

65. PISCATAQUIS RIVER / ALDER STREAM WETLANDS, PHASE II $1,000,000 $2,137,900 $3,137,900 6,049

66. CENTRAL PENJAJAWOC PROPERTY ACQUISITION $75,000 $149,471 $224,471 75

67. GREAT HEATH ECOLOGICAL RESERVE EXPANSION PROJECT $59,500 $106,500 $166,000 366

68. HUNTER COVE, $75,000 $1,802,559 $1,877,559 209

69. OCEAN POINT PRESERVE PROJECT $75,000 $388,455 $463,455 25

70. SMELT BROOK CONSERVATION AREA $75,000 $584,750 $659,750 30

MASON BAY COASTAL CONSERVATION AREA - PHASE III, UPPER 71. WHITE CREEK SALT MARSH $75,000 $83,500 $158,500 30 HEADS OF THE ESTUARIES PARTNERSHIP, MAINE: HABITAT 72. PROTECTION: PHASE II $1,000,000 $2,046,250 $3,046,250 1,217

Total $25,978,066 $137,497,102 $163,475,168 1,019,523

Maine NAWCA currently has 1 multi-state project completed in Maine. This project conserved a total of Multi-State 67 acres of wildlife habitat. NAWCA funding of $75,000 stimulated partner contributions of $108,620 million. Projects

Title Grant Total Partners Total Acres

1. PARKER RIVER & RACHEL CARSON NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGES $75,000 $108,620 $183,620 67

Total $75,000 $108,620 $183,620 67

Parker River & Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuges

Parker River and Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuges were established to provide critical habitat for migrating and overwintering birds, principally waterfowl and shorebirds, along the North Atlantic Coast. Located less than 40 miles apart, they provide strategic links in the chain of migratory stopovers along the Atlantic corridor. By the 1930’s, over ninety percent of the salt marshes in the northeastern US were parallel-grid ditched for mosquito control. Led by Ducks Unlimited, the objective of this project was to both provide permanent protection to a 33-acre salt marsh, and to restore natural tidal hydrology to an additional 34 acres of salt marsh by remediating the past ditching activities that served to drain the marsh. The unique nature of this project, which links protection and restoration efforts between joint venture focus areas and across state boundaries, reinforces the critical need for quality coastal habitats for use as migratory stopovers throughout the North Atlantic Coast, and regardless of political boundaries. The project areas in Parker River and Rachel Carson NWR are both located within Atlantic Coast Joint Venture focus areas, and provide valuable foraging, migration and wintering habitat for a variety of waterfowl species such as the American black duck, northern pintail, mallard, gadwall, Atlantic brant, Canada geese, and American wigeon. In particular, the coastal marshes in both areas are used extensively by American black duck during migration and for overwintering, where the extensive system of emergent marsh, tidal creeks with exposed mudflats, and small ponds and pannes on the marsh surface provide a source of seeds and invertebrates which is critical for foraging birds.