“Journey’s End” is a spectacular swimming hole and waterfall carved in the bedrock of Foote Brook, a cold water, steep stream flowing to the Lamoille River.

The land adjoining the falls is on the market as a house lot.  Conserving this land will provide permanent public access to the Journey’s End swimming hole, provide access for anglers to a 2,500 foot reach of Foote Brook renowned for its high quality trout habitat, and conserve 30 acres along Foote Brook containing deer yards, songbird habitat, and forested buffer which protects the riparian habitat and ecological values of Foote Brook.

The Town of Johnson has agreed to be the long-term owner of this beautiful area, and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board has awarded VRC with 55% of the total project funds.  Additional support from individual donors already totals $53,000.  Your support is needed now to protect access for all to Journey’s End. 

Join us for a work party where we will be constructing a privy, picnic table, register box, and installing signage. Lunch will be included. Volunteers are invited to bring their paddling gear and join us for a celebratory afternoon paddle.

Date: Saturday, May 4, 2013
Host: Vermont River Conservancy
Location: Westmoreland, NH (approximately 10 miles from Brattleboro)
To sign up: Please RSVP to Noah Pollock (noah@vermontriverconservancy.org) by Thursday May 2nd.

The land adjoining the falls is on the market as a house lot.  Conserving this land will provide permanent public access to the Journey’s End swimming hole, provide access for anglers to a 2,500 foot reach of Foote Brook renowned for its high quality trout habitat, and conserve 30 acres along Foote Brook containing deer yards, songbird habitat, and forested buffer which protects the riparian habitat and ecological values of Foote Brook.

The Town of Johnson has agreed to be the long-term owner of this beautiful area, and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board has awarded VRC with 55% of the total project funds.  Additional support from individual donors already totals $53,000.  Your support is needed now to protect access for all to Journey’s End. 

Extensively flooded during tropical storm Irene, the Nop brothers found some of their crop fields almost impossible to keep farming.  As this photo shows, the Neshobe created large flood chutes to release its energy after descending the steep slopes of the Greens and entering the low gradient river valley.  Located adjacent to the Dilts property, also conserved by VRC – these two conserved parcels will help ensure the Neshobe has open land to flood so the river’s energy can dissipate before entering the downstream village of Brandon.

Funded by the  VT Agency of Natural Resources Ecosystem Restoration Grant Program

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 AND 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 VRC 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.

Thanks to Willem Lange and NH Public Television: Windows to the Wild.

Thank you Senator Bill Doyle and Orca Media – for helping VRC share the importance of protecting our state’s shorelands.

Initial mapping of the targeted area has identified over thirty high priority parcels for creating riparian buffers – many on farm land already conserved by the Vermont Land Trust. VRC and VLT will work together with interested landowners to create a more ecologically robust and flood resilient Lamoille River. Creating riparian buffers upstream can help improve water quality downstream, and this has direct benefits for Lake Champlain, parts of which suffer from poor water quality in the summer.

Funding for this project is provided by Central Vermont Public Service Corporation (CVPS) through the VT Agency of Natural Resources Ecosystem Restoration Grant program, and the Vermont Community Foundation’s Lake Champlain Tributaries Restoration grants.

Funded by the VT Agency of Natural Resources Ecosystem Restoration Grant Program