Projects

To support recruitment and training for residents in each of the river municipalities to become advocates on behalf of the Quinnipiac River in order to participate in public meetings on the upcoming Quinnipiac Watershed Action Plan Update of 2012 and to support the completion of the Lower Quinnipiac River Canoeable Trail and the Town of North Haven canoe launch to access the new trail.

To support signage which will include a trail map and information about the natural history and historical aspects of the area for the Phase III section of the Quinnipiac River Linear Trail which will extend 1.25 miles northward from the current terminus of the Trail at the Wilbur Cross Parkway underpass.

To support the continuation of a public access recreation and educational trail along the tidal marsh section of the Quinnipiac River, behind the Universal Drive shopping areas, in North Haven.

To support the education of fishers on safe consumption of fish from the Quinnipiac River and work with the State Department of Energy and Environmental Protection to ensure fish signage is posted in the area in appropriate languages as well as support an exchange program where Quinnipiac River fishers can trade their lead weights for non-lead weights.

To raise awareness among legislators, homeowners, and the general public about ways to reduce both non-point and point sources of pollution and to improve habitat for birds and other wildlife within the Quinnipiac River Watershed.

To support the Safe Grounds Campaign which helps reduce non-point source pollution from lawn pesticides and synthetic fertilizers in the Quinnipiac River watershed.

To support the Quinnipiac Urban River Stewardship project, which will install several river stewardship signs in prominent locations to promote human links to this urban river and foster stewardship of the shared resource, as recommended in the watershed management plan for a similar urban river, the North Branch of the Park River in Hartford/Bloomfield.

To continue to educate fishers on safe consumption of fish by volunteers, bilingual safe fishing signage posted at river locales and by building grassroots support for a new state ban on lead fishing weights in the interest of fishers' and wildlife well-being.

To support the continuation of homeowner workshops which will initiate educational outreach on organic land care to inland/wetland and conservation commissions, including installation and assisting in the development and related outreach of an online turf forum geared towards Connecticut school groundskeepers.

To support a two-day training program for local land use leaders to educate them on the scope of their jurisdiction, the flexibility they have under the law, tools for natural resource and watershed protection and collaborative techniques including consensus building, facilitated decision-making, community participation and effective meetings management.