Senators from four New England states, including Vermont Sen. Peter Welch, want to increase funding for the Silvio O. Conte National Wildlife Refuge to conserve new lands in the Connecticut River watershed.
“U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Refuge staff, in partnership with the Connecticut River Watershed Partnership, have identified approximately 24,000 acres of priority land conservation project opportunities in fiscal years 2025 and 2026 within the Conte Refuge, valued at more than $51 million,” wrote the senators. “This unmet need underscores our call for robust funding to support critical projects in this region,” the Senators wrote.”
Earlier this year, the refuge purchased its first property as part of the new Ompompanoosuc Division near Lake Fairlee. The Journal Opinion had a story in our Oct. 9 edition about the planned local expansion in Fairlee, Vershire, West Fairlee, and, possibly, in Bradford and Thetford as well.
The northern Vermont Nulhegan Basin section of the multi-state Conte Wildlife Refuge allows hunting, but subject to these state and federal conditions.
Republished from today’s newsletter of the Journal-Opinion, the weekly newspaper for Bradford and surrounding towns in Vermont and New Hampshire.