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Get Involved Whether you want to learn more about the watershed, support our work, or get your life vest and gloves on to volunteer for community science, there are many ways to get involved with Connecticut River Conservancy. The options below change based on the season - with more hands-on volunteer opportunities in April - October. Choose your own adventure below or contact us anytime with questions or ideas. Volunteer Opportunities It's that time of year again! Join us to volunteer for tree planting, water chestnut pulls, migratory fish nest surveys, or water quality sampling. Volunteer Here Join a Virtual or In-Person Event CRC and partners host regular events throughout the watershed including paddling, fish ladder tours, and educational LiveStreams. Upcoming Events Support Our Work for Cleaner Rivers As a nonprofit organization we rely on contributions from donors to conserve and restore the Connecticut River watershed. Thank you! Donate New England Paddlesports Championship Canoe, kayak, SUP, and surf ski racers compete for honors on New England’s historic Connecticut River in VT/NH on July 28th, 2024. NEPC Details The 28th Annual Source to Sea Cleanup The watershed-wide river cleanup is coming up on the weekend of September 28-29th, 2024. Learn about the event and how to participate this year. Learn More Our Mission Get to Know Our Mission, Vision, & Values Upcoming Events Register to Learn & Connect River Programs Learn about CRC's focus areas Support Connecticut River Conservancy Today Your contribution will make a lasting impact for clean water, healthy habitats, and resilient communities in the Connecticut River watershed. Donate

Photo courtesy of Al Braden More Ways to Give Connecticut River Conservancy offers diverse ways to support our mission. From online and mail donations to IRA contributions or legacy gifts, we are happy to meet our donors where you are. See below for giving options, or contact us for any questions. For questions or support, please contact giving@ctriver.org . Charitable IRA Rollover If you're aged 70 or over, a Charitable IRA Rollover could be an excellent way to support the Connecticut River watershed without having to pay income taxes. More About IRA's Legacy Gifts Legacy gifts may take the form of a bequest, by designating CRC as a life insurance or retirement account beneficiary, or other planned gift. Leave a Legacy Sponsorship Businesses large and small contribute cash, marketing assistance, supplies, employee time and more to help restore and protect our region’s rivers Sponsor Events Workplace Giving Organize an employee group for environmental activities, have your employer match your contribution, or designate CRC as a beneficiary in your workplace campaign. Workplace Options Facebook Fundraiser Facebook fundraisers are a great way to support CRC for your birthday or special occasion while gathering donations from friends and family on social media. Fundraiser Details Stock Donations Gifts of stock often provide tax benefits to you, while allowing you to make more generous gifts to protect your rivers. CRC accepts a range of stock donations. Stock Gifts Online Donation Gifts online can be made by bank transfer, credit cards, Venmo, PayPal, or GooglePay. Donations of any amount help support CRC’s work throughout the watershed. Donate Online Charitable IRA Rollover If you’re over 70, Charitable IRA Rollovers, otherwise known as Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs), can be a tax-smart way to put your IRAs to work for causes you cherish like the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC). In most cases, distributions from a traditional Individual Retirement Account are taxable in the year the account owner receives them. However, a QCD is a nontaxable distribution made directly by the trustee of an IRA to an eligible charitable organization like CRC. Taxpayers who make a QCD must be at least 70-1/2 years old on the day of the distribution. A QCD also will count toward a Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) which must be taken each year following the year in which IRA holders turn 72. Such qualified charitable distributions may keep a donor out of a higher tax bracket and at the least avoids paying income tax on the amount up to $100,000 annually. ​ Even if you don’t itemize, you can take advantage of this option to do more for causes you care about like Connecticut River Conservancy. ​ Please click here to download Frequently Asked Questions as well as letter templates you can use to: a) Ask your IRA custodian to make a tax-exempt distribution to the Connecticut River Conservancy this