Natural Resources Conservation Districts (NRCDs or Conservation Districts) are non-regulatory, local government entities that work directly with landowners, farms, communities and partner organizations to conserve, protect, and use Vermont’s natural resources. Conservation Districts were created by the Vermont Soil Conservation Act of 1939. There are fourteen Conservation Districts whose boundaries are defined by county or watershed boundaries.
The role of each Conservation District varies depending on local concerns, but always includes assisting and encouraging the responsible use of natural resources. Conservation Districts employ multiple strategies to address water quality and natural resource conservation and restoration through agriculture, forestry, watershed protection, and urban conservation programs. This includes monitoring and assessment, technical assistance, coordination of financial assistance, planning and design, project implementation, and education and outreach. These services are provided directly by Conservation District staff, or through agreements with consultants, engineers, and contractors. Conservation Districts utilize grant funding to support these activities, with program funding flowing through Natural Resources Conservation Council (NRCC), the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts (VACD), or other grant funding sources.
Conservation Districts are connected and supported by two state level organizations, the State Natural Resources Conservation Council (NRCC) and the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts (VACD). NRCC is a state agency through which Conservation Districts came into being. Its mission is to advance conservation and water quality efforts by providing strategic guidance, oversight, and operational support to Conservation Districts, to contribute a partner perspective on conservation policies, and to facilitate the sharing of information among members and partners. Additionally, NRCC is instrumental in securing and allocating funds to Conservation Districts. The Vermont Association of Conservation Districts (VACD) is the non-profit membership association who represent and support Conservation Districts and implement state-wide programs.
The Vermont Association of Conservation Districts (VACD) is the non-profit membership association who represent and support Conservation Districts and implement state-wide programs. Beyond VACD’s role in providing Conservations Districts with administrative, management and strategic planning support, VACD has, since 2008, maintained a robust staff of conservation professionals who work with and alongside staff from our Federal and State partners towards meeting a shared conservation and water quality improvement mission. VACD technical staff augment the resources of partners committed to ensuring that voluntary financial program funds and associated technical assistance continue to be available to landowners and farmers for conservation and water quality improvement efforts.
Browse our Annual Reports to learn more or visit us at the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts website.
BALANCING HEALTHY WATERWAYS & FARM OPERATIONS
Conservation Districts educate and provide technical assistance to agricultural producers to help balance farming operations and healthy waterways. Conservation Districts assist farms in developing Conservation Plans and Nutrient Management Plans and accessing financial assistance programs to address soil and water quality concerns. This helps farms comply with Vermont’s Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs). In addition, many Conservation Districts coordinate conservation practice implementation on farms including livestock exclusion projects, grassed waterways, stream buffers, reduced tillage and more.
The partnership among the agencies and organizations within VAWQP allows Conservation Districts to present a variety of programs that may be of interest to farmers, based on their regional or local concerns, and the specific needs of the farmer. This process can include Conservation Districts assistance in project conception and development, identifying grants to apply for, grant writing, and management of these opportunities for farmers.
CONTACT
Navigate the staff directory on the VACD website.
STAY INFORMED
Conservation District Newsletter: Monthly publication that provides programmatic updates, hosted events and workshops, success stories, staffing updates, etc. from Vermont’s 14 Conservation Districts. Email julia.king@vacd.org to be added to the listserv.
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
Conservation Districts also publish their own newsletters. Check their website for sign up information or contact the District Manager.
Watersheds United Vermont (WUV): Watersheds United Vermont (WUV) is a statewide network of local groups dedicated to the health of their home watersheds. Our mission is to empower community-based watershed groups in all parts of the state to protect and restore Vermont's waters. The newsletter provides updates, events, news, and grant opportunities from Vermont's state agencies and organizations. Visit watershedsunitedvt.org to sign up.
AGRICULTURAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE
Conservation Districts provide technical, financial, and educational assistance to farms through voluntary programming and targeted outreach with a focus on the implementation of sustainable conservation practices, whether Best Management Practices or Required Agricultural Practices, that protect soil health and water quality.
NUTRIENT MANAGEMENT PLANNING & SOIL HEALTH
Conservation Districts offer assistance to qualified small farms to develop and update their own Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs). NMPs help farms optimize yield goals, minimize inputs, and reduce the potential of water quality impacts from nutrient runoff. It’s beneficial to both the farm economy and the environment.
NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION & RESTORATION
Conservation Districts engage in a wide variety of natural resource projects and programs that expand water quality efforts beyond Vermont’s working landscapes. Riparian and floodplain restoration is a key focus with stream buffer plantings coordinated statewide through the Trees for Streams woody buffer program. Districts also reach out to lake shoreline landowners to coordinate buffers and reduce erosion. In addition, Districts assist municipalities engaged in efforts to reduce road erosion and coordinate culvert upgrades to restore aquatic organism passage and improve flood resiliency.
