THOMASTON — Knox-Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District is hosting Maine Audubon’s Stream Smart Training – Phase One for Municipalities in Knox County, Tuesday, April 29, at the Lura Libby Room, Town of Thomaston.

This training is the first part in a three-part series geared toward Knox County thanks to the generous funding through the Midcoast Council of Governments “Weathering the Storm project.”

The training is free to Knox County Municipalities and will be held in-person from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Community members are encouraged to attend for a fee of $35. Refreshments and resource materials will be provided. The next two trainings in the series, CoastWise and Stream Smart Phase II, will be held later this year.

This half-day introductory workshop provides training for professionals to expand the local knowledge base on how to include aquatic organism passage and higher storm volume capacity when designing stream/road crossings. Applying the Stream Smart principles to road crossings can help connect and maintain fish and wildlife habitat while protecting roads and public safety. Stream Smart crossings can also help towns prepare for the large and frequent storm events that have been washing out roads around the state and the northeast.

Participants will learn about: the value of free-flowing streams; the regulations that are applicable when working on road/stream crossings; the principles of building Stream Smart crossings; the costs and benefits of Stream Smart crossings; and where to look for funding.

These workshops are designed for professionals responsible for road-stream crossings, including municipal leaders, managers, and public works employees. They cover road-stream crossing projects from site assessment to permitting and installation, emphasize maintaining and restoring aquatic habitat and highlight economic values of the stream. Workshop presenters include professionals from state and federal agencies, as well as, statewide non-profits. Participants can receive recertification credit for Maine DEP’s Voluntary Contractor Certification Program, and information on potential funding sources.

Pre-registration is required. The workshop is free to Knox County municipalities and a fee of $35 is required for the other registrants. Attendees may register and pay online here: https://www.knox- lincoln.org/events-workshops/stream-smart-2025. For more information, contact Knox-Lincoln SWCD office at 596-2040, julie@knox-lincoln.org.

Knox-Lincoln SWCD is an equal opportunity provider and employer.