October events
October 04, 2007
You are invited to join the WRP in October…
River Night: Perspectives on the First Branch, October 12 – 6:30pm
The Tunbridge Planning Commission is sponsoring a community potluck gathering on Friday, October 12 from 6:30 – 8:30pm at the Tunbridge Town Hall. Community members are invited to hear four speakers – Euclid Farnham, Kari Dolan, Kevin Geiger, and Mary Russ – discuss history, natural history, geology, recreation, and floodplain issues on the First Branch watershed of the White River.
Northeast Conference on Flood Hazards, Liabilities & Opportunities, October 15 – all day
The Vermont DEC River Management Program, Vermont Law School and its Land Use Institute, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, and the Two Rivers–Ottauquechee Regional Commission, is co-sponsoring a conference at the Vermont Law School to provide municipal officials and attorneys with key information they need to understand both the flood hazards in Vermont and the liabilities associated with municipal and landowner actions. The conference is free of charge for municipal officers (planning commissioners, Selectboards, zoning administrators, etc.) thanks to a generous grant from the DEC River Management Program. For others, the fee is $35 for general registration and $125 for those seeking CLE Credit.
For more information please go to http://www.vermontlaw.edu/elc/landuse/ or contact Jane D’Antonio, Institute Administrator at Vermont Law School at (802) 831-1217.
The Status of Vermont’s Current Use Program, October 15 – 7pm
This summer, the Vermont Legislature hired a consultant to review the Current Use Program and created a Task Force to determine whether the Program needs to be modified. 3 hearings are planned this month to invite public comment on the consultant’s report, which is available online. The public hearings are scheduled at 5pm on October 10 in Room 11 of the Vermont Statehouse; at 5pm on October 17 in the Bridport Town Hall; and at 5pm on October 23 in the America Legion Hartford Post 26 in White River Junction.
To provide watershed residents with more information on the Program and the Task Force in advance of the October 23 meeting in White River Junction, the WRP’s Forestry Work Group is hosting a free event on Monday, October 15 from 7-9pm in the Royalton Academy Building in Royalton village. Bill Snow, Chief of Current Use for the VT Tax Dept., and Rep. Alison Clarkson, sponsor of the legislation and Task Force member, will present information about the Program and the Task Force, and will answer questions. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP by calling Mary Russ at (802) 767-4600.
For more information about any of these events, contact Mary Russ at (802) 767-4600.
News
Posted: November 5, 2007 by wrp_admin
2007 Sami Izzo Award
2007 Sami Izzo Award
November 05, 2007
In 2007, the WRP presented the Sami Izzo Award to Jon Bouton. The award is given to an individual in recognition of his or her significant contributions to the WRP and our community. Sami Izzo was a tireless, committed, and enthusiastic supporter of the WRP. She was the first chair of the Down Stream Team and served on the Executive, Steering, and Outreach committees of the WRP Board of Directors. She not only contributed her thoughts, but also energized us with her can-do attitude that helped us see that doing more was possible. Most importantly she made the work of those committees more fun.
Jon has contributed to the WRP as a loyal supporter, partner, advocate, and active volunteer for the past decade. As the Windsor County Forester, Jon has been involved with the WRP since its inception. As a volunteer, Jon has led education events, monitored water quality, ferried water quality samples from White River to South Royalton, and coordinated the Forestry Work Group. Jon actively seeks new connections for the WRP – with Marsh-Billings, State and Private Forestry, UVM, Vermont’s Tree Steward Program, and others. More importantly, Jon adds to the WRP community through his dedication, time, energy, humor and insight.
According to former Executive Director, Annie Bourdon, “Jon always brought his professional expertise and knowledge to this diverse group, but what he demonstrated most were his respect for its members, his passion for the watershed and its forests, and his commitment to the WRP’s roots as a community-based and consensus-driven organization. He never flaunted his knowledge but rather facilitated and encouraged community participation in every form, embracing everyone’s diverse opinions.” Thank you, Jon, and congratulations!
Posted: October 4, 2007 by wrp_admin
Didymo Found in Delaware River
Didymo Found in Delaware River
October 04, 2007
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) today announced the presence of the invasive algae didymo in two additional fishing water bodies in New York State.
