The North American Wetlands Conservation Act: Working for Massachusetts 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 The Great Marsh NAWCA benefits the national economy by translating $411 million in federal appropriations into nearly $3.5 billion in additional 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 Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service The abundance of wildlife including many species of water- fowl, migratory birds, fish, and mammals supported by wet- The Great Marsh is the largest salt marsh in New lands translates into multi-billion dollar activities for Americans England and is internationally recognized as important who enjoy hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and photography. breeding ground and habitat for waterfowl, waterbirds, shorebirds, and many more. The area also offers NAWCA Benefits Hundreds Of Wildlife Species recreational opportunities throughout the North Shore. NAWCA helps fulfill the mission of the North American Wa- terfowl Management Plan by providing migratory birds with To secure and restore 563 acres of wetlands in the essential habitat needs. NAWCA projects also benefit other fish region, a $1 million NAWCA grant in 2008 resulted in and wildlife species, including rare, threatened, and endangered over $3.8 million in matching funds and other species that are dependent on wetlands ecosystems. contributions. Led by the Essex County Greenbelt Association, many Conserving And Restoring Wetlands Increases Water cities, towns, state and local agencies, and other Quantity And Quality partners were involved in this project, located in Essex Wetlands store water and recharge aquifers, thus securing fu- County (Congressional District 6). ture water supplies. Plants and soils in wetlands play a signifi- cant role in purifying water, removing high levels of nitrogen The overarching goal of the project was to secure and and phosphorus, and in some cases, removing toxic chemicals restore habitat for more than 160 bird species on the Atlantic Flyway, including the American black duck, before entering the groundwater supply. Some wetland plants mallard, mottled duck, northern pintail, and greater have been found to accumulate heavy metals in their tissues at scaup. 100,000 times the concentration in the surrounding water. Massachusetts Massachusetts currently has 27 NAWCA projects either completed or underway. These NAWCA projects have conserved a total of 4,890 acres of wildlife habitat. NAWCA funding of over $9.7 million stimulated partner contributions of over $29.1 million. Projects Title NAWCA Partners Total Acres 1. ALLENS POND $385,000 $488,500 $873,500 122 2. ALLENS POND II $495,000 $1,028,000 $1,523,000 232 3. NORTH RIVER TIDAL FRESHWATER MARSH $50,000 $97,000 $147,000 82 SALT MARSH REST & ENH - PLUM ISLAND SOUND - 4. $50,000 $62,500 $112,500 100 GREAT MARSH 5. O'KEEFE ACQUISITION $35,000 $65,000 $100,000 25 6. NULANDS NECK ACQUISITION $50,000 $450,000 $500,000 110 SALT MARSH REST & ENH - PLUM ISLAND SOUND - 7. $45,000 $50,000 $95,000 50 GREAT MARSH 8. THE GANSON TRUST LANDS $50,000 $337,800 $387,800 215 9. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: CHAPIN WHITE $1,000,000 $2,044,700 $3,044,700 321 BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: NASKETUCKET BAY 10. $285,000 $1,156,853 $1,441,853 113 FIELD & MARSH BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: NASKETUCKET BAY 11. $1,000,000 $3,118,000 $4,118,000 252 VIVIEROS GOOSE POND WILDLIFE REFUGE RESTORATION & 12. $36,450 $87,200 $123,650 100 ACQUISITION 13. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: NASKETUCKET BAY II $1,000,000 $2,210,000 $3,210,000 176 14. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: WESTPORT RIVER $1,000,000 $2,335,000 $3,335,000 207 FITZGERALD LAKE CONS. AREA & SAW MILL HILLS 15. $50,000 $62,000 $112,000 100 CONS. AREA 16. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: DIKE CREEK $1,000,000 $1,887,000 $2,887,000 267 BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: INNER BAY 17. $800,000 $1,840,711 $2,640,711 192 RESTORATION & EDMUNDS 18. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: SLOCUMS RIVER $300,000 $1,200,000 $1,500,000 93 19. BUZZARDS BAY WETLANDS PROJECT $35,000 $35,000 $70,000 20 20. UPPER GREAT MARSH TIDAL MARSH RESTORATION $45,000 $45,200 $90,200 150 WETLAND HABITAT RESTORATION AT WOODBRIDGE 21. $58,740 $63,500 $122,240 23 ISLAND 22. THOUSAND ACRE SWAMP CONSERVATION PROJECT $74,800 $365,500 $440,300 413 23. BUZZARDS BAY WATERSHED: CORNELL FARM $689,600 $4,500,000 $5,189,600 323 24. THE GREAT MARSH $1,000,000 $3,868,292 $4,868,292 563 25. THE PETER BERLE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AREA $75,000 $1,252,563 $1,327,563 201 BEAVER BROOK / BROAD BROOK WATERSHEDS 26. $75,000 $155,000 $230,000 96 HABITAT PROTECTION, NORTHAMPTON EMERGENT WETLAND RESTORATION AT BURRAGE 27. $75,000 $299,100 $374,100 346 POND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA Totals $9,759,590 $29,104,419 $38,864,009 4,890 Massachusetts Massachusetts currently has 3 multi-state NAWCA projects either completed or underway. Multi-State These projects have conserved a total of 3,526 acres of wildlife habitat. NAWCA funding of over $2 million stimulated partner contributions of over $6.6 million. Projects Title NAWCA Partners Total Acres CALCAREOUS WETLANDS OF SOUTHWESTERN NEW 1. $1,000,000 $3,081,910 $4,081,910 2,333 ENGLAND QUINEBAUG HIGHLANDS NATCHAUG RIVER 2. $1,000,000 $3,428,157 $4,428,157 1,126 WATERSHED PROJECT PARKER RIVER & RACHEL CARSON NATIONAL 3. $75,000 $108,620 $183,620 67 WILDLIFE REFUGES Totals $2,075,000 $6,618,687 $8,693,687 3,526 For additional information please contact Ducks Unlimited, Inc.’s Governmental Affairs Office at 1301 Pennsylvania Ave., NW Suite 402, Washington DC 20004 or call (202) 347-1530. .