Service to remove Bri-Mar Stable at Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge, Fort River Division

December 4, 2019- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced today it will demolish and remove Bri-Mar Stable at the Fort River Division of the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge in Hadley, Mass., noting that the deteriorating structure is beyond repair and poses a major safety threat to refuge staff and visitors—including barn swallows.  

In its Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the Environmental Assessment (EA) of the stable removal, the Service’s selected alternative, also known as Alternative C, calls for demolishing the stable before the next nesting season to eliminate the threat of a possible structural failure of the building, potentially when the barn swallows are present. Approximately 40 pairs of barn swallows nested in the stable in 2019.  Refuge staff also will restore habitat at the site

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7 ways Hurricane Sandy started a tidal wave of resilience

October 29, 2019 - It's been seven years since Hurricane Sandy ransacked the East Coast. And, while bigger storms — with even more devastating impacts — have certainly come along, Sandy was unique because it helped start a movement toward resilience and nature-based solutions.

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Dam removal opens Raritan River tributary in northern New Jersey

October 21, 2019 - Burnt Mills Dam, on the Lamington River in Bedminster, New Jersey, came down last week, benefiting wildlife that call the river home and people living nearby. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service offered technical expertise in fish passage engineering, permitting, and construction for the removal.

The $250,000 project was funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Raritan Headwaters Association, which owns part of the floodplain near the dam.

Removing the dam will allow the river to flow freely, improving habitat for migratory fish and imperiled mussels, boosting water quality, and increasing recreational opportunities. It will also reduce erosion of the river bank and lessen the risk of flooding to nearby homes

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Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge marsh restoration effort recognized as a national model for climate adaptation leadership

September 23, 2019 - The Tidal Marsh and Barrier Beach Restoration Project at Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge is the recipient of a 2019 Climate Adaptation Leadership Award for Natural Resources in the “Federal Government” category.

The award was established in 2016 to recognize outstanding and innovative projects “that are advancing the resilience of our nation’s valuable fish, wildlife, and plant resources in a changing climate.” The Prime Hook project is acknowledged for its “exemplary leadership in reducing climate-related threats and promoting adaptation.”

The award was presented Sept. 23 at the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) Annual Meeting in St. Paul, Minn.

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