Press Release December 10, 2019
Lyn Munno, Director, Watersheds United Vermont
Watersheds United Vermont offers Training Opportunities in Landowner Outreach and Riparian Buffer Planting with DEC Train-the-Trainer Grant.
Community-based Watershed Organizations are key partners for the Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) on developing and implementing clean water projects and programs with landowners and their communities. Planting trees as a buffer along rivers is critically important in reducing nutrient runoff, preventing sediment erosion, providing important riparian habitat, providing shade for streams and improving flood resilience.
Riparian buffer planting has been a key watershed restoration strategy for watershed groups across Vermont. If we want to expand the impact of buffer planting on water quality, flood resilience and habitat restoration, it will be important to engage more community-based groups across the state. It is also important that groups are learning from each other on best practices and solving common challenges.
Thanks to a Department of Environmental Conservation train-the trainer grant, Watersheds United Vermont held a series of trainings over the last two years on site prioritization, landowner outreach and riparian buffer planting. WUV partnered with the White River Partnership (WRP), the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) and The Nature Conservancy to conduct these trainings.
In March of 2018, The Nature Conservancy hosted a webinar and in person training on TNC’s Water Quality Blueprint and DEC’s Clean Water Roadmap to prioritize project site selection for the greatest range of benefits. This training expanded groups knowledge of these tools for site prioritization and selection.
In April of 2018, the White River Partnership and the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District held a half day training at the Vermont Law School focused on landowner outreach and conducting tree plantings. The training had both an indoor and field component. This training was geared to groups new to buffer planting to try encourage more groups across Vermont to plant buffers in their watersheds. The training also had tips and ideas for more experienced planting groups. Groups vary somewhat on the methods they use for landowner agreements, planting techniques, whether they work with volunteers or hired crews, and monitoring and maintenance. This training provided an opportunity to have groups learn from each other on the different programs and techniques.
People learn from doing! WUV, WRP and PMNRCD wanted groups new to planting to have more hands- on training than this half day conference training. Groups were invited to participate in one of four field days with WRP and PMNRCD. Eight groups took advantage of this opportunity and participated in hands on planting days. The White River Partnership was available as a mentor to groups over the past year. WRP answered questions when needed and worked with a group on site identification for future buffer plantings.
There is a continued need for learning and training on engaging landowners. Mary Russ from the White River Partnership held a session at the 2019 WUV Fall Conference on December 7, 2019 to do a deeper dive on the complexities of working with private landowners on clean water projects. There were 40 people in attendance and the group discussed challenges and provided ideas on how to work with landowners to engage in voluntary water quality improvement projects.
Watershed groups are connected to their communities and work with landowners to engage in watershed protection and restoration practices on their land. WUV will continue to support groups where possible to provide the training and capacity to plant riparian buffers as a key strategy for clean water and healthy watersheds.
These opportunities would not have been possible without the grant support from the Department of Environmental Conservation.