700 students and community volunteers helped the WRP plant over 4,000 native trees along the White River in 9 locations this spring. This brings the WRP’s Trees for Streams Program totals to 50,000 trees planted since 2001.
Follow this link to see pictures of the volunteers in action!
Planting sites
From late-April through mid-May the tree planting volunteers helped restore over 10 acres of streamside vegetation – also called riparian buffers – in 9 locations throughout the watershed: Gilead Brook Road Buyout Park in Bethel, Granville Buyout Park, Green Acres Farm in Randolph, Randolph Floodplain Forest, Royalton Hill Road Buyout Park, Spring Hollow Road Buyout Park in Bethel, 2 private properties along the West Branch in Rochester, and 1 private property on the Upper White River in Granville. Landowners sign a 20-year contract that protects the riparian buffer area and allows the WRP to make routine monitoring visits.
Tree species
The WRP plants a 50/50 mix of native trees and shrubs, with a preference for fast-growing, early-successional species that thrive in moist, flood-prone soils. The WRP planted 21 species of native trees and shrubs in 2016, including American elm, Arrowwood, Balsam poplar, Basswood, Black cherry, Black willow, Choke cherry, Gray birch, Gray dogwood, Highbush cranberry, Nannyberry, Paper birch, Quaking aspen, Red maple, Red-osier dogwood, Shadbush serviceberry, Shrub willow, Silky dogwood, Speckled alder, Sycamore, and White pine. The WRP purchased trees from two Vermont nurseries (Drinkwater’s Nursery and Intervale Conservation Nursery) and one regional nursery (Cold Stream Farm).
Volunteers
The WRP wants to thank the following school groups and volunteers who helped with our 2016 Trees for Streams Program plantings this spring: Bethel Elementary School, Braintree Elementary School, Burkholder family, Clare Holland, Dan ‘Rudi’ Ruddell, East Valley Academy, Green Mountain National Forest staff (Bart, Dan, Lyn, Mike, Nance, & Sue), Hartford High School, Hartford Memorial Middle School Team Altitude, Jim Armbruster, Mark Heckmann, Peter Leonard, Randolph Elementary School, Randolph Rotary Club, Randolph Technical Career Center, Randolph Union Middle School, Sharon Elementary School, South Royalton School, Stockbridge Central School PTA, Tunbridge Central School, Vermont Technical College, Whitcomb High School, and WRP Board members (Abby, Geo, Joan, Sue, & Tom).
Donors
The WRP wants to thank the individuals, foundations, and groups who funded our 2016 Trees for Streams Program plantings this spring: Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Environmental Quality Incentive Program, National Forest Foundation, Vermont Watershed Grant, Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, and WRP members and donors.
For more information
Contact us for more information about our Trees for Streams Program!
News
Posted: July 1, 2016 by wrp_admin
Floodplain field conserved in Hancock
The White River Partnership (WRP), Vermont River Conservancy (VRC), and 2 private landowners have conserved 15.4 acres of floodplain along the White River in Hancock.
Tropical Storm Irene flood waters deposited large amounts of sediment on the field, which often floods during high water events. The floodplain conservation project prohibits future development and compensates the landowners for flood-related property loss on the 15.4-acre field. Allowing the river to access this critical floodplain will reduce the speed and erosive power of flood waters before they reach Hancock village.
The WRP received a Vermont Ecosystem Restoration Program (ERP) grant to work with VRC on acquiring the permanent conservation easement and to recruit volunteers to help restore 50-feet of native trees along the length of the field.
The WRP has worked with the ERP, VRC, and Vermont Land Trust to complete 7 floodplain conservation projects since 2008, conserving 107.8 acres on river-front properties in Granville, Hancock, Randolph, Rochester, and Royalton.
The WRP has received ERP funds to work with VRC and 4 private landowners to complete 2 additional floodplain protection projects in 2017: conserving 12.3 acres on the White River in Hancock and 23.2 acres on the White River in Stockbridge.
For more information
Please visit our River Corridor Protection page.
Posted: June 14, 2016 by wrp_admin
Volunteers plant 50,000th tree
700 students and community volunteers helped the WRP plant over 4,000 native trees along the White River in 9 locations this spring. This brings the WRP’s Trees for Streams Program totals to 50,000 trees planted since 2001.
