>> FLOODPLAIN FORESTS ONCE COVERED WIDE STRETCHES ALONG THE
CONNECTICUT RIVER AND ITS TRIBUTARIES, BUT TODAY, THEY'RE
ONLY A FRACTION OF THIS IMPORTANT ECOSYSTEM.
THE TOWN OF LONGMEADOW HAS OVER 1000 ACRES
OF FLOODPLAIN ALONG THE CONNECTICUT RIVER.
IN RECENT YEARS, THE NATURE CONSERVANCY HAS TEAMED UP WITH
TWO FEDERAL AGENCIES TO RESTORE THE FOREST IN THE AREA MAKING IT
THE LARGEST OF ITS KIND ANYWHERE ALONG THE ENTIRE RIVER.
CONNECTING POINT'S BRIAN SULLIVAN VISITED THE FANNIE
STEBBINS WILDLIFE REFUGE TO BRING US THE STORY.
>> AT FIRST GLANCE THIS MAY APPEAR TO BE A NATURE PRESERVE
SOMEWHERE REMOTE IN THE DEEP WOODS OF NEW ENGLAND.
THE FIRST PART, YES, BUT REMOTE?
NOT SO MUCH.
WHILE THE USE OF ALL-TERRAIN VEHICLES MAY BE NECESSARY TO GET
FROM POINT A TO POINT B IN SOME SPOTS THE LOCATION IS ACTUALLY
IN THE BACKYARD IN THE CITY OF SPRINGFIELD HERE IN THE MANY
MEDDOS IN WHICH THE DOWN LONG MEADOW HAS BEEN NAMED.
THE SHOVELS BREAKING GROUND TO MAKE WAY IS A CONTINUATION OF A
MULTIYEAR PROJECT IN RESTORING THIS FLOODPLAIN HABITAT.
>> A FEW YEARS AGO WE CONTRACTED FOR THE GROWING OF ABOUT 8,000
PLANTS OF 20 DIFFERENT SPECIES THAT ARE BEING PLANTED IN THESE
7 OLD FIELDS AND THESE RANGE FROM PLANTS THAT ARE ADAPTED TO
MORE WET HABITATS LIKE ALDERS OR BUTTON BUSH TO TREES LIKE OAKS
THAT ARE ADAPTED TO SLIGHTLY DRIER HAS BEEN TATS.
>> KNOWN AS THE FANNIE STEBBINS WILDLIFE REFUGE NAMED FOR THE
NATIONALLY KNOWN BIOLOGIST AND EDUCATOR OF SCIENCE AND NATURE
STUDIES IN THE SPRINGFIELD SCHOOL SYSTEM DURING THE 1930S
AND '40s, IT BEGAN AS ONLY A FEW SELECT PARCELS OF LAND BUT HAS
NOW GROWN TO 300 ACRES.
BIRDERS STILL FLOCK HERE FROM NEAR AND FAR TO GET A VIEW OF
THE DOZEN SPECIES ON THE PREMISES BUT MAINTAINING ALL
THAT LAND BECAME TOO BIG OF A BURDEN FOR THE GROUP.
ENTER THE NATURAL CONSERVE SI TO BROKER A DEAL.
>> THEY WANTED A PLAN HEY, WE KNOW THE CONTE NATIONAL WILDLIFE
REFUGE THIS WOULD FIT IN PERFECTLY FOR THEIR GOALS AND WE
BROUGHT IN ANOTHER FEDERAL AGENCY AND BROKERED THIS DEAL
WHERE THE NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION SERVICE ACTUALLY
HAS A WETLAND RESERVE EASEMENT HERE AND THE AREA'S PROTECTED
NOW AND WE HAD MONEY TO DO RESTORATION WHICH IS HAPPENING
RIGHT NOW.
>> THE EXPRESSION HIDING IN PLAIN SITE IS SOMEWHAT
OVERJUICED BUT IT'S TRULY FITTING FOR STEPPINS WHEN
DRIVERS HEADING SOUTHBOUND ON ROUTE 91 MAY SEE NOTHING BUT A
FIELD OF OVERGROWTH AND THAT'S ONLY IF THEY LOOK OUT THEIR
WINDOW IN THIS DIRECTION.
TO PASSENGERS ON AMTRAK THIS MAY ONLY LOOK LIKE A SWAMP, AND TO
ME THAT'S THE APPEAL.
WEDGED RIGHT BETWEEN ALL THIS HUSTLE AND BUSTLE OF THE REAL
WORLD IS THIS PROTECTED LAND THAT WHEN THIS PROJECT IS
COMPLETE WILL BE THE LARGEST FLOODPLAIN FOREST ANYWHERE ALONG
THE 400-PLUS MILES OF THE CONNECTICUT RIVER.
BY DEFINITION A FLOODPLAIN FOREST IS A DECIDUOUS WET HAND
BY A RIVER OR STREAM THAT RECEIVES SEMIOVERBANK FLOODING
AND ALOUVRAL FLOODING.
THE COTTON RIVER MAY SEPARATE THEM FROM WEST SPRINGFIELD BUT
FOR MANY OF THE CREATURES THAT LIVES ALONG ITS BANKS AND
INLAND, THIS IS THEIR WHOLE WORLD AND THAT MAKES THESE
PLANTINGS THAT MUCH MORE SIGNIFICANT.
>> THIS IS A TARGET AND WE PLANT IT IN THE FLOODPLAIN FOREST
BECAUSE IT'S A RARE HABITAT.
YOU DON'T HAVE HUGE TRACTS EXISTING IN THE CONNECTICUT
RIVER VALLEY ANYMORE AND THE FACT WE CAN RESTORE IT AND BRING
IT BACK TO FLOODPLAIN IS HUGE.
THERE'S CRITTERS THAT CALL THIS PLACE HOME DON'T HAVE A LOT OF
SPACE ALONG THE WATERSHED.
>> JUST BEYOND THESE SIGNS IS AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT A FULLY
FLOODPLAIN FOREST LOOKS LIKE, AND MEANWHILE THE GEESE IS SUR
SWAYING THE SOIL WHICH IS AN EMBRYONIC GROWTH AND BECOMING
ONE.
FOR YEARS AND PLAT AND MOSTLY CLEARED FIELDS WERE THE CHOICE
OF BIRDERS CONSIDERING THIS RESTORATION IS THE RIGHT THING
DO WE BUT WITH A BROADER UNDERSTANDING OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS IT COULD HAVE AS WELL AS THE FACT IT
COULD ATTRACT EVEN MORE SPECIES OF BIRDS, THEY WERE EVENTUALLY
WON OVER.
>> TO BE ABLE TO PROTECT THIS LAND AND TO BE ABLE TO KNOW IT
WILL BE HERE AND REIF HE SAYS AND PEOPLE WILL CONTINUE TO USE
IT, I THINK THAT IS SOMETHING THAT IS AN ASSET FOR ANY
COMMUNITY AND SOMETHING WE CAN'T GET BACK.
THEY'RE NOT MAKING MORELAND. ♪