Conte Corner: What’s in a Name and a Designation?

Scott Bailey conducting a survey of Salix (willow) species in the Pondicherry Division, Conte Refuge, New Hampshire. Image credit: David Govatski.

Conte Corner is contributed by the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership (formerly Friends of Conte), a regional network of more than seventy-five public and private organizations that serves as a forum and framework to forge partnerships that benefit wildlife, people, and environmental quality in the Connecticut River watershed. The column is focused on federal programs and investments leveraged by members of the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership for the benefit of the communities of the Connecticut River watershed.

National Natural Landmarks, American Heritage Rivers, and Wild and Scenic Rivers—the Connecticut River watershed has been awarded all of these federal designations. Attaining these designations often comes with special protections and status and sometimes even increased and dedicated funding for the places we care about. The actual impacts of this recognition vary depending on the designation, but all suggest renewed focus and a call to action on behalf of our river and watershed.

Wild and Scenic Rivers
Here in the Connecticut River watershed, we’re fortunate to be home to several high-quality tributaries that enjoy Wild and Scenic River status: the Westfield River (MA), the Eightmile River (CT), and the Farmington River (CT/MA). Several of our partners are currently seeking the designation, including for segments of the Nulhegan (VT) and Deerfield (MA) rivers. The hope is that the designation will discourage construction of dams on free-flowing river segments and provide dedicated federal funds for river protection and enhancement projects.

Established in 1968 and signed by President Lyndon Johnson, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act created the Wild and Scenic Rivers System “to preserve rivers with outstanding natural, cultural, and recreational values in a free-flowing condition for the benefit of future generations.” Today the system includes more than 13,467 miles of 228 rivers in 41 states and Puerto Pico or less than one half of one percent of the nation’s rivers. Designation neither prevents development along the river nor gives the federal government any land or water rights, but promotes public participation in management of rivers that often crosses political boundaries and requires coordination of local, state, and federal partners.

Westfield River Wild and Scenic Committee. Image credit: Meredyth Babcock.

Maybe your own personal experience of the Wild and Scenic designation, like mine, is through involvement with the committees formed to implement Wild and Scenic goals in each of these watersheds. The committees are comprised of representatives from local communities and from a handful of federal and state agencies who share an interest in river and watershed health. The Westfield River Wild and Scenic River Committee, for example, located in the hill towns of western Massachusetts, serves as “a voice for the river” and, among many activities, manages a grant program that funds community projects that enhance river health, including protection and restoration of headwater forests. Over the years the committee has also been the initiator of critical land and water projects, such as connecting local landowners with land trusts, engaging volunteers in removing invasive species, and presenting watershed curricula to area school children. If you have a Wild and Scenic committee in your watershed, and are interested in working on its behalf, consider serving as your community’s representative—it’s a great way to work with others who share your passion for your local river and watershed.

National Blueway
The Connecticut River also boasts a federal designation that is unique to the longest river in New England: the nation’s first and only National Blueway. The Blueway designation originated following President Barak Obama’s signing a Presidential Memorandum in April 2010 establishing the America’s Great Outdoors Initiative. With a goal of “promoting and supporting innovative community-level efforts to conserve outdoor spaces and reconnect Americans to the outdoors,” the Initiative led to the creation of the National Blueways System in 2012. Like the Wild and Scenic designation, this designation didn’t come with any new regulations or protective status, but was voluntary and intended to support existing local conservation and recreation initiatives. Unlike the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, which often designates a river segment, the National Blueway classification is for the entire river, from source to sea, and includes its watershed.

At a ceremony held in Hartford on May 23, 2012, then Secretary of Interior Ken Salazar designated the Connecticut River the nation’s first National Blueway, saying, “The Connecticut River watershed is a model for how communities can integrate their land and water stewardship efforts with an emphasis on ‘source-to-sea’ watershed conservation.” This national recognition was a proud moment for many federal and nonprofit partners who had worked on achieving the designation, including former Friends of Conte leaders Kim Lutz of The Nature Conservancy and Patrick Comins of Audubon Connecticut.

The second National Blueway designation was of the White River (MO/AR). Due to local communities’ fear that this could lead to heightened federal oversight and potential government “land grabs,” however, the White River’s designation was revoked. Subsequently, just two years later, in 2014 after departmental review, Interior Secretary Sally Jewell disbanded the National Blueways System but explicitly retained the Connecticut River designation.

Signing of the National Blueway designation by Secretary of the Interior Kenneth Salazar, Hartford, 2012. Behind (L to R): Senator Richard Blumenthal (CT); US Fish and Wildlife Service Regional Director Wendi Weber; Friends of Conte Chair Patrick Comins; Connecticut River Conservancy Executive Director Andrew Fisk; Representative John Larson (CT); (unidentified); Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra; (unidentified); Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Army Terrence “Rock” Salt; and Conte Refuge Manager Andrew French. Image credit: RUS Fish and Wildlife Service.

A Call for Partnership
While Wild and Scenic designation continues to benefit our watershed communities in very tangible ways, you might wonder whether our National Blueway status has had much impact on the health of the watershed. One outcome was the somewhat unique Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in September 2012 between the departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Army that committed them to working together, consistent with each agency’s priorities and legal authorities, in the Connecticut River watershed. The agencies further agreed to partner with stakeholders to enhance recreation, conservation, education, and economic activities via multi-agency investments. The agreement references the role of the Friends of Conte (now Connecticut River Watershed Partnership) in accomplishing these goals. Much like the Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge Act of 1991, the 2012 MOU specifies the need for partnerships across public and private sectors and with committed stakeholders to work effectively at the multistate watershed scale.

So, what’s next? With many federal designations for our river and watershed specifying its importance as a national model and reflecting the need to work together at a regional scale, maybe it’s time to dust off the many partnership agreements and get to work. Is now the time to formalize and recommit to this ideal of cross-state collaboration at a watershed scale to address the even more timely threats presented by a changing climate? We think the answer is a resounding yes.

Markelle Smith is Director of the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership.

Collaboration in the watershed between Mass Audubon, Audubon Vermont, and Connecticut River Conservancy is being supported in part by a 2024–2026 grant from The Watershed Fund, parent of Estuary magazine.