AN INTRODUCTION TO CONSERVATION DISTRICTS
Learn about the mission and priorities of Conservation Districts - the landscape of work, the staff and partners involved, and opportunities for collaboration.
Through technical, financial, and educational assistance, Conservation Districts act as local facilitators linking landowners and producers with the appropriate federal, state, local, and private programs to meet their management objectives. Agricultural activities include:
Helping farmers understand and meet the State’s Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs), standards that all farms are required to use to manage their farms in order to reduce their impact on water quality.
Identifying areas of concern for farmers and supporting the education or implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs). Practices supported by Conservation Districts include cropping methods to reduce erosion and nutrient loss from fields, farmstead best management practices for improved manure and water management, fencing to keep livestock away from water resources, reducing phosphorus runoff using soil aeration and alternative manure application systems, and other identified practices.
Conservation Practice Surveys: Aid in the collection of data on Best Management Practices being voluntarily implemented on Vermont farms, without financial assistance from the State of Vermont. The role of district staff is to recruit willing farmers to take the survey to identify fields with farmer-funded priority practices, field verify those practices, and report survey and field verification results.
Conservation District Guidebook on BMPs.
Through a partnership with USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and University of Vermont Extension, Conservation Districts offer assistance to qualified farmers and land managers in creating and maintaining Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs). This work is made possible by NRCS’s Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Additionally, Conservation Districts conduct soil and manure sampling for local farmers for their nutrient analysis.
Parallel to the technical assistance provided by Conservation Districts and their staff, VACD employs and manages a multifaceted team of trained and knowledgeable technical staff working in NRCS offices statewide. The VACD technical staff support and augment the available Federal and State technical assistance resources that facilitate voluntary natural resource and water quality stewardship improvement efforts by farmers and landowners enrolled in USDA Farm Bill programs as well as complementary programs offered by State agencies.
VACD staff include Conservation Planners, Cartographic Technicians, Wetlands Restoration and Natural Resource Planners and Program Assistants. VACD’s Conservation Planners provide direct and one on one technical assistance to farmers and landowners to prepare necessary assessments and information for the development of Nutrient Management Plans (NMPs) as well as in the development of applications and contracts for USDA Farm Bill financial assistance programs. This assistance can, include planning, implementation and contract management support to meet the goals of Vermont’s Clean Water Initiative and associated Required Agricultural Practices (RAPs). VACD’s Cartographic Technicians are integral to developing and maintaining the geospatial tools and information which forms the foundation of NRCS’ planning and implementation activities, while Natural Resource and Wetlands Restoration Planners work closely on conservation assessments and implementation efforts outside of the typical activities of a farm’s operations. VACD’s Program Assistants PAs work alongside NRCS’ PAs to maintain and assure that the flow of information and data required to complete NRCS program administrative requirements and processes are timely, efficient and complete.
Trees for Streams: The Conservation District led program provides technical and financial assistance to help Vermonters restore and stabilize riparian habitat around the state. The program provides technical and financial assistance to develop and plant buffers in targeted watersheds to enhance riparian habitat, improve stream health and floodplain function, and protect water quality. For eligible projects, the Conservation District will provide preliminary consultation, plant materials, and planting labor.
Conservation Districts own a variety of equipment that is available for rent. Equipment includes: no-till drills, aerway soil aerator tillers, portable scales, portable skidder bridges, and no-till drills. Training may be a requirement for renting. The Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets hosts an interactive search tool for equipment that is available to rent around the state.
Conservation Districts assist municipalities and landowners to improve stormwater management by:
Coordinating the development of Stormwater Master Plans (SWMPs). SWMPs help identify opportunities for stormwater treatment and Conservation Districts assist communities to develop and implement specific projects to address these concerns.
Providing outreach and education on Green Stormwater Infrastructure (GSI) and other stormwater remediation practices to landowners and municipalities
Providing technical assistance to municipalities to adapt to the Municipal Road General Permit (MRGP) to achieve significant reductions in stormwater-related erosion from paved and unpaved municipal roads in the State of Vermont.
Implementing projects that improve runoff, reduce erosion and restore natural infiltration systems. Projects include rain gardens, sediment basins, stone-lined ditches, road crown improvements, and hydroseeding.
Conservation Districts support the protection of water quality in Vermont’s lakes by:
Conducting outreach to lake shoreline landowners to educate them on lakeshore best practices, bioengineering techniques, aquatic invasive prevention, etc.
Promoting Vermont DEC’s Lake Wise Program. Through grant funding, conservation districts are able to perform Lake Wise assessments and perform work on the property to help the landowner achieve the Lake Wise award.
Coordinating the development of and funding for Lake Watershed Action Plans (LWAP). LWAPs assess a variety of land uses within a watershed to pinpoint the sources of lake pollution. The plan then prioritizes a list of projects that can slow the pollution or degradation of habitat. Prioritized projects are well suited for future design and implementation funding.
