We don’t have any specific volunteer days coming up, but read on to get a glimpse into the many ways volunteers make a difference for our rivers, and then click the green button below and we’ll make sure you’re the first to know about upcoming opportunities. And thanks!
Spend a day in the field, help at the office, lend your photography, or help in another way.
Through a partnership with the Barre River Access Task Force, a group of 18 volunteers ages 7-77 helped reconstruct a 1⁄2 mile trail that leads to a spectacular waterfall on the Stevens Branch River. The July flood destroyed much of the trail, redistributing rocks, gravel, sand, and debris, making the trail unclear and unsafe. Volunteers hauled out a 1⁄2 ton of plastic, fabric, and tires from the floodplain, moved rocks to become stepping stones, and resurfaced the trail so that anglers, swimmers, and picnickers can now safely and clearly find their way to the falls.
We can’t possibly get to every conservation area every day, which is why we rely on volunteer site stewards to be our eyes and ears on the ground. Site Stewards help us keep these river access sites safe and open to the public, they share updates about how the river is changing and shifting over time, and they get in touch if they notice any changes or challenges on site. Depending on the site, they may clear trees off of trails, interact with visitors, mow trailheads, pick up litter, and more. Get to know a couple of our site stewards here.
We hosted a Vermont Youth Conservation Corps crew in Richmond, where youth installed stone steps above the gorge and built three sections of boardwalk to cross a bubbling seep. Here at one of the most dangerous river access sites in Vermont, the crew also learned about swimming hole safety and installed warning signs to alert visitors.
The White River flows through Hancock Village, but this particular spot is known for its green rocks –Vermont Verde – the namesake of the local quarry and the colorful outcroppings that rise up from the riverbed. Once a junkyard, this riverbend was piled high with cars when we protected it 4 years ago. Though the cars are long gone, waist-deep weeds, a lack of parking, and no sign made the site less than welcoming. Our River Steward, Amanda Garland, worked hard to change that. She put in the sweat equity to create a trail, and she connected with neighbors who now help take care of the site. We had been calling this swimming hole by its less-than honorable junkyard name, so Amanda reached out to the community for ideas. When she asked local high school kids to suggest new names, the answer was easy – Verde Rock – the longtime source of community pride.