Follow this link to see pictures of the volunteers in action!
Planting sites
From late-April through mid-May the tree planting volunteers helped restore over 10 acres of streamside vegetation – also called riparian buffers – in 9 locations throughout the watershed: Gilead Brook Road Buyout Park in Bethel, Granville Buyout Park, Green Acres Farm in Randolph, Randolph Floodplain Forest, Royalton Hill Road Buyout Park, Spring Hollow Road Buyout Park in Bethel, 2 private properties along the West Branch in Rochester, and 1 private property on the Upper White River in Granville. Landowners sign a 20-year contract that protects the riparian buffer area and allows the WRP to make routine monitoring visits.
Tree species
The WRP plants a 50/50 mix of native trees and shrubs, with a preference for fast-growing, early-successional species that thrive in moist, flood-prone soils. The WRP planted 21 species of native trees and shrubs in 2016, including American elm, Arrowwood, Balsam poplar, Basswood, Black cherry, Black willow, Choke cherry, Gray birch, Gray dogwood, Highbush cranberry, Nannyberry, Paper birch, Quaking aspen, Red maple, Red-osier dogwood, Shadbush serviceberry, Shrub willow, Silky dogwood, Speckled alder, Sycamore, and White pine. The WRP purchased trees from two Vermont nurseries (Drinkwater’s Nursery and Intervale Conservation Nursery) and one regional nursery (Cold Stream Farm).
Volunteers
The WRP wants to thank the following school groups and volunteers who helped with our 2016 Trees for Streams Program plantings this spring: Bethel Elementary School, Braintree Elementary School, Burkholder family, Clare Holland, Dan ‘Rudi’ Ruddell, East Valley Academy, Green Mountain National Forest staff (Bart, Dan, Lyn, Mike, Nance, & Sue), Hartford High School, Hartford Memorial Middle School Team Altitude, Jim Armbruster, Mark Heckmann, Peter Leonard, Randolph Elementary School, Randolph Rotary Club, Randolph Technical Career Center, Randolph Union Middle School, Sharon Elementary School, South Royalton School, Stockbridge Central School PTA, Tunbridge Central School, Vermont Technical College, Whitcomb High School, and WRP Board members (Abby, Geo, Joan, Sue, & Tom).
Donors
The WRP wants to thank the individuals, foundations, and groups who funded our 2016 Trees for Streams Program plantings this spring: Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program, Environmental Quality Incentive Program, National Forest Foundation, Vermont Watershed Grant, Wildlife Habitat Incentive Program, and WRP members and donors.
For more information
Contact us for more information about our Trees for Streams Program!
Posted: June 1, 2016 by wrp_admin
Gravel pit restoration project begins
The WRP has received funding from the state’s Ecosystem Restoration Program (ERP) to design a streambank restoration project at the Schindler gravel pit in Sharon. The gravel pit is located next to the main stem of the White River, and was used by the towns of Pomfret and Sharon for 50+ years to provide sand and gravel for road maintenance activities.
The River Corridor Plan for the White River and tributaries in the Town of Sharon identified a heightened concern for pit capture at the site, given the proximity of the pit to the river as well as eroding river banks up-and down-stream. Due in part to this finding, the Town of Sharon stopped using the gravel pit in 2011. Flooding during Tropical Storm Irene further undermined the river banks nearest the pit, so the landowner reached out to the town and the WRP for assistance.
With ERP funding, the WRP will hire an engineer to complete a project site survey and basemap; prepare draft engineering plans; coordinate an onsite review of the draft plans with project partners; prepare final plans based on input from project partners; complete and submit a State Construction General Permit; and prepare a construction cost estimate and bid form. The design project will be completed by December 31, 2016.
The WRP is partnering with the Schindler family, The Nature Conservancy, and the Town of Sharon to complete the design project. The Schindler family has entered an agreement to sell the 450-acre parcel to The Nature Conservancy, who will conserve it and add it to their adjacent White River Ledges Natural Area. The Town of Sharon will help complete restoration activities at the site to improve water quality and public health and safety.