Vermont Land Trust, partners, and community members plant nearly 1,600 trees and shrubs in Washington and Windham Counties
Vermont Business Magazine Volunteers planted nearly 1,600 native trees and shrubs in Barre, East Montpelier, Westminster, and Brattleboro this spring, to restore wetlands and streams and to improve wildlife habitat, the Vermont Land Trust announced today.
The plantings along tributaries of the Winooski River and the Connecticut River will help restore the health of wetlands and streams. The restoration projects were completed on Old Soul Farm in Barre, Fairmont Farms in East Montpelier, and former farm fields in Westminster and Brattleboro.
Photo: Nearly 1,600 trees and shrubs were planted by community members, partners, and Vermont Land Trust staff. Credit Vermont Land Trust / Kyle Gray.
“We’re working with farmers and partners across the state to re-forest some land along streams and wetlands,” said Allaire Diamond, an ecologist with the land trust. “Those forests can keep water clean downstream, by slowing down water and absorbing nutrients.”
Partners included Friends of the Winooski River, US Fish and Wildlife’s Partners program, the Windham County Natural Resources Conservation District, and the Vermont Land Trust with over 60 volunteers from Ursa Major Skincare, SunCommon, the ECO AmeriCorps program, the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, and local communities.
“It’s part of our responsibility to the local and global community to volunteer on projects like this,” said Natasha Yandow of Ursa Major Skincare, who volunteered at Old Soul Farm in Barre. “After all, water connects us all.”
These efforts were made possible with funding from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation; the US Fish & Wildlife’s Partners for Fish & Wildlife program; Watersheds United Vermont; the Vermont Natural Resources Conservation Council; the White River Partnership; Vermont Fish & Wildlife Habitat Stamp Program; National Fish & Wildlife Foundation; the Hollis Declan Leverett Memorial Fund, Bank of America N.A., Trustee; and other sources.
About Vermont Land Trust
Rooted in Vermont since 1977, the Vermont Land Trust unites land and lives for the enduring benefit of people and the place we share. We have protected more than 620,000 acres of land and foster life-long connections to farms, forests, and community spaces that define Vermont. Learn more at vlt.org.