NH Watershed Protection and Restoration Forum

NHDES Soak Up the Rain Program, UNH Cooperative Extension, NH Municipalities, and other experts “in the field,” team up to provide Landscaping For Water Quality Two Day Training Workshop.

Please join us or spread the word to landscapers and others who develop, maintain, or preserve properties in New Hampshire.

When: Thu, 03/26/2020 to Fri, 03/27/2020, 8:30am – 4:00pm

Where: Derry Municipal Center, 14 Manning Street, Derry, NH 03038

Participants will learn how to use ecological concepts and landscape features such as rain gardens, vegetative buffers, and other green infrastructure to protect lakes, rivers, streams and bays. Instructors are from universities, university centers, university extension, environmental agencies, municipalities, and private enterprise. Thanks to all of our sponsors!

Sponsored by: UNH Extension, NH Department of Environmental Services, NH Landscape Association, NH Sea Grant, NH Soak Up the Rain, and Town of Derry.

More information, agenda and Registration at: https://extension.unh.edu/events/landscaping-water-quality

Project partners are working to address flood risks and make our infrastructure more resilient through a proactive approach by identifying and replacing problem culverts and bridges before they can fail and cause damage. Identifying crossings for replacement that will maximize ecological benefits while addressing infrastructure safety can save money and help to restore aquatic habitat in the long run.

With approximately 20,000 stream crossings in New Hampshire, the goal is to assess and prioritize which crossings are the best candidates for replacement to improve public safety, infrastructure resilience and aquatic habitat restoration.

By implementing the NH Stream Crossing Initiative Protocols in YOUR watersheds, you can prioritize future grant application requests, populate watershed-based plans for future restoration efforts, and inform budget planning and decision making in both municipal and nonprofit realms. Data collected through the initiative is quality control vetted by professionals in the NHDES Geological Survey and other partnering agencies to assure stream crossing data is collected consistently across the state. The protocols can be viewed by visiting: https://www.des.nh.gov/organization/divisions/water/wetlands/documents/culvert-assessment-protocol.pdf

Want to become a NH Stream Crossing Initiative Protocol team leader for the 2020 season? We invite you to participate in a full day of training at NHDES in Concord on May 29th. Following that training, there will be another day devoted to conducting the protocols at field sites. Date to be determined.

Interested? Please get in touch with Shane Csiki at the NHDES Geological Survey by emailing shane.csiki@des.nh.gov or calling him at 271-2876. I am looking forward to taking this training in May and hope to see some of our stakeholders there. This is a great opportunity to formally assess all the stream crossings in your watershed!

Want to see if stream crossings have been assessed in your watershed? Check out the Aquatic Restoration Mapper at: http://nhdes.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=21173c9556be4c52bc20ea706e1c9f5a

The Norway Pond Commission is pleased present the 3rd Annual Norway Pond Symposium.  Join us for a morning of talks highlighting recent research, and plans for future research, on the ecology of Norway Pond in Hancock.

 The symposium will be held at the Harris Center on Saturday February 29th, 2020. (Snow date will be Saturday March 7^th.)  All are welcome to come and learn about Norway Pond.  If you want to stay for just one or two talks, that’s okay.  In the afternoon will be a workshop where research planned for 2020 will be discussed.  If you are planning to attend, please email me at tcshevenell@gmail.com by February 22^nd so we will have a head count.

 Symposium Program

 8:30     Registration (No fee. Open to the public)

9:00     Opening Remarks:  Tom Shevenell

9:15     Steve Arcone:  Why Is There a Norway Pond? A Work in Progress on Its Origin.

9:45     H. Marie Lawrence:  Is Anybody in There?  CyanoScope Observations on Norway   Pond.

10:15   Break

10:45   Rick Van de Poll:   Why Do Water Quality Measurements Matter? What Your Kids Can Do About It.

11:15   Lisa Doner:  Keynote Address—How Does Norway Pond’s History Compare with Other Lakes and Ponds in Northern New England?ow

12:00   Closing Remarks:  Tom Shevenell

12:15   End of Program:  (For those staying for the Workshop please bring a lunch)

1:15 – 3:00  Workshop:  Commissioners, presenters and selected experts to present and discuss current research and explore  future Norway Pond research plans.

REGISTRATION NOW OPEN

The 31^st Annual Nonpoint Source Pollution Conference for the New England states and New York will be held on April 23 & 24, 2020 at the Woodstock Inn & Resort in Woodstock, Vermont. Both full conference and single day registrations are available.

Attendee and Exhibitor Early Bird Registration will close March 17th. All registration will close April 7th.

This conference, which is coordinated by New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) in partnership with member states and EPA, has become the premier forum for sharing information about nonpoint source pollution (NPS) issues and projects in this region.

For more information about this conference, and to register, please visit http://neiwpcc.org/NPS31VT.

We hope to see you in Woodstock!

• Sent on behalf of James Plummer by:NEIWPCC
• Administrative Assistant
• Alexandra Morneau

NOTE: This event has sold out prior to the event date for the last ten years in a row. Get your tickets NOW to ensure your seat at this unique and inspiring event! March 27, 2020 Reception at 6:00 PM Films begin at 7:00 PM Learn more and buy tickets here. Bringing the Wild and Scenic Film Festival to Concord for ten years running!
The New Hampshire Rivers Council is bringing one of the largest environmental film festivals to the  Red River Theatres in Concord on  Friday, March 27, 2020. The event begins at 6:00 PM with a reception, door prizes, raffle, and more.  #nhriversfilmfestival To learn more, visit our website. Tickets are just $15 for Rivers Council members or  $20 for not-yet-members (ticket price includes a one-time, introductory one-year membership with ticket purchase). Please call 603.796.2615 if you are unsure of your past status). Click here to purchase your tickets now.

There is still time to be a sponsor. If you or your company is interested in being a part of this fun event contact us at 603.228.6472 or info@nhrivers.org

New Hampshire Rivers Council 54 Portsmouth St | Concord, NH 03301 603.228.6472 | info@nhrivers.org | NHRivers.org

Celebrating 50 years of protecting New England’s environment

Call for Nominations

For fifty years, EPA New England has honored those who have made outstanding contributions to protect New England’s environment. EPA’s Environmental Merit Awards Program has honored teachers, citizen activists, business leaders, scientists, public officials and others who have made outstanding contributions on behalf of the region’s public health and natural environment. The Environmental Merit Awards recognize outstanding accomplishments during the past year and over a lifetime.

Please consider completing a simply application and nominate an individual, business, professional organization, government agency, community leader, NGO or academic for their outstanding work protecting New England’s environment.

Deadline: February 12, 2020

Please submit all nominations on-line here:

https://www.epa.gov/environmental-merit-awards-new-england