(802) 763-7733 info@whiteriverpartnership.org PO Box 705, South Royalton, VT 05068

Upper White River CWMA


The Upper White River watershed includes the headwaters of the White River downstream to the confluence with the Tweed River.

The Upper White River Cooperative Weed Management Association (CWMA) formed in 2009 to inventory, monitor, control, and prevent the spread of non-native invasive plants across jurisdictional boundaries within the Upper White River watershed.

The Green Mountain National Forest and White River Partnership currently serve as CWMA Board members, engaging multiple partners in planning and implementing the work, including the US Fish & Wildlife Service, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Town of Rochester, and others.

Funding for CWMA activities has been provided by the National Forest Foundation and National Fish & Wildlife Foundation.

Species of concern

Non-native invasive plants found in the Upper White River watershed include:

  • Autumn olive
  • Garlic mustard
  • Goutweed
  • Japanese barberry
  • Japanese knotweed
  • Multiflora rose
  • Purple loosestrife
  • Shrub honeysuckle
  • Wall lettuce
  • Wild chervil

Activities

From 2012 – 2022, a seasonal CWMA Coordinator conducted inventories of road and trails within the Upper White River watershed boundaries to identify and map non-native invasive plant infestations. Several species of concern are well-established in the Upper White River watershed, including wild chervil and Japanese knotweed. So while the inventory identifies and maps all infestations, the primary management strategy is “early-detection, rapid-response” (EDRR) – identifying and removing small infestations that are not yet widespread in the watershed.

In addition to conducting EDRR activities, the CWMA Coordinator trained volunteers to identify NNIP and coordinated seasonal work days to engage volunteers in controlling NNIP at high-priority sites like the Brandon Gap parking area on Rte 73 and the Sap Boiler Trail behind the Rochester Ranger Station.

Accomplishments

Since 2012 the Upper White River CWMA has engaged individual landowners, students, community volunteers, town officials, and contractors to accomplish the following activities:

  • Surveyed NNIP along 100+ miles of roads and trails;
  • Trained 225 community volunteers to identify and control NNIP; and
  • Conducted early-detection, rapid-response control activities at 100+ NNIP sites.

For more information

Please contact Mary Russ at mary[at]whiteriverpartnership.org.