fall; and b) Let CRC know you're making a gift from your IRA as a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD). ​ To learn more about gifts from your IRAs, please email me at bmorrison@ctriver.org . I’d be delighted to help. Read more about Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) at irs.gov . Legacy Gifts Many donors find including a charitable gift to CRC in their estate plan is an effective and satisfying way to ensure a lasting impact while fulfilling their financial goals and providing for loved ones. In many cases, planned gifts can provide immediate and/or future tax benefits. Two of the easiest examples of planned gifts are bequest arrangements and beneficiary designations. ​ Bequests A gift in your will or living trust, known as a bequest, can be a specific dollar amount, a percentage of your estate, or the remainder after all other obligations are met. See sample bequest language here. ​ Beneficiary Designations Non-probate assets are not covered in your will or trust and instead require you to name beneficiaries. These assets include bank accounts, investment accounts, retirement accounts, donor advised funds, or life-insurance policies. It is very simple to name Connecticut River Conservancy as a beneficiary. Start by requesting a change-of-beneficiary form from your policy administrator or download the form from your provider's website. Make your desired changes and return the form to establish your gift. Please note: Though doing business as Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC) since 2018, CRC maintains its legal name, Connecticut River Watershed Council, Inc. and all planned gifts must reference that legal name. Existing bequests or other planned gifts which list Connecticut River Watershed Council, Inc. are correct and need not be revised. ​ Bank Account, Certificate of Deposit, or Brokerage Account Designations Designating Connecticut River Conservancy as beneficiary of your bank accounts, certificates of deposit or brokerage accounts is a simple and straightforward way to support our work. Click here for more details on the two options for making this kind of gift to CRC. ​ Long River Society Have you already named CRC in your will or designated CRC as a beneficiary of a nonprobate asset? Please let us know so we can ensure that your gift is used according to your wishes. Notifying us of your plans will enable us to plan for the use of your future gift. If you prefer to remain anonymous, we will keep your name and gift in strict confidence. For more information or to discuss other options for including CRC in your plans, please contact Brett Morrison, Director of Development, at 413-772-2020, ext. 218 or bmorrison at ctriver.org . ​ Disclaimer: The planned giving information presented on this website is not offered as legal or tax advice. We encourage prospective donors to consult with their estate planning attorney, financial advisor, accountant, or other appropriate professional before making any material decisions based on information provided through this website, printed materials, or other sources. ​ Sponsorship Businesses large and small contribute funding, marketing assistance, supplies, employee time and more to help restore and protect our region’s rivers. You can play your part in protecting the Connecticut River and its watershed while receiving recognition for your commitment to the environment. ​ CRC’s largest annual events are the New England Paddlesports Championship (NEPC) , and the Source to Sea Cleanup , a coordinated cleanup of the rivers, streams and banks that make up the Connecticut River system. ​ These events are popular with CRC's audience, and with the press, appearing in local and regional newspapers regularly. They also attract radio and television coverage plus online exposure through social media, newsletters, and partner networks. The Source to Sea Cleanup will be in its 28th consecutive year in 2024, where over 1,000 volunteers from more than 100 groups in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut will remove tons of trash from the river. You can help ensure these volunteers have the support and supplies needed for a safe and successful cleanup. We can also work with you to develop sponsorships that meet your co mpany’s particular interests and help to fulfill CRC’s mission. ​ To discuss sponsorship opportunities, please contact Brett Morrison, Director of Development, at 413-772-2020, ext. 218 or bmorrison - at - ctriver.org . Workplace Giving You can support CRC through your workplace. Pull together an employee group to participate in the Source to Sea Cleanup, ask your employer to match your contribution, or designate