Spotter The Otter at Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed’s new home in Winthrop. Photo courtesy of the Cobbossee Watershed
The Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed recently was awarded three recent grants from foundations interested in supporting the mission and work of the organization, according to a news release from the foundation.
The Onion Foundation awarded the Friends a $15,000 grant for three consecutive years, starting in 2019, for a total gift of $45,00 over three years. This funding will support the Friends initiative to establish a watershed resource hub for citizen science in the Cobbossee Watershed.
Utilizing the Friends new office and meeting space as the hub, workshops will be offered to teach individuals about invasive aquatic plants and how they can help protect and improve water quality. The Friends also will establish a resource library of reference materials and plant survey equipment. In addition, Friends staff will be on hand at the hub to answer questions and identify aquatic plants on a routine basis.
The Snider Foundation awarded a $50,000 Community Grant to the Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed to support the work of the Cobbossee Annabessacook Milfoil Project. The goal of this project is RESTORE Annabesscook Lake and PROTECT Cobbossee Lake from invasive variable milfoil, and to prevent the spread of two new invasive plants found in Cobbossee in 2018: Eurasian milfoil and European frog’s-bit.
In addition to managing invasive aquatic plants, the Friends are working to raise awareness and train volunteers to keep their eyes out for suspicious plants. The Cobbossee Annabessacook Milfoil Project is expected to cost $350,000 over 3 years (2018-20), according to the release.
The Snider Foundation’s Adjunct Board has also made a donation to the Friends for 2019. To encourage more individuals to support the Friends work to engage the public in protecting and improving the lakes, ponds and streams of the Cobbossee Watershed, the Snider Foundation Adjunct Board will award the Friends $50,000 if it can be matched by donations from new donors or increased donations from current donors.
Matched donations may be designated to the program or project of the donor’s choice. Matching donations received to date totals $18,000, and eligible donations can be received through the end of 2019, according to the release.
To make donations to Friends of the Cobbossee Watershed, visit watershedfriends.com or mail the donation to P.O. Box 206, East Winthrop, ME 04043.
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