At the base of Hawks Mountain Wildlife Management Area, the Black River winds through Cavendish, meandering through gorges, farmland, and the village center. In partnership with town leaders, Vermont River Conservancy protected 30-acres with almost 1-mile of Black River shoreland. The banks along this section of the river frequently wash away into the river, adding sand, gravel, and nutrients to the water that harms fish habitat.
To help fix this problem, these unique River Corridor Easements are an agreement that the landowner will allow the river to naturally move across their land, and that trees and shrubs can grow up along the water’s edge to keep soil in place. The landowners agree that they won’t build close to the river, and that they won’t try to control the river’s path with things like retaining walls. Thanks to this agreement, now — and centuries from now — the river will be allowed to ebb, flow, and meander across the open space land. This helps slow water to filter out debris and sediment, ultimately keeping communities downstream safer from flooding, and keeping water cleaner for wildlife and people.
This project made possible thanks to the support and partnership of:
