The Clear Water Carbon Fund recently planted more than 500 trees along the Crooked River near Harrison, Maine, as part of an effort to protect clean water and wildlife habitat and remove carbon emissions from the atmosphere.

“This project brought people together to help protect clean water in the Crooked River and Sebago Lake,” said Ethel Wilkerson, program manager at the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, which administers the Fund. “Because of this effort, local communities will continue to enjoy all the recreational and financial benefits that clean water provides.”

The trees were planted on approximately 2 acres along the Crooked River on land that falls within the Sebago Lake watershed and is protected by the Western Foothills Land Trust.  Over time, these trees will remove over 285,000 pounds of carbon from the atmosphere, keep sediment and harmful pollutants out of the water, provide shade for streams, and restore valuable wildlife habitat. The newly planted trees will be monitored for 40 years to ensure that the program’s desired environmental benefits are achieved.

The trees were purchased by supporters of the Clear Water Carbon Fund. The fund (www.clearwatercarbonfund.org) is an innovative market-based program that allows individuals and businesses to purchase trees that are then planted along treeless stream and riverbanks in one of four participating watersheds in Maine or Vermont.

The Fund is run by the Manomet Center, a nonprofit scientific research organization.   The Fund also planted 400 trees this spring along the White River in Vermont.

“The Fund supplies trees to protect watersheds and mitigate carbon emissions,” Wilkerson said. “We are very happy to have been able to support the good work of the Western Foothills Land Trust to help restore forests on this stretch of the Crooked River.

For more information please contact:

Ethel Wilkerson
Program Leader
207-721-9040 x3
ewilkerson@manomet.org