Pomfret— The Connecticut River Watershed Council and project partners planted 1,031 native trees and shrubs in four Twin State towns this spring.

The plantings in the New Hampshire towns of Haverhill, Lisbon and Orford, and in Groton, Vt., stretch along nearly 4,000 feet of riverbank on the Wells, Ammonoosuc and Connecticut rivers.

The shrubs and trees will help reduce erosion, improve water quality by filtering out pollutants, and increase habitat for fish and wildlife, according to a news release from the watershed council. They include birch, willows, Red Osier dogwoods, elderberries, and sugar, red and silver maples.

The plantings were funded by grants from the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation. They build on work done by the watershed council after Tropical Storm Irene ravaged the watershed in 2011.

Since then, the nonprofit has planted more than 12,000 native trees and shrubs along the main stem of the Connecticut River, tributaries and smaller brooks in the watershed, according to the release.

The watershed council works with farmers, towns and other landowners facing erosion problems on their properties by applying for grants to fund conservation and restoration projects, and providing free project management services, the release said.

— Staff report