This summer, a youth conservation crew from NorthWoods Stewardship Center completed several watershed improvement projects in the Passumpsic River Basin thanks to an Ecosystem Restoration Program (ERP) grant from the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The crew cooperated with local towns, non-profits, and businesses to reduce stormwater erosion, improve water quality, and enhance river access on the Passumpsic.
The NorthWoods Conservation Corps “Burke Crew” completed over 1000 hours of watershed-based training and service work, including improvements to two river access points in Lyndon, numerous roadside runoff projects in Burke and Newark, and the installation of stormwater rain garden at Burke Mountain Resort.
The Burke Mountain rain garden was particularly successful, according to NorthWoods Trail Director Luke O’Brien, “the garden creates a colorful flower bed at Burke that looks beautiful and has the added benefit of capturing stormwater from rooftops so that it doesn’t erode and pollute local streams.”
Stormwater runoff is a major contributor to soil erosion, sedimentation, and water pollution. Low Impact Development (LID) structures, such as rain gardens, collect and store stormwater from roofs, parking areas, and other impervious surfaces before it reaches nearby waterways. LID structures help to reduce water speed and capture sediment that impairs water quality and aquatic habitats.
This season, 77 youth (ages 15-20) from the surrounding region participated in the NorthWoods Conservation Corps – completing over 19,000 hours of conservation service work. The program provides paid employment, training, and environmental education to local youth during a six-week summer work season. Projects include a variety of river, wildlife, and trail management projects.
Established in 1989, NorthWoods Stewardship Center is a nonprofit environmental education and conservation service organization based in East Charleston, Vermont. Through three programs—education and camps, a youth conservation corps, and the Forest Stewardship Institute—NorthWoods inspires individuals to be stewards of their environment.
Ecosystem Restoration Grants are made available to support on-going efforts to reduce surface water pollution from phosphorus and sediment. Funded projects typically involve efforts to improve stream stability, protect against flood hazards, improve in-stream and riparian habitat, lessen the effects of stormwater runoff, protect and restore riparian wetlands, re-establish lake shoreline native vegetation, and enhance the environmental and economic sustainability of agricultural lands. For more about the ERP grants visit www.anr.state.vt.us/dec.