Saving saltmarsh sparrows and their habitat in the face of sea-level rise![]() This issue of Living Bird magazine features an article about efforts to protect the saltmarsh sparrow and its habitat. The saltmarsh sparrow is found exclusively on the East Coast, where it nests in high marsh habitat. But high tides and storm surges are increasingly flooding saltmarsh sparrow nests and the marshes they depend on – the saltmarsh sparrow could become one of the first bird species to go extinct due to rising seas. Learn more |
A virtual visit to Great Dismal Swamp Refuge![]() A film crew from BBC’s The Travel Show visited Great Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge, which straddles the border of Virginia and North Carolina, to learn about its history and management. Refuge Manager Chris Lowie gave a tour of Lake Drummond and Washington Ditch, one of many channels dug to drain the swamp for commercial interests centuries ago. Watch the video |
Service joins partners in highlighting removal of Tel-Electric Dam in Pittsfield, Mass.![]()
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service joined Massachusetts state officials and representatives of the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF) and City of Pittsfield, Mass., to highlight a $3.8 million collaborative effort to remove Tel-Electric Dam on the West Branch of the Housatonic River.
Removing the dam reconnects nearly five miles of upstream river habitat with the lower reach of the West Branch -- and, ultimately, the mainstem of the Housatonic River -- allowing fish and other aquatic species to move more freely in the watershed. Dam removal improves water quality and repairs natural river processes in the West Branch.
The dam was breached and work has begun on the cofferdam so the sediments contaminated with years of pollutants can be removed. The project is partially funded by a $1.7-million Hurricane Sandy Coastal Resiliency Competitive Grant from the Department of the Interior, administered by NFWF.
News Release |
Evaluation Report of
Hurricane Sandy Resilience Program
Restoration & Repair Videos
Hurricane Sandy Photos
