Every year, community members join with federal, state, recreational and conservation partners
to celebrate the beauty of New England’s Housatonic River.
The Source to Sound event, a 10-day downriver trip, combines paddling excursions and celebrations
along the river from Massachusetts to Connecticut.
Hosted by the Housatonic Valley Association and dozens of community-based organization,
the 149-mile adventure recognizes the work of partners, including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service, on behalf of the watershed.
The Source to Sound adventure celebrates 70 years of Housatonic Valley Association’s
work in the Housatonic river watershed—2,000 square miles, 149 miles of the river main
stem.
But more importantly, it’s celebrating all the partners that helped the river become
what it is today and is setting it up for this and future generations to be able to
enjoy the recreational aspects, the health of it and its future.
Today we’ve joined several events, including a 2-mile float to wind our way to the heart
of the Housatonic Valley in New Milford, Connecticut, where the community has gathered for a luncheon
and ceremony.
This is one of many events that we’ve hosted as we’ve traveled from the river’s source
in Muddy Pond in the Town of Washington, Massachusetts, on our way to Long Island Sound.
Today we’re enjoying the paddlers’ club bringing focus to the importance of our natural
resources on their way to the Sound.
And I hope everyone takes the time to get out.
The adventure also celebrates the work that has made the river once again accessible to
residents.
For more than 40 years, toxic chemicals seeped into the river, contaminating the water and
sediment.
The hazards reached riverbanks, floodplains, wildlife and even people.
The guardians for these natural resource settled with General Electric for $15 million, which
has funded the restoration of these treasured resources.
We’ve basically focused on projects that—sort of three categories of projects.
Projects that try to improve fish passage at locations or improve fish habitat in the
river, that improve habitat along the river and also protecting land along the riparian
areas.
Then the third category of projects is improving recreational—or the public’s enjoyment
of the Housatonic, really—through a variety of different recreational projects.
They include access to the river, such as this boat launch location, and then trails
in some cases.
The money secured by the federal restoration program has given partners the voice and the
tools they need to protect their river.
The private landowners, the NGOs, the government agencies—everything we do here to benefit
nature, benefit the riverine habitat, ultimately is going to provide a much more beneficial
natural setting for our future generations and children to enjoy.
It’s been a lot of fun; we’re moving on down the river.
But from today, please remember that that’s your river out there.
Go out and enjoy it.
Thank you very much.