Farmington River Watershed Association Annual Meeting

The Farmington River Watershed Association's 49th Annual Meeting set for Thursday, November 14 at the Country Club of Farmington promises to be a full evening of Farmington River celebration. The focus of the evening's activity is the Farmington Valley Biodiversity Project One Year Later—What We've Discovered and What It Means to the Valley. Hank Gruner, Biodiversity Coordinator for Connecticut Programs for the Metropolitan Conservation Alliance Program of the Wildlife Conservation Society, will lead us through an exploration of the Farmington Valley's distinctive ecosystems.

In the last six months we’ve had a team of herpetologists, ornithologists, and a botanist out in the wilds of the Farmington Valley, studying our landscape and the plants and animals it supports. While not all the data is in, this will be a unique presentation and discussion of the field work and how it may be applied to local land use and open space conservation activities.

Farmington, Granby, Simsbury and Suffield launched a Biodiversity Study of the Farmington River Valley. Presently one of the most ambitious ecosystem studies in Connecticut, its purpose is to establish a regional understanding of biological resources, creating a scientific basis for prioritizing open space conservation efforts and enhancing protection of critical habitats in the context of land use change.

"From a town's perspective, the problem is that we're oftentimes just guessing and we don't have the scientific data we need when we're reviewing an application for development. This [Farmington Valley Biodiversity Project] will be a valuable tool in our tool chest" said a local town planner.

Also that evening two Friend of The Farmington River Awards will be presented to Michael Parker, recently retired Farmington River Watershed Team Leader in Massachusetts for his leadership in, and dedication to, protecting the Farmington River Watershed; and to the Town of Barkhamsted and their Department of Public Works, for their outstanding work on restoring 200 feet of river bank along the Wild and Scenic Farmington River.

To reserve a space for the meeting, call the FRWA offices at 860-658-4442 by November 11. Cost is $27 for FRWA members, $30 for non-members.

The Farmington River Watershed Association, founded in 1953, is a private, nonprofit, conservation organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of the 81-mile Farmington River and its 609-square-mile watershed.