There’s more than one way to restore a river – from big trucks and work gloves, to the gift of space and time. We use all these tools and more to make sure wetlands, floodplains, and headwater forests can do an even better job storing water during floods and help keep our communities safe. In the process, we bring nature back to our rivers, welcoming wildlife back to our state’s waters.
Our phone rang mid-summer: Connecticut River Conservancy had everything ready to take a dam out of the Saxtons River in August except one last critical piece – permission from the landowner. Help take out dams and free our rivers? Yes, please! In a matter of weeks, Vermont River Conservancy became the landowner and made sure trucks could get on-site to haul out the derelict dam. Thanks to this partnership, Bellows Falls now has a brand new riverfront path and stairs down to the river. And for the first time in more than 150 years fish like sea lamprey and American eel can swim from the Connecticut River up the Saxtons River.
Some of our most rewarding days in the field are also the most challenging. This spring Amanda, our stewardship coordinator, painted over one hundred 5-foot-long hardwood stakes to mark areas protected from mowing – literally staking a claim for rivers’ trees to grow up, hold soil, shade water, and absorb the next flood’s energy and debris. The beauty of our work is that it makes space for farms and rivers, but when rivers move, boundary stakes need to move, too. Starting the conversation with a farmer takes compassion as we navigate the balance between farmers’ livelihood and our long-term commitments to the river. By the end of our time talking side-by-side in the field, the farmer says, “Thank you!” – grateful for our work looking out for them and the river – the sign of a true partnership.
Did you know wood turtles find nesting sites just by looking up from the water? If they can’t see a nice sandy beach (say, if a giant patch of knotweed is in their way), they won’t lay their eggs there. Then the eggs need 90 days of no disturbance to hatch! And did you know they can live to be 80 years old?! We didn’t either, until spending a day in the field with scientist Kiley Briggs from our local Orianne Society. Many of our conserved lands provide homes for these endangered reptiles, and we’re learning ways we can take care of these lands to make sure they provide the best possible habitat, doing our part to help these brilliant turtles thrive into the future.
We just took on our biggest responsibility yet – more than 6,000 acres of forever wild land in central Vermont. Acquired by Northeast Wilderness Trust, they’ll take care of the land and it’s our job to uphold the conservation values for generations to come. We’re doing similar work around Marlboro and Guilford, collaborating with partners to protect several properties featuring beaver-filled wetlands and majestic forests. This landscape-scale approach will give these lands the gift of time. We’ll let the forests grow old over time, restoring habitat for pine marten and Bicknell’s thrush, and letting beavers bring back extensive wetlands. These places will filter water, store carbon, and provide niche breeding habitat for rare species – forever.
2X Match! Give today to help protect and restore rivers! Thanks to the generosity of our founders and board, every gift will be matched. All gifts, no matter how big or small, make a difference. THANK YOU!
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