Start National Water Quality Month with a Splash

Join us to celebrate the start of National Water Quality Month with a group paddle at Eagle Reserve in Royalston on Saturday, 8/5, 9-11pm. More info HERE.

Remember how this spring started off as a drought? This summer’s flooding has led to devastating impacts throughout the region, from the hillsides to the low-lying farmland and neighborhoods. Gentle trickling brooks have been wiping out footbridges along trails. Farms growing this summer’s vegetables transformed into ponds overnight. Basements that have never flooded are filled with feet of water. As bridges and culverts are damaged and roads wash out, we are finding new ways home. Our thoughts are with everyone whose home, food, and livelihood have been negatively affected by this deluge of rain. 

These impacts remind us of the power of nature, and we must also remember that nature is one of the most powerful tools we have to help mitigate the effects of climate change.  Nature-based solutions like forest conservation can provide one-third of the climate mitigation needed to meet the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement (according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature). When protected, healthy forests and wetlands support our adaptation to climate-related dangers like flooding, as well as capture and store excess carbon, which is a major cause of climate change.

Conservation of forests gives waterways the space to grow and move when needed.  Protected forests can act as natural sponges for the whole watershed - absorbing excess water, slowing its descent downhill, and filtering out contaminants and excess sediment. One of the best ways to become adaptive and resilient to the extreme weather is to simply protect and restore nature itself, remembering how water connects communities and land.

This connection between the conservation of forested land and the health of the watershed is so clearly linked in our current partnership project with North County Land Trust to protect 275+ acres on the south shore of Lake Monomonac. Learn more about the project and how you can help at SaveMonomonac.org.