Courtesy photo of a red oak seedling.
Vermont Business Magazine The Intervale Center is planting trees for every gift of $40 or more through their Conservation Nursery program now through Mother’s Day on May 14th. The large-scale ecological nursery has been dedicated to growing native trees for restoration projects since 2002. Their plants are grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, and pesticides.
Trees are an essential part of climate adaptation and mitigation; they stabilize soils, protect water, capture carbon, and provide habitat. A strong food system starts with healthy forests and clean water.
“The Intervale Center’s Nursery has been at the forefront of ecological restoration since it began in 2002. We are so proud of how our team is using innovative technologies and best planting practices to enhance Vermont’s land and waters,” says Travis Marcotte, Executive Director of the Intervale Center. “In addition to contributing thousands of bare-root stems for riparian reforestation projects across Vermont, we are advancing a statewide direct seeding project with the help of a new Seed Coordinator position that is working with partners to monitor and collect native tree and shrub seeds.”
In addition to selling trees and shrubs to partner organizations, the Conservation Nursery offers technical assistance services including riparian restoration and stormwater management projects, plus invasive species removal. In 2022, Nursery staff completed 33 planting and stewardship projects across the state, planted more than 36,000 trees with project partners and customers, and propagated an additional 60,000 stems for future restoration projects. The team has already planned 10 planting projects for the spring of 2024.
The Nursery aims to protect Vermont’s waterways by growing and planting trees for riparian buffers, the streamside forests that are among Vermont’s most biodiverse natural communities. Riparian habitats are key to healthy soil and waterways. Trees planted in these areas control erosion, filter sediment from runoff, keep waterways shaded and cool for healthy fish populations, and provide food and shelter to countless insects, birds, and small mammals.
The Intervale Conservation Nursery is dedicated to growing and planting trees in these areas across the state to increase biodiversity, build climate resilience, and improve the quality of Vermont’s soil and waterways. The Intervale Center will sell 35,000 trees, propagate an additional 45,000 trees, and engage hundreds of volunteers, farmers, and the public about the importance of native trees and shrubs in riparian buffers for the health and value of our rivers and streams.
The Intervale Center is celebrating the Conservation Nursery by planting trees in honor of donations of $40 or more from Earth Day (April 22) to Mother’s Day (May 14.) These trees can be dedicated to a loved one of the donor’s choice. To learn more or to plant a tree in honor of a loved one, visit: https://www.intervale.org/donate.
For 35 years, the Intervale Center has led a community food revolution that sustains farms, land and people. They work in Vermont and nationally to address massive challenges, including hunger and malnutrition, farm viability, water quality, and climate change. They have pioneered farm and food innovations in local food development, commercial composting, ecosystem restoration, farm business incubation, food access and food hub development. Learn more at www.intervale.org.
Source: 4.26.2023. Burlington intervale.org.
