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SMITHFIELD — The Watershed Financial Award — exclusive to North and Little ponds surrounded by the towns of Mercer, Rome and Smithfield — is accepting applications and will also hold an application event July 7.
The award was established by the North Pond Association to provide financial assistance and reward property owners for taking steps to control erosion along their shorelines.
The WFA program began when a watershed survey of North and Little ponds and surrounding inlet streams was conducted in the fall of 2016. In the spring of 2017, post survey letters were mailed out to all the lake-front property owners whose shorelines had some erosion issues.
The first 20 owners to respond requesting information and or help from the Youth Conservation Corps qualified them for the $150 WFA. The respondents needed to show proof that materials were purchased or landscapers were hired to address erosion sights.
Another way for North and Little ponders to qualify for a WFA is by attending the annual “Are You Buff Enough?” workshop, taking place from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday, July 7, at the Fairview Grange 342, on the shore of North Pond.
The attendees show proof, usually through receipts for materials, that they indeed made some “Buff Enough” changes and improvements (also known as best management practices) to their North Pond or Little Pond property. This workshop is open to the public, but you must live on North or Little Pond to receive the WFA. Each participant leaves with a free buffer plant to get them started on their project(s) along with informational materials.
To date, the NPA has paid out more than $1,000 to property owners, either through the post survey letter or by attending the buffer workshop. There are more property owners waiting for work to begin by the YCC or planning to install BMPs themselves this summer, who all qualified last year to receive a WFA.
For more information, updates or questions, contact Linda Rice, NPA secretary, at 207-313-2494 or email lindarice74@yahoo.com.