CRC as a beneficiary in your workplace campaign. ​ Matchin g Gifts Many businesses have their own workplace giving or matching gift programs by which employees can designate a payroll deduction amount to go to the non-profit of their choice or have their donation to a non-profit matched by their employer. ​ You may be able to have your gift matched by asking your employer. Please contact your company’s personnel department to find out whether your employer has such a program. Companies contributing to CRC as part of an employer match include Aetna, Ensign Bickford, Inc., IBM, Microsoft, Nokia, Pfizer, Travelers, United Health Group, and United Technologies. Employee Group Projects A wide range of businesses participate in the annual Source to Sea Cleanup. For more information about the Cleanup and how your company can help, contact Brett Morrison, Director of Development, at bmorrison - at - ctriver.org or 413-772-2020, ext. 218. Groups participating in recent years include All American Waste, Athletic Brewing Company, Eversource, Greenfield Savings Bank, Hypertherm HOPE Foundation, King Arthur Flour, Prentiss Smith & Co. Walmart-Northampton, MA, and many others. Connecticut River Conservancy is a member of EarthShare New England and 1% For the Planet . ​ Another easy and effective way to support the work of Connecticut River Conservancy is by pledging an automatic payroll deduction from each paycheck. Through our partnerships with EarthShare New England and 1% For the Planet , employees at hundreds of public and private organizations can donate through payroll contributions. Find out if your employer has a workplace giving campaign that includes EarthShare here . ​ If you are interested in starting an employee engagement program that involves EarthShare New England at your employer, please contact Nicole Reigle, Assistant Director of Development, at nreigle - at - ctriver.org or 413-772-2020, ext. 221 Giving as a Federal Employee As a member of EarthShare New England, Connecticut River Conservancy participates annually in the largest workplace giving campaign in the nation – the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) for employees of the federal government and the U.S. military. If you are a federal government or military employee and would like to give to Connecticut River Conservancy through the CFC, please enter CFC code #68414 on your pledge card during the next fund drive. Giving as a Public Sector Employee State of Massachusetts employees, including University of Massachusetts Amherst employees, can donate to the Connecticut River Conservancy with UMACC code #104777. More information can be found here: UMACC . ​ State of Connecticut employees can donate to Connecticut River Conservancy with CSEC code # 8614. Click here for more info. Giving Through Your United Way Campaign If your company offers a United Way campaign and EarthShare New England is not listed in your company’s annual giving campaign brochure, you may still donate to EarthShare New England and any of its member organizations by writing the name of the organization in a “donor choice” option. Many campaigns allow you to write in the name of any eligible, tax-exempt charity that has 501(c)(3) designation by the IRS. EarthShare runs successfully side-by-side with United Way in hundreds of campaigns across the country. ​ If you are interested in starting a campaign in your business, please contact Nicole Reigle, Assistant Director of Development, at or 413-772-2020, ext. 221 or nreigle - at - ctriver.org. Got a birthday or special occasion coming up? Would you rather support the nonprofits you love rather than getting more things you don't need? Facebook fundraisers are a wonderful way to honor your special day while gathering donations from friends and family on social media. If you have a Facebook account, here's what you can do: ​ Visit our Facebook account here. Click "fundraisers" at the top (use the magnifying glass to search for "fundraisers" if you don't see it right away. Select "raise money" or "create a fundraiser" on the top right. Customize your fundraiser and select Connect River Conservancy as your nonprofit of choice. From there you can share the fundraiser with your friends and family! Thank you for making a lasting impact for clean water, healthy habitats, and resilient communities in this creative way! Stock Donations Gifts of appreciated stock often provide tax benefits to you, while allowing you to make more generous gifts to protect your rivers. Contact Nicole Reigle, Assistant Director of Development, for more information or gift transfer instructions. You may reach her at nreigle@ctriver.org or 413-772-2020, ext. 221.

