82 Acres Added to the Conte Refuge
June 2, 2008

There is cause to celebrate! Today marked the permanent protection of another 82 acres of grasslands and riverlands in Hadley. This land was purchased by the US Fish and Wildlife Service for the Silvio O. Conte Fish and Wildlife Refuge, which extends the length of the Connecticut River Valley from Vermont to Connecticut. The Kestrel Trust is pleased to be a part of a conservation partnership including the Trust for Public Land, Valley Land Fund, and Franklin Land Trust to protect a mosaic of grasslands and agricultural lands in this 3,000 acre area from the Fort River to Mt. Holyoke Range. Kestrel's Executive Director Kristin DeBoer was invited to speak at the celebration following the inspirational remarks of Congressmen Olver and Neal, Representative Scibak, Selectman Devine and USFWS Regional Director Marvin Moriarity.

Remarks by Kristin DeBoer, Executive Director, The Kestrel Trust

"I am so glad to be here to take a few moments to reflect and celebrate. Behind this and every conservation success are long hours, lots of money, and a deep level of commitment to see a project through from start to finish.

The Kestrel Trust and other local land trusts, including Valley Land Fund and Franklin Land Trust have been concerned about protecting this vast expanse of wide-open land for decades. Thanks to this leadership, we have already made progress to protect the farms and fields that are at the heart of this Valley. Today, we are thrilled to acknowledge our newest partner, the Trust for Public Land, for taking a chance to dig in to protect this place.

Having a national land trust come to the Valley is a moment to celebrate. It is a moment to recognize the national importance of this local place. It is a moment to build a conservation partnership that has the capacity and financial resources to hold the line on the strong forces of sprawl.

Together, all of our groups have created the Fort River Partnership. And with this success, we hope that we can expand the community of people who care about this land. We need to build a community which will make this entire area, between the Rivers and the Range, a local, state and national priority. We need to build a community of landowners who are willing to have a conversation about conservation before development. We need to identify a community of residents who make a significant financial investment to conserve the land that is nearest and dearest to their hearts. We need to work with a community of public agencies that make it their mission to protect the best land for the best purpose.

Together, we can conserve the best soils for agriculture. We can restore the best habitat for birds and wildlife. We can preserve the best riverlands for fish and water quality.

Fortunately, this landscape between the Rivers and the Range, speaks for itself. The beauty of this place has the power to draw the attention and devotion of the people who want to conserve it. As long as we turn our sights to the land, we can continue to build a community that will sustain it far into the future. Thank you."