2025 Stewardship Council Community Grant Awards

​In 2025, the Stewardship Council awarded $41,568 in grant funding through its Community Grants Program. The following projects received funding:

Beaver Brook Association - $11,700 for “Nissitissit River Sustainable Recreation Access.”  This grant will support engineering work and permitting necessary to find a sustainable solution to address critical runoff and erosion concerns at a canoe and kayak access point on the Nissitissit River in Hollis, NH.

Friends of Woodlands and Waters - $7,500 for “Japanese Knotweed Removal Along the Nashua River in the Oxbow National Wildlife Refuge.” This grant will support treatment of  invasive Japanese Knotweed with glyphosate herbicide to improve the habitat in the riparian zones on both the Ayer and Shirley sides of the Nashua River.

Pepperell Cultural Council - $1,975 for "Construction Phase for the History of the Nashua River in Pepperell Mural Project" This grant will fund the cost of materials needed to varnish, add backing and posts, and otherwise make the painted mural panels installation-ready for the Pepperell DPW.

Pepperell Invasive and Native Plant Advisory Committee - $2,200 for "Pepperell Waterways Arts Celebration".  This grant will help to engage the public in stewardship of our waterways through artwork and an educational experience involving an area of the Varnum Brook Pond recently reclaimed from invasive plant species.

Pepperell Invasive and Native Plant Advisory Committee - $6,500 for “Phragmites australis Management.”  This grant will support implementation of the Invasive Plant Management Strategy for the Town of Pepperell to begin management of invasive phragmites australis within a bog near the Nissitissit River.

Shirley Conservation Commission and Shirley Greenway Committee - $4,450 for "Pumpkin Brook Link Invasive Plant Management Project."  This grant will help to advance management of invasive plants through a combination of contracted and volunteer efforts in order to protect exceptional habitat, improve trail user experience, and prevent spread of invasives to contiguous lands.

World Farmers - $7,243 for "Nashua River Geomorphology Assessment at Flats Mentor Farm".  This grant will fund a geomorphic assessment to provide World Farmers with opportunities and solutions to bank erosion on the Nashua River at Flats Mentor Farm.
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Grant funding is provided by the Stewardship Council through the National Park Service under CFDA: 15.962 – National Wild & Scenic Rivers System.

The Council congratulates the grantees and extends best wishes for the success of their projects.