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York River Stewardship Committee reports grants, marsh‑restoration designs and local projects
Summary
A volunteer committee that includes South Berwick appointees told the Town Council it has awarded $42,000 in small grants, is advancing a 132‑acre salt‑marsh restoration design and is pursuing a 137‑acre conservation easement along the York River.
Carl Hockenen, the South Berwick representative to the York River Stewardship Committee, gave the Town Council an update on the committee’s first year of work, including grant awards, project planning and partner roles.
Hockenen said the stewardship group — formed in 2023 with representatives from South Berwick, York, Eliot and Kittery — has a five‑year cooperative agreement with the Wells Reserve and technical support from the National Park Service. He said the committee hired a part‑time watershed program coordinator, Jennifer Hunter, and established bylaws, subcommittees and a fiscal agent to manage funds.
The committee used National Park Service funding to launch a local grants program that awarded five projects a total of $42,000, Hockenen said. He listed the awards: $6,000 to the York Parks and Recreation Department for a free kayak tour series; $10,000 to a town of York ad hoc committee for a feasibility study and design of a paddle‑craft dock at Goodrich Park; $10,000 to the York Land Trust to support a 42‑acre expansion of the McIntyre Highlands Preserve; $6,000 to the York Conservation Commission for an education program on pesticide and fertilizer practices; and $10,000 shared with Kittery and Save Kittery Waters for creek‑buffer outreach.
Hockenen described two larger stewardship projects in progress. The committee is working on preliminary designs for restoring roughly 132 acres of salt marsh along the York River and Smelt Brook, with the goals of restoring hydrology, stabilizing the marsh against sea‑level rise and protecting wildlife nursery habitat. He said consultants from Northeastern Wetlands Restoration are assisting on design and that partners include Maine Coast Heritage Trust and the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge.
He also said the committee is negotiating purchase of a 137‑acre conservation easement along the York River with the Great Works Regional Land Trust; that transaction is not finalized and Hockenen declined to provide details until it closes.
Hockenen directed residents to the committee website, yorkrivermaine.org, for the stewardship plan, grant criteria and a calendar of upcoming events. He said the committee is not asking South Berwick for operating funds and that its grants are drawn from National Park Service support. He also said kayak tours initially were limited to York residents for the first year but that future events and the planned kayak launch will be open to residents of the four watershed towns.
Councilors thanked Hockenen for the update and asked no formal questions. Hockenen said the committee plans annual updates to the council and continued outreach with regional partners.