Conducting water quality monitoring. District staff and local volunteers sample a variety of sites (through state monitoring programs) for nitrogen and phosphorus levels. Results from these studies help the state understand water quality conditions and help conservation districts identify potentially high impact sites to improve.
Conservation Districts support stream restoration to restore equilibrium, protect Vermont’s fish and wildlife populations, and improve flood resiliency. Funding and technical support comes from multiple partners. Projects regularly undertaken by conservation districts include:
Culvert Upgrades: Conservation Districts support the inventory, design and replacement/retrofit of undersized or inadequate stream crossing structures.
Dam Removal: Conservation Districts work with towns and partners to help remove dams, large and small, to reconnect wildlife passages and restore stream or river habitat and return it to its natural, free-flowing state.
Conservation Districts organize, support, and attend a variety of public events from town board meetings, to public hearings, farm workshops, informational webinars or table talks, student programming (Envirothon & Conservation Field Days) and more.
Tactical Basin Planning: Conservation Districts are currently authorized through legislation to support and help execute Basin Plans as a partner and stakeholder. Basin Plans, developed by VT DEC, are part of the state’s Surface Water Management Strategy that is intended to identify and document clean water actions within each basin. Conservation Districts provide outreach and technical assistance, seek public input, engage in data collection and monitoring activities, and assist DEC Basin Planners as needed to help inform and execute basin plans. Basin Plans are a key guidance document that can provide strategic guidance to conservation district efforts to protect water quality.
NRCDs engage in locally led conservation supported by NRCS, including gathering community input through locally led conservation surveys.
Wetlands and Natural Resources Education and Outreach Program: Conservation Districts work with farmers and other landowners to identify protection and restoration opportunities to restore converted wetland agricultural lands back to their former state. This involves increasing landowner knowledge of natural resource priorities and values, state and federal programs (Vermont Fish and Wildlife Wetlands Restoration Grant, DEC River Corridor Easement , NRCS Agricultural Conservation Easement Program), site-specific opportunities for natural resource restoration and protection, and state regulations. When possible, Conservation Districts assist in the implementation of restoration projects.
Tree & Trout Sales: Select Conservation Districts host annual tree and trout sales events. These events have a long tradition, dating back to the 1970s, and in addition to supporting local conservation programs, they are an excellent resource for native species planting. In 2021, over 20,000 stems were sent home to be planted across Vermont.
Rural Fire Protection: The Vermont Rural Fire Protection Program helps reduce the risk of injury, loss of life, and damage to property and natural resources in rural areas. The VACD program works with local fire departments and towns in their efforts to improve the safety and welfare of Vermont communities through the installation of dry hydrants.
Bennington County NRCD and Merck Forest and Farmland Center planted 212 trees along a small stream to establish a permanent riparian zone that will help reduce nutrient runoff and soil erosion and improve aquatic habitat.
In 2019, Seth and Diane Butler of Deep Roots Farm attended an agricultural grant-writing workshop hosted by Poultney Mettowee Natural Resources Conservation District (PMNRCD) seeking assistance in the implementation of a riparian buffer and exclusion fencing project on their new farm. The Butlers had recently begun managing the 270-acre farm in Pawlet, Vermont that had been in Diane’s family for generations and conserved through the Vermont Land Trust. The property consists of hay fields, pastures, and woodlands, and is located just 3 miles away from the Village of Pawlet. This area of Pawlet is in the Flower Brook Watershed, a tributary to the Mettowee River that feeds into Lake Champlain. Through years of gathering water quality sampling data, PMNRCD and partners identified the Flower Brook Watershed as an area in need of best management practice implementation due to the high nutrient levels found in the brooks, its vulnerability to climate change, and potential for flood damage downstream.
To protect the water quality of Lake Champlain and its tributaries, PMNRCD implemented best management practices on the farm which included 6,440 feet of exclusion fencing, encompassing a 7.4-acre buffer planted with 2,085 trees and shrubs, the removal of a small berm on a lower stretch of stream, and improving a farm road to reduce erosion. The scope and documented need for the project allowed PMNRCD to coordinate with a variety of partners to complete the different aspects of the project. Implementation funding was provided through Trees for Streams, a state-wide program funded by an Agency of Natural Resources Buffer Planting grant through the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts, the private foundation PUR Projet, and funding from the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
Read the full article to learn more about the benefits of each practice installed.
Connect with your local Conservation District! Browse the map below, jump to the website and email the District Manager to set up a time to chat. Learn more about their local programmatic activities and how they work and interact with your organization or agency.
For a deeper dive into Conservation Districts, seek out volunteer opportunities (tree plantings are scheduled in the spring and summer), workshops, or webinars (year-round). These events are typically advertised via the District's website or social media account. We’d love for you to join us!