The North American Wetlands Conservation Act: Working for Maine 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 Piscataquis River / 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. MERRYMEETING BAY $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 BAGADUCE RIVER $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 ESTUARY $1,000,000 $2,830,500 $3,830,500 1,573 18. MARSH RIVER - WADE ACQUISITION $50,000 $104,800 $154,800 36 19. MIDDLE BAY HABITAT PROTECTION: SKOLFIELD SHORELANDS $50,000 $515,000 $565,000 77 20. PRESUMPSCOT RIVER 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 PLEASANT BAY 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 YORK RIVER $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. MACHIAS RIVER 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 SACO RIVER 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. CATHANCE RIVER: 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. KENNEBEC RIVER 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 ESTUARIES 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, RANGELEY LAKE $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.