Habitat Restoration
Over the years, as we have developed the watershed, people have added roads, dams, channelization, sewer discharges, accidental spills, pollution from fertilizers, pesticides, road salt and sand, and asphalt among other impacts. Development has led to the extensive loss and continuing incremental destruction of natural habitats and degradation of water quality. In addition, climate change and invasive species are altering habitats and threatening biological diversity.
To slow this loss of habitat and improve water quality, NRWA, partners, and volunteers are working to restore habitats where possible, especially along riverbanks. Much of the work involves removing invasive plant species and planting native trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses. The goal is to help rebuild a healthy, functioning ecosystem. These restoration projects also protect our rivers from stormwater runoff by creating vegetated buffer zones. These buffer zones are strips of land along streams, lakes, or wetlands that contain trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses which capture runoff before it reaches the river and allows it to percolate through the soil where it is filtered.
Our watershed is lucky to have both long-term water quality monitoring, carried out by Harbor Watch which publishes reports annually, and a Watershed Action Plan, overseen by the Norwalk River Watershed Initiative which
guides our work.
NRWA helped create the Pollinator Pathway in 2017 in Wilton and very soon Ridgefield, Norwalk, New Canaan, Weston, Redding, and Lewisboro NY, all the Watershed towns. Today the Pollinator Pathway expands across the country and into Canada. The message is simple: plant natives, avoid pesticides, and rethink your lawn.
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Norwalk Micro-Forest
NRWA received the largest grant in our history in 2024, $150,000 from the CT Dept. of Energy and Environmental Protection, for planting a Myawoki Micro-Forest in South Norwalk to help cool and clean the air, filter storm water, and provide habitat for wildlife.
