Montpelier, Vermont – Sheryl and Chris have learned to become stream stewards over the last ten years of owning a property along the North Branch of the Winooski River. When they moved in, the majority of their two-acre property was lawn that had been mowed since the early 1960s, right down to the river.
Feeling a sense of responsibility to understand the obligations that come with living by a river, they reached out to staff at Friends of the Winooski River (FWR) to learn what could be done.
In 2015, volunteers coordinated by FWR arrived and planted trees, beginning the work of restoring the land into a forested stream buffer that helps stabilize the riverbank and provides pollinator and wildlife habitat.
When the flowers are in bloom across the now established floodplain meadow, Sheryl enjoys looking at all the colors, knowing their stream buffer is special.
“We love the view and love watching the water and all the wildlife, from birds to deer, fish to turtles, the beaver, foxes, and otters. It’s so fun to walk along the riverbank and see what’s going on!” Sheryl shared. “Before, when it was a lawn, that was a chore. Sure, a lawn can look nice and tidy, but Chris had to take care of the lawn or pay for help. Now we are motivated to go walk around the river, put cages on baby trees due to beavers, etc. It’s a matter of tending and interacting with and being a part of an ecosystem.”
In September 2023 Sheryl and Chris invited FWR staff back onto their property for a voluntary Stream Wise Assessment as a follow-up to see how things were going.
Because of their work maintaining the trees, shrubs, herbaceous plants, and no-mow zones throughout their property, Sheryl and Chris earned the Stream Wise Award for Best Management Practices in a Vegetated Buffer.
Heather from FWR said, “this is a great parcel that was converted from lawn to forest. Before the Rapée-Adams owned this parcel it was typical of many riparian parcels in Vermont, lawn straight to the river. They are happy to have a functioning landscape that benefits wildlife and preserves our landscape for years to come.”
If you own or manage a property that contains a river or stream, you can reach out to the trained and knowledgeable staff at Friends of the Winooski River (FWR) who are offering free site assessments and recommendations for increasing stream health and resiliency through Stream Wise. Please visit https://streamwisechamplain.org/contact to learn more.