Partnerships Around the Estuary and Beyond
In addition to working closely with the Great Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Stewards are proud of the work we do with both regional and national partners to provide a healthier future for Great Bay.
National Partnerships with other Reserves
The Stewards works alongside the National Estuaries Research Reserve Association to advocate for support and funding of the 30 Reserves nationwide at a federal level, and Stewards staff and trustees regularly connect with other Friends & Foundation organizations. Through support from NERRA, the Stewards were also able to launch our Tide Turners program!
Building Flood-Ready Neighborhoods
This program provides direct support and services to neighborhoods experiencing impacts from coastal and stormwater flooding and erosion. Residents work closely with project staff to identify and implement strategies that increase flood resilience by protecting coastal ecosystems, infrastructure, and communities. The Stewards are part of this alongside NH Sea Grant, UNH Cooperative Extension, NHDES Coastal Program, the Reserve, and the Piscataqua Region Estuaries Partnership.
Creating New Living Shorelines in the Estuary
The Great Bay Stewards have been partnering with GBNERR and theNH Coastal Program since 2014 to advance the awareness, science and implementation of Living Shorelines in New Hampshire. As fiscal agents for workshops, a regional study, and now the Great Bay Living Shoreline Project, the Stewards are supporting the creation of a pipeline of demonstration projects and qualified professionals to advance how living shorelines are used here in Great Bay.
Opening Habitat for Fish Migration
The removal of the Upper and Lower Sawyer Mill dams on Dover’s Bellamy River reopened river habitat for migratory fish and protected the residents of nearby apartments from flood risks associated with the two dams. The Stewards were glad to support this project alongside such major partners as the N.H. Coastal Program, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, and the N.H. Department of Fish and Game.
Contributing to 7 Rivers to the Coast and the Changemaker Program
We are excited to partner with the Conservation Law Foundation, GB2030, and more than 20 other regional partners on Seven Rivers to the Coast, a shared communications platform working to protect the waterways that flow through New Hampshire and Maine’s Great Bay watershed. We also work alongside CLF and the Reserve to support the GB Changemakers.
Supporting Our Community
Through the support of New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the Horizon Foundation, the Stewards launched the Estuary Explorers program in 2018 and since that time have been able to bring hundreds of students from socioeconomically disadvantaged schools on field trips to the Discovery Center.