Clean Water Initiative Program from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, permitting the removal of the Rockefeller Dam.

Farm & Wilderness Conservation has been granted $50,000 from the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources through the Clean Water Initiative Program. This funding is allocated for the purpose of planning and obtaining permits for the removal of the Rockefeller Dam in Plymouth, Vermont, as well as restoring the 1.64-acre wetland area that will take its place. We were awarded a second round of funding from the Clean Water Initiative Program totaling $180,000 for the subsequent removal and restoration of the site.

Moving forward, we have entered the next phase of this multi-year project, which involves the crucial tasks of obtaining permits and collaborating with various state-level and consulting partners. These efforts aim to develop a comprehensive plan that encompasses the dam removal and wetland restoration while adhering to best practices and minimizing disruptions to the local ecology and wildlife habitat surrounding the dam removal site.

We are actively working alongside consulting engineers and technical advisors to gather all the necessary permits and plans required for this phase of the project. In early fall 2024, we plan to begin the physical removal of the existing dam along with site restoration initiatives.

Recreation Vision for the Future

Since our summer camps began decades ago, the areas around our camps and into the conserved forests around Lake Ninevah and Woodward Reservoir have been a haven for low-impact recreation. Hiking, wildlife watching, hunting, back country skiing, and snowshoeing are some of the activities our camps and community love about our conserved lands. In recent years, Farm & Wilderness Conservation has been exploring and developing relationships with Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation staff and the Catamount Trail Association to better understand the use, protection, and ecological impact of our trails.

Trails are a vital features for humans to access the beautiful natural areas of our conserved lands. Creating these corridors in our forests for humans to hike does also have an impact on wildlife and forest ecology. Which is why collaborating with other foresters, land managers, trail organizations, and neighbor communities will be the key to providing accessible and healthy recreational opportunities on conserved lands.

Farm & Wilderness Conservation is committed to a multi-year project which will  provide a vision and management plan in place for the existing and future trails on our conserved lands.  This project will include:

• Baseline assessment of our existing trail system
• Development of a recreation vision for our organization
• Implementation of a management plan for our trails
• Prioritization of short-term and long-term trail development and repair projects
• A plan to make our trails open to the public more accessible for use that is also prioritizes ecological health