Deadline: 01-Apr-21
The Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers Wild and Scenic Stewardship Council (Stewardship Council) implements a Community Grants Program to support projects that protect and/or enhance the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers and their Outstandingly Remarkable Resource Values (ORRVs).
The grants program aims to engage municipalities and local organizations in protecting the rivers’ resources and building strong local stewardship of the rivers in accordance with the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers Stewardship Plan (Stewardship Plan). The Stewardship Council announces the availability of Community Grants for 2021.
Goals
Biological Diversity
- Sustain and enhance existing biological diversity along and within the rivers and their tributaries.
- Protect Priority Natural Communities & rare species habitats.
- Protect state-listed Blanding’s turtles (Threatened in Massachusetts and Endangered in New Hampshire).
- Protect and enhance coldwater fisheries resources.
- Protect and enhance anadromous fisheries.
- Sustain and improve populations of freshwater mussels.
- Minimize the effect of non-native invasive species
- Maintain and improve our rivers’ water quality so that it supports the needs of native wildlife, aquatic resources, and water supplies.
- Maintain and enhance high-quality riparian habitat.
- Preserve, protect, and improve wildlife habitat and migration corridors.
- Promote balanced growth, which preserves property values and protects and enhances the riparian resources for future generations.
- Restore, protect, and enhance water quality and associated aquatic resources and water supplies.
Recreation and Scenic
- Promote continued protection of “temporarily protected” greenway lands (Chapter 61, 61A and 61B lands in Massachusetts; “Current Use” lands in New Hampshire).
- Promote additional permanently protected greenway lands and continued protection and completion of the “Nashua River Greenway” – the vision of a greenway along both sides of the rivers and their tributaries.
- Support existing greenways.
- Ensure healthy ecosystems to support recreational fisheries.
- Preserve and enhance opportunities for boating.
- Provide opportunities for safe swimming in our rivers.
- Maintain and enhance regional trail systems.
- Encourage other recreational activities as appropriate.
- Maintain contact with the public regarding their enjoyment of the rivers.
- Protect scenic views related to their rivers.
Historical and Cultural Resources
- Celebrate the roles of influential conservationists inspired by the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers.
- Foster, stimulate, and support the next generation of conservationists.
- Preserve the history of the clean-up of the Nashua River as a national model and preserve “The Marion Stoddart Story.”
- Use the above goal as a springboard for initiating contemporary activities.
- Continue to document the River Renewal.
- Educate and engage the public in the ongoing story of the renewal of the river and what needs to be done to keep the rivers as healthy as possible.
- Identify, protect, and enhance important historical and cultural features, sites, and pathways related to the rivers and recognize the importance of the rivers to the development of the communities.
- Recognize and protect important landscape features related to the rivers.
Funding Information
- The Stewardship Council anticipates awarding four to five small grants, up to approximately $5,000 each to advance the goals of the Stewardship Plan.
- Projects must be completed within one year of the award.
Who may apply?
- Eligible entities include municipalities, municipality-affiliated groups, and nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations from the communities along the Wild and Scenic designated rivers (Ayer, Bolton, Brookline, Dunstable, Groton, Harvard, Hollis, Lancaster, Pepperell, Shirley, and Townsend).
- Eligible entities may include but are not limited to conservation commissions, planning boards, water/wastewater departments, libraries, historical commissions, recreation departments, schools (including environmental clubs, art programs, science classes, etc.), historical societies, garden clubs, art associations, houses of worship, regional organizations, local land trusts, and neighborhood groups.
- Groups without 501(c)(3) status and individuals interested in applying for funding must partner with an eligible entity.
- The Stewardship Council may consider applications from nonprofit groups based outside the Wild and Scenic communities when the project will directly benefit the Nashua, Squannacook, and Nissitissit Rivers’ resources and communities.
- These organizations are encouraged to consult with the Stewardship Council before applying to discuss their eligibility.
For more information, visit https://www.wildandscenicnashuarivers.org/