Vermont River Conservancy Inc

The Vermont River Conservancy has four core missions:

A Swimming Hole In Every Town: Places to cool off, slow down, relax, and have fun, swimming holes are a vital component of Vermont communities. Unfortunately, swimming holes are becoming increasingly off limits to the public. Our vision is of a permanently protected swimming hole in every town. By proactively protecting public access to these treasured places, we can guarantee Vermont residents will always have special places close by to enjoy.

Paddling Trails And Fishing Accesses: Vermont’s seventeen major watersheds provide a wide variety of recreational opportunities for paddlers and anglers. The Vermont River Conservancy is facilitating a strategic approach to ensuring adequate public access to the rivers of Vermont. Working with local partners, we are protecting and improving access points and primitive campsites, and coordinating collaborative arrangements for long-term stewardship.

Flood Resilient Communities: Conserved floodplains provide room for rivers to meander naturally and release energy during intense flood events. VRC is partnering with local watershed groups, the state of Vermont, FEMA, and local landowners to conserve lands that provide these vital ecological services. By purchasing conservation easements within river meander corridors, we are ensuring our rivers will always have places to flood, thereby helping communities mitigate future storm impacts.

 

Wildlife Corridors & Water Quality: River corridors provide vital habitat for much of Vermont’s wildlife and serve as routes for daily activities and seasonal migration. Intact streamside vegetation greatly improves water quality by reducing water temperatures, filtering out sediment, and providing food for aquatic life. The Vermont River Conservancy is actively working with federal, state, and local conservation partners to protect priority wildlife habitats and to ensure high water quality for generations to come.