AGRICULTURE

In Burlington, agricultural lands on the shoreline are primarily along the Winooski River. This classification makes up a large portion of the riparian shoreline in Burlington. Under standard 6.07 of Vermont’s Required Agricultural Practices, a 25 foot buffer of perennial vegetation is required between a body of water and an agricultural area²⁵. The nature of agricultural lands as highly altered and managed landscapes presents numerous factors that can alter a shoreline’s health. Irrigation systems, plowing practices, and the application of nutrients are just a few of the many ways agriculture influences a landscape.

Damages to the shoreline caused by agricultural practices take many forms. One of the most concerning is bank erosion, driven by a root network that is less diverse, less complex, and therefore less able to retain soil as more native plant arrangements²⁶. Soil erosion contributes to a larger nutrient runoff problem that frequently occurs on agricultural lands. Excess nutrients applied to the land can stick to soil particles that end up in the water which can be damaging to downstream ecosystem health²⁷, causing algae blooms which have been a problem for numerous Vermont locations²⁸. A lack of native vegetation along shorelines can also challenge local wildlife by not providing appropriate habitat and food.