Partners complete historic effort to restore aquatic connectivity near the Appalachian Trail in Maine

PISCATAQUIS COUNTY, Maine – The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), in collaboration with longtime conservation partner the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), celebrated the removal of one of the final remaining fish passage barriers on the West Branch of the Pleasant River, allowing species like the federally endangered Atlantic salmon and brook trout to swim freely upstream to spawn once again.

The ATC’s Marian Orlousky looks out from inside the 90-foot culvert that was removed in the summer of 2023 to improve aquatic connectivity on the Henderson Brook near the A.T. Photo by Horizonline Pictures. 

Maine is home to the only remaining populations of wild Atlantic salmon in the United States. Identified as a priority tributary of the West Branch for Atlantic salmon recovery, the exceptional cold waters of the 3.9-mile Henderson Brook were already being utilized by Atlantic salmon in the lower portion, according to research conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

This multi-year effort, led by the ATC and AMC in conjunction with local, state, and national partners, successfully removed a 90-foot-long galvanized steel culvert under the Katahdin Iron Works Road next to the Appalachian National Scenic Trail, which opened 88% or 3.4 miles of Henderson Brook that had been completely obstructed to fish rearing. The partners completed construction of a new clear-span bridge, restored the Henderson’s natural aquatic habitat beneath the bridge, and reopened the road in October 2023.

“Conserving the Appalachian Trail means more than maintaining the footpath and preserving views — it also means protecting the plants and animals that depend on Trail environments. By removing road obstructions and restoring the stream environments beneath them, Atlantic salmon will once again have access to valuable rearing waters that have been blocked for decades,” said the ATC’s Interim Vice President of Conservation and Policy Marian Orlousky. “The vision is that one day, because of this project and others like it, the A.T. corridor will again support a thriving population of Atlantic salmon.”

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