50 acres conserved along the Upper Connecticut River

The Vermont River Conservancy, collaborating with the Ellingwood-White family, has conserved 50 acres of land along the Upper Connecticut River in Lemington, Vermont – nearly 2/3 of a mile of river frontage! The parcels are adjacent to Holbrook Point, already conserved by the VRC, a project completed with the Ellingwood family in 2013.
Through a unique arrangement, the purchase of the easement allowed the Ellingwood family to simultaneously purchase the lands, ensuring they will remain in productive agricultural use while protecting the vital ecological and public access values associated with the site. The conservation easement allows for continued agricultural and silvicultural use, but prohibits development, protects wetlands, establishes a riparian buffer zone, and prevent river bank modifications.
The easement also permanently protects public access for anglers and other dispersed recreational users and allows for the designation of a site for canoe camping as part of the Connecticut River Paddlers’ Trail should use at the nearby Holbrook Point campsite exceed its current capacity. Public access to the site is intended to be primarily from the Connecticut River.
This project was funded through a grant from the Upper Connecticut River Mitigation and Enhancement Fund and contributions to the Reggie Ellingwood Memorial fund.