The Ipswich River Watershed Association (IRWA) is thrilled to announce that it has been awarded $150,000 through the Massachusetts Department of Fish & Game’s Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) Partnerships Program to support the Parker-Ipswich-Essex Rivers (“PIE-Rivers”) Partnership.
The PIE-Rivers Partnership works across communities to protect, restore, and increase the resiliency of the valuable aquatic resources of the Parker, Ipswich, & Essex River watersheds and the Great Marsh ecosystem in the northeast corner of Massachusetts. PIE-Rivers partners represent a collaboration of municipalities, nonprofit organizations, academic institutions, state and federal agencies, and community leaders working in this region. Together, these partners serve 28 communities that drain to Plum Island Sound and Essex Bay, tackling challenges that no single organization can solve alone.
The DER Partnerships funding will strengthen coordination and administrative efforts, as well as move forward priority projects across the region. Because rivers cross town boundaries, restoring them requires communities and organizations to work together. The PIE-Rivers Partnership makes that collaboration possible, helping partners share resources, coordinate projects, and achieve great results.
“This award reflects the power of partnership,” said Molly Courson, PIE-Rivers Administrator. “For over a decade, the Partnership has brought organizations and municipalities together around a shared vision for healthy rivers and resilient communities. We are grateful to the Division of Ecological Restoration for investing in this collaborative approach, and we look forward to continuing this important work with our many partners.”
The PIE-Rivers Partnership has a long history of successful collaboration, and this award builds on that strong foundation. Chair of the PIE-Rivers Steering Committee, Newbury Planning Director Kristen Grubbs, states, “We are incredibly grateful to DER for recognizing the power of regional collaboration and the need to support this work in these North Shore towns and cities. This award doesn’t only support the administrative leadership and critical coordination of the Partnership by IRWA staff; it directly accelerates the pipeline of on-the-ground restoration projects, ensuring healthier watersheds and safer, climate-resilient communities.”
For more information about the Partnership, visit: www.pie-rivers.org .