Marianne LaBarge City Councilor | Ward 6 | Northampton, MA

WARD 6

         CITY COUNCILOR

MARIANNE LABARGE
Text Box: City of Northampton Announces Ecological Restoration Grant Award NORTHAMPTON - Today, Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra announced that the City of Northampton has been awarded a $250,000 grant to continue ecological restoration work at the former Pine Grove Golf Course. The grant, from the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Division of Ecological Restoration (DER) through its Priority Projects Program, will further efforts to restore Nashawannuck Brook, and surrounding wetlands, floodplain, and wildlife habitat. “I am pleased that we can continue the vital work to restore this wetland resource that will ultimately enhance wetland habitat and function, remove barriers to aquatic connections, improve water quality, and enhance climate resilience for our city,” said Mayor Sciarra. “This new funding will help advance the design and permitting of the work envisioned at Rocky Hill Greenway.” The city purchased more than 100 acres of the Pine Grove property for permanent conservation in spring 2020. In addition to restoration design work, this project will also engage community members in conceptual design for new passive recreation routes at Pine Grove. “We are excited to continue working with DER and MassAudubon to reestablish Nashawannuck Brook’s natural stream channel and surrounding wetlands. In addition to providing habitat, this will reduce erosion, downstream flooding, and create natural stormwater storage to make the area more climate resilient,” shared Sarah LaValley, Assistant Director of Planning & Sustainability, who will coordinate this project as it advances. For more information, contact the Mayor’s Office at 413-587-1249 or mayor@northamptonma.gov.