BRUNSWICK – The Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program in January announced awards totaling $2.4 million to help restore, enhance or preserve wetlands and other important habitats at 17 project sites across Maine.

The program provides flexibility for both regulators and the regulated community to choose a fee in lieu of more time-intensive traditional mitigation options. These so-called In Lieu Fees are collected by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection and then transferred to the Natural Resource Conservation Fund at The Nature Conservancy.

This is the third round of awards from the Maine Natural Resource Conservation Program to advance important land and water conservation around the state. More than 2,300 acres of land will be conserved or restored statewide.

In Franklin County, the Androscoggin Land Trust will protect 42 acres of forestland in the town of Jay as part of their “Expanding the Androscoggin Greenway Project.” The property will be managed for wildlife habitat, water quality protection and low-impact recreation.

In the Midcoast, a Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife restoration project on Maquoit Stream in Brunswick will restore a wetland that will serve as habitat for migratory fish as well as saltmarsh sparrow and other birds.

Other area award recipients include Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust, Greater Lovell Land Trust, Kennebec Land Trust, Trout Unlimited and Western Foothills Land Trust.

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