Meet and Greet and Plan of Work Development Workshop

Transcription

1 Meet and Greet and Plan of Work Development Workshop Funding for these meetings has been provided by a mini grant provided by the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut

2 Our Mission The Thames River Basin Partnership is a voluntary, cooperative effort to share organizational resources and to develop a regional approach to natural resource protection. The partnership grew out of locally led workshops held by the region's Soil and Water Conservation Districts. Protect the region's agricultural and natural areas being threatened by land use changes. Protect ground and surface water quantity and quality being threatened and degraded by contamination. Protect the region's biodiversity. Improve the coastal zone resource conditions.

3 Government and non-profit organizations, educational institutions, industries and municipalities with a shared focus on natural resource conservation in the greater Thames River watershed basin.

4 The TRBP Coordinator is an employee of the Eastern Connecticut Conservation District (ECCD). ECCD serves at the fiduciary agent for the organization. The Last Green Valley (TLGV) and ECCD have a cooperative agreement to fund a TRBP Coordinator for general quarterly meeting organization, assembling and distributing a quarterly newsletter comprised on Partner reports and overseeing planning of the annual Thames River Basin Partnership Floating Workshop. TLGV is funded in part by the National Park Service and Millennium Power, which help to support the TRBP Coordinator. In 2018, a special project including a membership drive and Plan of Work update is being funded by a mini grant by the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut. In 2018, an updated website is under development, funded in part a Watershed Assistance Small Grants Program (WASGP) grant which is funded in part by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection through a United States Environmental Protection Agency Clean Water Act Section 319 Nonpoint Source Grant, and administered by Rivers Alliance of Connecticut. In 2018, Chelsea Groton Foundation is a supporting sponsor of the Floating Workshop. Office space for the TRBP Coordinator provided by the Connecticut Audubon Society Center at Pomfret Private donations also help to support TRBP programs.

5 The Thames River Basin Partnership is a coalition of organizations dedicated to the protection and improvement of the natural resources of the greater Thames River basin through donations of time, facilities and personnel of the agencies and entities involved. The TRBP promotes conservation synergy. Your organization will gain opportunities to collaborate with other likeminded organizations. The TRBP Partners in Action Report e-newsletter is a free and valuable means to promote the successes of your organization. Your organization will have opportunities to be promoted through TRBP social media accounts.

6 TRBP is a kind of Stone Soup where everybody contributes a little bit, but the results are delicious!

7 (2016) The Last Green Valley (TLGV) is the project lead. Improving Soil Health and Water Quality in the Thames River Watershed. The long-term objective of this project is to implement soil health conservation practices through the Environmental Quality Incentives Program on 500 acres of cropland and show a measurable improvement of edge-of-field and in-stream water quality, including a decrease in nutrient and turbidity levels. Project partners include: USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (project funding), ECCD, TLGV volunteer water quality monitoring program, CT Resource Conservation and Development Area

8 (2017) The University of Connecticut s (UCONN) is the project lead. Path to Reduce Pathogens in CT Agricultural Runoff This project has completed its first year of water sampling in ten streams known to have high bacteria levels, downstream of agricultural activity. Samples were sent to a specialty lab in Florida. Project partners include: USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (project funding), ECCD, TLGV volunteer water quality monitoring program, Stonington Shellfish Commission.

9 (2018) The Last Green Valley (TLGV) is the project lead Accelerating the Pace of Conservation in the Southern New England Heritage Forest. Project partners include: USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service (project funding), MassConn Sustainable Forest Partnership/Opacum Land Trust, Northern RI Conservation District, MA Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, Providence Water, Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Hull Forest Products, Thames River Basin Partnership, New England Forestry Foundation, Eastern CT Conservation District, Norcross Wildlife Foundation, RI Division of Forest Management, RI Woodland Partnership, Harvard Forest, Yale Sustaining Family Forests Institute, Audubon Connecticut, Mass Audubon

10 Previous successes TRBP Coordinator Project Lead Partnering to Protect Poquetanuck Cove A multiyear effort to promote conservation in Poquetanuck Cove, a 2 mile long tidal cove of the Thames River. The project included a multiseason floristic survey of the cove, initiation of a multiyear Phragmites control project, development of a Poquetanuck Cove Paddle Guide. Partners included the Towns of Preston and Ledyard, Avalonia Land Conservancy, The Nature Conservancy, CT DEEP, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, CT Sea Grant. This partnership eventually led to funding to support the development of a Poquetanuck Cove Conservation Action Plan

11 2001 Thames River Estuary Dynamics/New London waterfront development - Thames River Cruise 2002 Wastewater Dischargers in the Thames River Thames River Cruise 2003 Marine Transportation and Usage Issues Thames River Cruise Thames Water Quality and Area Conservation/Development Patterns - Thames River Cruise 2005 USGS study of West Thompson Lake West Thompson paddle 2006 Smart Growth/Smart Conservation, Norwich Harbor - Thames River Cruise 2007 Rolling on the River Shetucket River Dam Bus Tour The Natchaug Watershed Basin, Water for People and Nature Bigelow Hollow Paddle Municipal Actions to Reduce Harmful Hypoxia in Long Island Sound Thames River Cruise 2010 Partnering to Protect Poquetanuck Cove Poquetanuck Cove Paddle

12 2011 Featuring the French River Webster Lake Cruise th anniversary of the Clean Water Act featuring the Willimantic River, from open sewer to National Recreation Trail 2013 CT Changing Coastline Arrived by boat from the CGA to view the Mitchell College Beach Dune Restoration 2014 Pachaug: The River Be Dammed History of the Economic Development and float on Pachaug Pond to discuss lake water quality in impounded rivers Upper Quinebaug River, Headwaters to the Thames- Overviewed water flow study required when Millennium Power applied to withdraw water from the river for cooling followed by a tour of Sturbridge Village and float on the mill pond Exploring the Thames River Heritage Park (New London/Groton) Little River (Woodstock and Putnam, CT), a National Water Quality Initiative Watershed 2018 River Continuity Thames River Cruise (scheduled to take place on June 15, 2018)

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14 Membership in the partnership is FREE (other than your time). Networking opportunities at partnership functions are PRICELESS.

15 Introductions of all organization representatives present A featured presentation that gives a more in depth review of one of our Partner s projects that is compatible with the TRBP Plan of Work. Networking break over coffee and other refreshments TRBP Coordinator s report TRBP Partners updates on their projects that are compatible with the TRBP Plan of Work. Meetings are typically scheduled the 3 rd Tuesday of January, April, July and October, from 9:30 noon. Meeting locations rotate to different locations within the watershed. The annual Floating Workshop is scheduled for a Friday afternoon in June.

16 Goal 1: Protection of the region s agricultural and natural areas being threatened by land use changes. Goal 2: Protect Ground and Surface Water Quality and Quantity Goal 3: Protect the region s biodiversity Goal 4: Improve the coastal zone resource conditions Goal 5: Provide informational and educational opportunities on natural resource issues to individuals and groups throughout the greater Thames River watershed basin. Goal 6: Partner with individuals and groups to address regional environmental issues, strengthen the Partnership's organization and increase the diversity of stakeholders.

17 If your organization s mission includes any of the 6 TRBP Plan of Work Goals, then your organization will benefit from participation in the TRBP!

18 Dan Mullins, Executive Director, ECCD Lois Bruinooge, Executive Director, TLGV Eric Thomas, Watershed Manager, CT DEEP Marc Cohen, formerly with the Atlantic Rural State Water and Wastewater Association vacancy

19 For more information, contact: Jean Pillo, TRBP Coordinator PO Box Day Road Pomfret Center, CT extension