FARMINGTON — Maine Audubon is hosting a workshop Thursday in Farmington to help municipal employees, contractors, land trusts, landowners and other groups improve stream crossings to maintain and restore the habitat and economic values of Maine’s tributaries.

The workshop is from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the University of Maine Farmington, North Dining Hall C, Olsen Student Center.

“This workshop emphasizes why and how we can connect fish and wildlife habitat while protecting roads and public safety,” Barbara Charry, wildlife biologist with Maine Audubon, said.

“The workshop covers road stream-crossing projects — from site assessment to permitting and installation. Functioning stream crossings also add economic value to a community, as they greatly reduce the chances of washed-out roads and damage from storms, saving towns thousands of dollars in repair costs down the road.”

Maine Audubon and the Nature Conservancy recently completed a joint survey of nearly 1,000 stream crossings in Maine. Roughly 40 percent of the crossings surveyed are severe barriers to fish and wildlife movement and about 90 percent are barriers for some species for at least part of the year.

Most commonly, the culvert is perched above the stream, which blocks fish from traveling to their spawning habitat. Others are blocked by debris, or are too small or shallow.

“Replacing old culverts with Stream-Smart road crossings will not only allow for greater habitat connectivity for wildlife, but will help towns prepare for the large and frequent storm events that have been washing out roads around state and the Northeast,” Charry said.

Participants receive recertification credit from the Maine Department of Environmental Protection’s Voluntary Contractor Certification Program. Registration is $30.

Scholarships for municipal employees and contractors are sponsored by the Saco River Salmon Club and the Casco Bay Estuary Partnership.

Register online at www.maineaudubon.org/stream-smart or contact Becca Wilson at [email protected] or 207-781-2330, ext. 222.

To learn more about the Stream-Smart program, please contact Charry at [email protected] or 207-781-2330, ext. 225.