Responsible Land Use

Responsible land use is the cornerstone of New England Waterfowl Association’s mission. Our region’s waterfowl depend on healthy salt marshes, beaver ponds, floodplain forests, and eelgrass bays—places easily fragmented by poorly planned development.

NE Waterfowl Association champions practical choices that keep wetlands working: conserving core habitats, restoring hydrology, and connecting marsh-to-upland buffers so birds can nest, feed, and winter successfully. We support town planners, land trusts, and private landowners with tools that fit real communities: voluntary easements, living shorelines, culvert and tide-gate upgrades, invasive-plant control, and coastal resilience designs that respect working waterfronts.

Good access and good stewardship go together. Through mentorship hunts, youth clinics, and service projects, we turn hunters into year-round caretakers who monitor water quality, repair blinds thoughtfully, pack out trash, and report issues early. Smart siting—keeping fill out of floodplains, clustering growth, and preserving riparian corridors—protects people and property while sustaining migration routes and brood-rearing habitat.

Responsible land use isn’t a barrier to prosperity; it is the foundation of resilient towns, reliable fisheries, and future seasons. NE Waterfowl’s pledge is simple: partner widely, act locally, and measure results, so every acre we save today keeps the Atlantic Flyway strong tomorrow.