Vermont

Connecticut River Watershed Council
Implementing an Innovative Approach to Restore Forests on Upper Connecticut River (NH, VT)
Restore healthy riparian forests and floodplains in tributaries of the Upper Connecticut River in New Hampshire and Vermont that provide important habitat for freshwater mussels, fish, birds and pollinators. Project will implement an innovative, 10-acre floodplain restoration from an old hay field and restore 3 miles of riparian forest to improve water quality and benefit native brook trout, wood turtle, rusty blackbird and other aquatic and riparian species.
$174,214

Essex County Natural Resources Conservation District
Planning for Cover Cropping to Reduce Nitrogen (VT)
Develop a cover cropping species mix and planting strategy and methods for monitoring reductions in nitrogen from farm runoff in Essex County, Connecticut. Project will create a robust on-farm planting strategy to reduce nitrogen into the Connecticut River and downstream to Long Island Sound.
$24,521

Friends of Nulhegan Basin Fish and Wildlife Refuge
Maintaining Access to Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge (VT)
Re-deck the primary access bridge to the Nulhegan Bay Division of Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge. Project will provide continued public access to the refuge for hunting, fishing, and other outdoor recreation activities while raising awareness of conservation and increasing the volunteer base.
$4,000

National Audubon Society
Identifying Forest Blocks and Implementing Strategies to Improve Habitat for Birds (NY, VT)
Improve forest management practices through Audubon’s Woods, Wildlife, and Warblers program and continue to work with family forest owners, professional foresters and industry in the Lake Champlain and Upper Hudson watersheds in New York and Lake Champlain Basin in Vermont. Protect will restore 450 acres of young forest habitat and 1,000 acres of late successional habitat to benefit American woodcock, golden-winged warbler, black-throated blue warbler and wood thrush.
$200,000

Rich Earth Institute
Deploying a Nitrogen Reclamation Project in the Long Island Sound Watershed — III (VT)
Enhance the deployment of nitrogen reclamation technology in Windham County, Vermont, Franklin County, Massachusetts and Cheshire County, New Hampshire. Project will divert 150 pounds of nitrogen annually from entering the Connecticut River and downstream to Long Island Sound.
$96,734

Trout Unlimited
Restoring Instream Habitat and Engaging Private Landowners to Improve Fish Passage (MA, NY, VT)
Restore instream and riparian forest habitat based on previous outreach and training to private landowners, municipalities, and forestry professionals. Project will add large woody material to 5 miles of stream, restore 5 miles of adjacent riparian forest to create habitat for native brook and complete 90 percent designs for three aquatic barriers to be removed in the future.
$133,842

Vermont Association of Conservation Districts
Planning for Pocket Wetland Restoration to Prevent Nitrogen Pollution from Farms (VT)
Develop 14 watershed plans to identify high-priority areas to restore pocket wetlands in agricultural fields in Vermont’s Connecticut River Basin. Project will ultimately restore freshwater wetlands and enable greater reduction in nitrogen loading from nonpoint source runoff from the Connecticut River downstream to Long Island Sound.
$49,925

Vermont Land Trust
Incentivizing Ecological Restoration on Vermont Farmland
Produce ecological assessments and riparian/wetland restoration plans for 12 farmland conservation projects and an associated plan for a market-based financing model in the Connecticut River Watershed, Vermont. Project will develop a strategy for incentivizing on-farm projects to reduce nitrogen along the Connecticut River and downstream to Long Island Sound.
$199,478

Vermont Land Trust
Restoring Riparian Forests, Instream Habitat and Wetlands (VT)
Design and implement a suite of forest, stream and agricultural practices in the heavily agricultural basins of Vermont’s two largest lakes, Champlain and Memphremagog, as part of  the Headwaters to Lakeshore Initiative. Project will restore 10 miles of riparian forest with a 50 foot buffer, restore a mile of instream habitat and 100 acres of wetland.
$137,650

Wildlife Management Institute
Enhancing Forest Habitat for New England Cottontails, Golden-Winged Warbler and American Woodcock (multiple states)
Enhance participation in Farm Bill programs by supporting habitat biologists and outreach specialists to interface with private landowners to provide young forest habitat for more than 50 Species of Conservation Need in New England. Project will develop forest management plans that utilize existing Best Management Practices, develop healthy diverse forest age classes, and protect riparian habitat values, improving management on 200 acres.
$156,290