We protect, restore, and advocate for the Connecticut River Our Mission Get to Know Our Mission, Vision, & Values Upcoming Events Register to Learn & Connect Get Involved Volunteer, Participate, or Donate Connecticut River Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to the Connecticut River watershed in New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. We collaborate with regional partners to restore and advocate for your rivers, and educate and engage communities. We bring people together to prevent pollution, improve habitat, and promote enjoyment of the river and its tributary streams. Join us to support healthier rivers today! Clean Water Through advocacy to prevent pollution and water quality monitoring to track data. Healthy Habitats Through dam removal, tree planting, and migratory fish programs. Resilient Communities With river recreation access, community science, & Source to Sea Cleanups. Our Mission & Programs Sign Up for River News! Sign up to get emails about river news and events. Choose Your Newsletter Highlight on Hydropower The public comment period for hydropower relicensing of 5 facilities on the Connecticut River is currently OPEN through May 22nd. This is a once-in-lifetime opportunity to speak up for your rivers and influence licenses that will last for up to 50 years! Learn more about what's at stake and get involved by submitting your comments today. Hydro Details 1,107 Tons of trash removed from rivers 26 Old dams & culverts removed 89,855 Trees planted in the watershed 150+ Sites annually tested for bacteria ECO AmeriCorps Position at Connecticut River Conservancy Connecticut River Conservancy is thrilled to announce that we have been selected to host an ECO AmeriCorp member this year. Tessellated Darters in the Connecticut River Tessellated Darters are in the same family as perch, but only get about three inches long at their largest. LiveStream: An Act of Congress - New Legislation to Protect our Watershed At this LiveStream we celebrated Earth Day and the current Acts of Congress that may assist in protecting our great river and watershed. River Stories from Around the Watershed Latest News More River News We envision a future where people and wildlife can enjoy a clean, free-flowing Connecticut River. Upcoming Events Fri, Apr 26 Earth Festival - University of St Joseph / Various USJ Campus Locations Learn more Apr 26, 2024, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM Various USJ Campus Locations, 1678 Asylum Ave, West Hartford, CT 06117, USA Thu, May 02 Hydropower Office Hours- April & May / Zoom Meeting Multiple Dates Learn more May 02, 2024, 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM Zoom Meeting Join Connecticut River Conservancy’s virtual office hours to bring your questions about how to comment in the hydropower relicensing process for five facilities on the Connecticut River – Turner’s Falls, Northfield Mountain, Vernon, Bellows Falls, and Wilder hydroelectric projects. Thu, May 09 Partner Panel: Clean Water Projects Improving Flood Resiliency / Virtual Event Learn more May 09, 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM Virtual Event Tue, May 21 World Fish Migration Day: The Migration Celebration / Windsor, CT | Virtual film option Learn More May 21, 2024, 3:00 PM – 7:30 PM Windsor, CT | Virtual film option, 145 Lang Rd, Windsor, CT 06095, USA Wed, May 22 Empowering Communities to Support Migratory Fish Restoration / LiveStream Event Learn More May 22, 2024, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM LiveStream Event Thu, May 30 Water Wise: Arts & Educational Workshop / Sulis Studio Learn More May 30, 2024, 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM Sulis Studio, 221 Pine St #100, Florence, MA 01062, USA Sun, Jun 02 Angling and Donuts / Melrose Terrace Learn More Jun 02, 2024, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Melrose Terrace, West Brattleboro, VT 05301, USA Sun, Jun 02 Trails Day Paddle – Wethersfield Cove / Wethersfield Cove Buy Tickets Jun 02, 2024, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM Wethersfield Cove, 533 Main St, Wethersfield, CT 06109, USA Celebrate National Trails Day, Connecticut Trails Day and the Connecticut River Paddlers Trail! Sun, Jun 02 Trails Day Paddle – Connecticut River / Wethersfield Cove Buy Tickets Jun 02, 2024, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM Wethersfield Cove, 533 Main St, Wethersfield, CT 06109, USA +1 more Celebrate National Trails Day, Connecticut Trails Day and the Connecticut River Paddlers Trail! Sun, Jun 09 Angling and Donuts / Melrose Terrace Learn More Jun 09, 2024, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM Melrose Terrace, West Brattleboro, VT 05301, USA Sat, Jun 15 Save the Sound: RECONNECTED (film screening) / Humanities Quadrangle, New Haven, CT Learn more Jun 15, 2024, 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM Humanities Quadrangle, New Haven, CT, 320 York Street New Haven, CT Sun, Jul 28 New England Paddlesports Championship / Norm's Marina Learn more Jul 28, 2024, 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM Norm's Marina, 1347 Brattleboro Rd, Hinsdale, NH 03451, USA Learn About: River Restoration Do you know the difference between riparian buffers and biostabilization? What about strategic wood addition? Restoring rivers isn't just about what happens in the water! Learn more about the strategies we use to restore healthy rivers and riverbanks. Learn More

Connecticut River Conservancy is thrilled to announce that we have been chosen to host an ECO AmeriCorp member this year. This service position would support Connecticut River Conservancy in efforts to assess watershed health, develop and implement stream restoration projects, support water quality testing, support volunteer groups taking part in our annual Source to Sea River Cleanup, support oversight and field work for the Connecticut River Paddlers Trail, and develop and implement public education campaigns to garner active engagement in watershed stewardship. See the full position description here. CRC staff member Kathy Urffer, Director of Policy and Advocacy and Vermont River Steward, will be supervising this position. She serves the Connecticut River and its watershed in the upper river from the MA border to the Canadian border in VT. Kathy is on the ground field staff working with landowners, federal and state agencies, and volunteers to protect the Connecticut River. Applications can be submitted through the AmeriCorp website.

