WRP wins VT Tree Steward Award

WRP wins VT Tree Steward Award

December 13, 2007

The White River Partnership has been selected as the 2007 Volunteer Group recipient of the Vermont Tree Steward Award. Mary Russ received the award on behalf of the Partnership on December 12 at the State House. Hartford project partners, including the Hartford Conservation Commission, the Hartford Tree Board, the Hartford Department of Parks anad Recreation, and the Partnership’s Down Stream Team, were on hand to support the Partnership and to receive congratulations from Governor Douglas and ANR Secretary Crombie.

The Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Council, an advisory group to the Urban and Community Forestry Program of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, sponsors this award. The Volunteer Group Award goes to an organization, team or ad/hoc group who, through their volunteer efforts, has shown outstanding dedication and commitment in introducing or sustaining an urban and community forestry project within their community. The Hartford Conservation Commission and Tree Board made the nomination to recognize the Partnership’s tremendous work planting riparian areas in Hartford and throughout the White River watershed.

Since 2005, the Partnership has been working with the Town of Hartford to restore riparian buffers at the 3 public parks in Hartford: Lyman Point Park, Watson Park, and Clifford Park. In 2005, the WRP helped organize a River Day for Hartford Middle School students, which culminated in the first tree planting at Lyman Point Park. Since then, dozens of local students and community members have helped plant over 400 trees at the 3 parks. Next year, the WRP will plant additional trees at Lyman Point Park and will work with the Town of Hartford to erect educational signs about the benefits of riparian buffers at all 3 parks.