Samples taken by DEC have confirmed that didymo is present in the East Branch of the Delaware River. In addition, based on samples taken near the Route 191 bridge in Hancock, Delaware County, didymo is suspected to be present on the West Branch of the Delaware River as well. These are the latest recorded incidents of this aquatic nuisance species – also called “rock snot” – in New York State. Early this summer, didymo’s presence was confirmed in a section of the Batten Kill in Washington County.
The Delaware tailwaters are one of the premier trout fisheries on the East Coast, and are a popular destination for large numbers of anglers. The discovery of didymo in these waters is particularly troubling given their proximity to other famous trout streams, notably the Beaver Kill and Willowemoc Creek, and the tendency of anglers to fish multiple streams over the course of a day or weekend. The microscopic algae – an invasive species to New York – can survive for many days in cool, damp conditions. Porous materials such as neoprene waders and felt soles used by wading anglers are prime suspects in the spread of didymo among streams.
Didymo cells can produce large amounts of stalk material that forms thick mats on stream bottoms. The appearance of these mats has been compared to brown shag carpet, fiberglass insulation, or tissue paper. During blooms these mats may completely cover long stretches of stream beds and persist for months. The stalk material produced by didymo is slow to break down and may persist for up to two months following its peak growth. These mats alter stream conditions, choking out many of the organisms that live on the stream bottom, potentially causing a ripple effect up the food chain affecting trout and other fish.
Didymo has historically been limited to cold, nutrient-poor, northern waters, but in recent decades has been expanding its range and its tolerance to warmer and more productive streams. Once introduced to an area, didymo can rapidly spread to nearby streams. Anglers, kayakers, canoeists, boaters and jet skiers can all unknowingly spread didymo by transporting the cells on boats and other gear. There are currently no known methods for controlling or eradicating didymo once it infests a water body.
For more information about didymo, including decontamination procedures, visit this link.
Posted: October 4, 2007 by wrp_admin
October events
October events
October 04, 2007
You are invited to join the WRP in October…
River Night: Perspectives on the First Branch, October 12 – 6:30pm
The Tunbridge Planning Commission is sponsoring a community potluck gathering on Friday, October 12 from 6:30 – 8:30pm at the Tunbridge Town Hall. Community members are invited to hear four speakers – Euclid Farnham, Kari Dolan, Kevin Geiger, and Mary Russ – discuss history, natural history, geology, recreation, and floodplain issues on the First Branch watershed of the White River.
Northeast Conference on Flood Hazards, Liabilities & Opportunities, October 15 – all day
The Vermont DEC River Management Program, Vermont Law School and its Land Use Institute, the Vermont League of Cities and Towns, and the Two Rivers–Ottauquechee Regional Commission, is co-sponsoring a conference at the Vermont Law School to provide municipal officials and attorneys with key information they need to understand both the flood hazards in Vermont and the liabilities associated with municipal and landowner actions. The conference is free of charge for municipal officers (planning commissioners, Selectboards, zoning administrators, etc.) thanks to a generous grant from the DEC River Management Program. For others, the fee is $35 for general registration and $125 for those seeking CLE Credit.
For more information please go to http://www.vermontlaw.edu/elc/landuse/ or contact Jane D’Antonio, Institute Administrator at Vermont Law School at (802) 831-1217.
The Status of Vermont’s Current Use Program, October 15 – 7pm
This summer, the Vermont Legislature hired a consultant to review the Current Use Program and created a Task Force to determine whether the Program needs to be modified. 3 hearings are planned this month to invite public comment on the consultant’s report, which is available online. The public hearings are scheduled at 5pm on October 10 in Room 11 of the Vermont Statehouse; at 5pm on October 17 in the Bridport Town Hall; and at 5pm on October 23 in the America Legion Hartford Post 26 in White River Junction.
To provide watershed residents with more information on the Program and the Task Force in advance of the October 23 meeting in White River Junction, the WRP’s Forestry Work Group is hosting a free event on Monday, October 15 from 7-9pm in the Royalton Academy Building in Royalton village. Bill Snow, Chief of Current Use for the VT Tax Dept., and Rep. Alison Clarkson, sponsor of the legislation and Task Force member, will present information about the Program and the Task Force, and will answer questions. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP by calling Mary Russ at (802) 767-4600.
For more information about any of these events, contact Mary Russ at (802) 767-4600.