Kikitta Ahki
Brattleboro, Vermont
Whetstone Brook
- Public access: Yes
- Activities: Swimming, walking, birding, plant id
- Caretaker: Town of Brattleboro, Director of Recreation and Parks
Kikitta Ahki
Kikitta Ahki, a name in the Abenaki language, holds many meanings: Really Listen Land. Really Hear Land. Really Sharpen Land.
When we first acquired this 12-acre open space along the Whetstone Brook in Brattleboro, the brook was hemmed in by a berm and by six feet of industrial fill that had been spread across its floodplain. During floods, the brook couldn’t slow and spread across this open land, and instead pushed across the opposite bank, flooded homes, and undercut downstream businesses.
We knew we would need to really listen to the land, the brook, and the community in order to restore this place.
After years of efforts to understand the land and the community’s hopes for it, we hauled out 50,000 cubic yards of gravel to free the brook and its floodplain at last. We planted native trees and shrubs with roots that will hold soils in place, trunks that will stand tall when floodwaters safely spill across the land, and nuts and berries that will nourish generations of songbirds (not to mention human nibblers). We built an ADA-accessible path to the river, added a parking area, and transferred this new new park to the Town of Brattleboro.
Whether you come here to walk, swim, fish, play, or rest by the river, Kikitta Ahki is a place for everyone. And now when the Whetstone Brook runs high, water can safely spill across this newly restored, natural floodplain, keeping 1-2 feet of water out of neighbors’ living rooms and kitchens. Read more about the transformation of this downtown Brattleboro park here.
Local Businesses
See a performance at Brattleboro Music Center or stroll to downtown Brattleboro for art, a cup of coffee, and a bite to eat.
Conservation Details
- River: Whetstone Brook
- Acreage: 12
- River frontage (ft): 1,969
Directions
From downtown Brattleboro, follow Elliot St west to the intersection of Holden St. Turn right onto Holden St and continue straight onto Birge St by taking a slight right. You will drive into small residential area. Continue to the end of the street and park near the kiosk on the right, where you’ll have direct access to the trail.
Photos
