To implement portions of phase 2 of the east branch of the ausable river restoration program and extend planning to the town of keene

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service awarded a $1.8 million Cooperative Agreement to the AU Sable River Association, a non-profit organization, to continue implementing Phase 2 of the East Branch of the Ausable River Restoration Program and expand planning to the Town of Keene through 2028. This funding supports the Association's provision of conservation technical assistance to private landowners, conservation districts, tribes, and other stakeholders in the Ausable River watershed under the Soil and Water Conservation program (CFDA 10.902). The Association has also received additional federal sub-awards to expand nursery infrastructure, purchase supplies and equipment, acquire plant materials, build staff capacity, advance a priority river restoration project, evaluate stream restoration projects, provide Lake Champlain extension services, develop regional curves for the Ausable watershed, and use eDNA to detect and map fish distribution to prioritize habitat restoration.