In 1995, the Wolcott community witnessed the power of the Wild Branch River — and the effects of generations of attempts to force the river into a single channel — when flood waters destroyed houses, bridges, sections of road. In response, Vermont River Conservancy worked with the Selawsky family and several other neighbors along the Wild Branch River to protect several sections of the river corridor — not by forcing the river into channels, but by allowing the river to curve, meander, flow, and flood across undeveloped land.
The Selawsky family can continue to farm, and 17 acres and 2,200 feet of river frontage are protected on the Wild Branch, a tributary to the Lamoille River in Wolcott VT. The result? High quality riverside habitat, slowed water that decreases flood damage, shrubs and trees along the riverbank that help keep soil in place, more moisture absorbed into the ground to mitigate drought, and cleaner water flowing into the Lamoille River and Lake Champlain.
This project made possible thanks to the support and partnership of:
