The Merrimack Watershed is one of New England’s most important natural resources.

Its rivers and streams make the multitude of ecological connections between the watershed’s lands and its estuary, and thus the coastal and marine environments of the northwest Atlantic Ocean.

It was vital to the human settlement and colonial development of New England, and thus the nation.

It sustains thousands of species of plants and animals, including both local and migratory fish, birds and mammals, as well as the commercial fishing grounds of the
Gulf of Maine.

It has built our richest farmlands and serves as the source of pure water for many of us.

The Merrimack Watershed stands at the core of New England’s life and heritage. It is our best symbol of the richness and quality of our lives, and must be restored and protected as such for
the generations that will follow us.