You may have never heard of this little cutie, but the Tessellated Darter (Etheostoma olmstedi) is a pretty neat fish. It’s found in many river systems that drain to the Atlantic Ocean, from the St. Lawrence all the way to Florida. This includes our beloved upper Connecticut River watershed, where it is a native fish that spends its whole life in the river and tributaries. Tessellated Darters are in the same family as perch, but only get about three inches long at their largest. Snack-sized for larger fish like bass and eel, birds, and even turtles. Like their name implies, Tessellated Darters have a repeating pattern of spots which if you squint just right some say look like the letters W or M. Another distinguishing physical feature is a vertical black line running through the eye to the corner of the mouth, paired with another bar running from the eye forward to the tip of the nose. This coloration pattern likely helps them to be better camouflaged on the substrate, as they are benthic (bottom-dwelling) fish that prefer slower moving areas of water with muddy to sandy substrates with some small cobble. They eat benthic invertebrates and dietary studies have reported a preference for midge larvae, with caddisfly larvae becoming a more important food component in the fall. They move in rapid short spurts (ahem… darting!) when they are not sitting on the substrate. Some of these characteristics change temporarily during the spring breeding season. The male darter darkens in color and they seek out rockier areas. Eggs are laid on the underside of smooth rocks or submerged wood that has been cleaned by a male fish. The females may lay eggs in many nests and the males hang around to guard the nest full of fertilized eggs, one fish per nest, defending the eggs and keeping them clean until they hatch. Interestingly, Tessellated Darters have been reported to exhibit alloparental behavior, where the males tend to nests that are full of eggs fertilized by another male. And if I haven’t convinced you yet that these fish are pretty cool, remember back to when I wrote about mussels? And how interesting their life cycle is? Well… the Tessellated Darter is one of the host species for the endangered Dwarf Wedge Mussel, transporting the glochidia around in their gills. Which is why even though larger game fish and the (rightfully) celebrated migratory species get a lot of the spotlight, CRC also pays attention to what’s happening with these smaller species that have an equally important role to play in supporting a healthy ecosystem. They get considered when we are planning restoration projects, advocating for water quality improvements and habitat protection, or commenting on the effects of hydro operations or wetlands permits. So next time you see what looks like a “boring” minnow on the bottom of the river, just think… it might be a Tessellated Darter, guarding a nest or dispersing a mussel glochidia, and show it some appreciation.

At this LiveStream we celebrated Earth Day and the current Acts of Congress that may assist in protecting our great river and watershed. We heard from Kathy Urffer, Director of Policy and Advocacy at Connecticut River Conservancy; Markelle Smith from Connecticut River Watershed Partnership (formerly Friends of Conte); Jeremy Bratt, consultant; and Chris Curtis from the Deerfield River Watershed Association. Recorded 4/17/2024 _____________________ About LiveStream: CRC brings your rivers to you! Join CRC staff and partners for a series of live lunchtime presentations, on select Wednesdays from Noon-1pm. You get to learn more about the rivers you love, ask questions, and interact with a river-loving community all from the comfort and safety of your home (or wherever you may be). LiveStream will be hosted via Zoom. Please register for each presentation to receive meeting information. Check out CRC's Events Calendar to learn about other upcoming events.