As spring turns to summer and the sun’s rays beat down, it’s tempting to relish afternoons splashing in warm waters – comfortable for an afternoon dip, but life threatening for wildlife. The eastern wild brook trout thrives in water up to 65° and can tolerate a few degrees more. 75° kills.
Last year some of Vermont’s major waterways hit 79°. Too easily dismissed as an uncontrollable effect of climate change, shockingly warm waters are more so the result of how we all treat the land – the hundreds of dams that trap bathtub-warm water and the riverside lawns, fields, roads, and parking lots that deprive banks of shady trees.
This spring, we finished three projects to create a brighter future for brook trout – places where these speckled fish can count on cooler waters year-round.
Battenkill Wetlands, Manchester
Green Mountain springs feed the Battenkill, one of the region’s most iconic trout streams, and a bastion for eastern wild brook trout. We protected 42-acres at a sharp bend in the river where most of the land – once drained dry and farmed – can once again become a vibrant wetland with natural, cool water storage. For the next two years we’ll work with partners to plant trees and shrubs along the riverbank, shading the Battenkill – and the brook trout that call it home – through in the heat of summer.
Camel’s Hump, Duxbury
The most ardent kayakers likely know this spot as Ridley Brook, a favorite spring run that, thanks to our conservation work in partnership with the Duxbury Land Trust, now has public access. The steep, canyon-like 58-acres here will be added to Camel’s Hump State Park. But you don’t have to be a boater to appreciate this spot. Brook trout (and swimmers) can cool off here mid-summer when these higher elevation waters provide escape from the warmer rivers below – a saving grace for Vermont’s state fish.
Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area, Danby & Mount Tabor
Vermont’s longest river gets a healthy start in one of Vermont’s few wilderness areas, Peru Peak Wilderness, cascades down the forested slopes, then runs smack dab into Route 7, runs a gauntlet of farms and towns, and is “impaired” by the time it reaches Lake Champlain – too hot, too much phosphorus, and too polluted for people and wildlife. We just helped protect more than a mile of this river by adding 344 acres of wetland, floodplain, and woodland to Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area. Thanks to this, brook trout can count on cool, protected wetlands – one more step towards a healthier Lake Champlain.