Resilient Rivers
For people and wildlife, from headwaters to downtown.
We restore rivers for wildlife and people.
In the face of climate change, every model predicts Vermont will see more drought and more flooding. This is bad news for fish, wildlife, and communities. The good news is that there’s something we can do about it: protect land along rivers.
Our signature River Corridor Easements let landowners keep using their land as farms, forests, or wetlands, but they agree to let the river flow across their land. Instead of straightening riverbeds or lining banks with old tires, landowners let rivers run their course. These protected stretches let rivers meander in big, long S-curves, spreading out over the land. As a result, water slows and the land holds more water, decreasing the amount and speed of water crashing into downstream homes and businesses, and storing up groundwater for times of drought. Plus, these seasonal flooded areas create important wetland habitat for animals like wood turtles, heron, and otters – a win, win for landowners, neighbors, and wildlife.
No matter where we work, we use the right tool for the job. Sometimes, this means holding a conservation easement on 5,000 acres to protect old forests and headwater streams. Other times, this means buying 12-acres in downtown Brattleboro, hauling out a century of industrial fill, and giving the city a restored floodplain and community park.
Featured Projects
Restored Wetlands
Bookending North Troy recreation fields, the wastewater treatment plant, and a hydro dam, we’re working to protect two parcels on the Missisquoi River. Farmed years ago, the land is reverting back to wetlands, and offering an opportunity to convert low-value farmland to high-value wetland.
Brattleboro Park and Flood Protections
After Tropical Storm Irene devastated downtown Brattleboro, all eyes turned to 250 Birge Street, one of the best opportunities to slow future floods. We stepped up to buy the 12-acre property. Now we're cleaning it up, restoring it as a floodplain, and building a riverfront park.
Woodbury Mountain Preserve
We're partnering with Northeast Wilderness Trust to protect 6,000 acres at the headwaters of the North Branch of the Winooski River. It's a once in a lifetime chance to give our rivers (and generations to come) the gift of old forests and freshwater streams.
