Climate Change. Vulnerable Communities. These phrases may be scrubbed from our national lexicon, but they won’t be scrubbed from our work.
This year we celebrate 30 years of accomplishments at the river’s edge: more than 100 swimming holes and paddlers’ trails where communities will always have free access to splash in their backyard waters, restored floodplains and protected wetlands where highwater will always be able to spread and slow, mossy old forests welcoming back another year of long eared bats and spring warblers.
Far from pulling back, we’re doubling down. Because every climate model predicts that Vermont will see more floods and more “no swimming” signs warning of toxic algae – human-exacerbated climate impacts that are absorbed by our rivers and felt by our communities.
To maximize our impact for the next 30 years, we’ve spent the winter hip deep in data and analytics, mapping areas we’ll prioritize based on geomorphology, hydrology, and alluvial soils. But we also know these hard sciences aren’t the full story, which is why we’re incorporating social sciences to make sure we do our best for people: Whether you’re a family in temporary housing, a new American with a primary language other than English, or a senior who rents, we are working to make sure your community is not overlooked as we address flood mitigation, or prioritize public access to swimming holes.
Where we stand at the nexus of land, water, and communities, our work to protect and restore rivers is critical to mitigating climate change and keeping all of our communities safe, especially those who have been systematically overlooked.
Onward!
Kassia and Erin
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