VERMONT NATURAL RESOURCES CONSERVATION DISTRICTS

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.