The message from the public was consistent and clear. In the Yankee tradition, the people of the watershed were proud of their past land stewardship and were anxious to undertake future challenges themselves. Instead of passively stepping aside and letting someone else meet the challenge, they asked for support to help them do the job. Assessing Biologists gathered information about the watershed's biological resources and assembled it in a Geographic Information System. This computerized approach allowed them to see the watershed-wide view and more easily analyze data.
Many species are very abundant.
However, rapid urbanization of the southern half of the watershed has resulted in a great deal of habitat loss. This loss occurs directly as developments replace vegetation, and indirectly as the remaining habitat is fragmented into small, isolated patches. Many species of concern to the Service and the Conte Refuge have been impacted by habitat loss and fragmentation. Ten species within the watershed are currently federally-listed as endangered or threatened, with another 18 considered at risk of becoming endangered or threatened. Sixty-eight species have disappeared from the watershed relatively recently.