WESTMINSTER, Vt. – The Windham Conservation District and the River Valley Technical Center partnered with local landowners and the Vermont Land Trust to plant native trees and shrubs along a tributary of Sacketts Brook in Westminster on Oct. 27. Students, under the direction of John Harmer, spent the morning learning about riparian planting practices while helping the district to plant 260 native shrubs and trees. “The students did a terrific job on this project. We couldn’t have done it without them,” said District Manager Cory Ross.
Riparian plantings such as these help prevent soil erosion, protect water quality, and provide valuable food and habitat for wildlife, including migratory birds. Windham NRCD works with local landowners to identify priority sites for restoration and leverages state funding and local volunteers to plan and implement these plantings through the Trees for Stream Program. This planting was funded by a grant from the Vermont Natural Resources Conservation Council using Clean Water Funding from the State of Vermont. Additional
support was provided by the Vermont Land Trust and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Landowners interested in district support for a planting should contact the district at windhamcountynrcd@gmail.com or by phone at 802-689-3024.
To learn more about programs at the River Valley Technical Center, visit www.rvtc.org or call 802-885-8300.