I participated in a program this fall, with VYCC (Vermont Youth Conservation Corps). I worked with them every Thursday for half the school day (with a few full day exceptions) and we worked on maintaining and building trails, as well as tree planting to strengthen riparian buffers. This didn't end up counting towards any of my class standards, but it was a chance to get outside during the school day and do hands on work!
This is my weekly journal on VYCC
9-8-22
Today with VYCC (Vermont Youth Conservation Core) we worked on maintaining a trail going down to the river. On the first section of the trail we cleared brambles and other brush that had started to grow into the trail, we didn’t change the actual trail but we cleared the edges to widen it. Where the trail starts to slope down toward the river we worked on the most narrow uneven sections of the path. We used hoes and picks to excavate the side of the hill to make the path wider, and rakes to create a flat surface. We made the trail slope slightly downhill so that water doesn’t collect on the trail, but instead flows off and down the hill. a part of the trail that we didn’t work on a part of the trail after we worked on it the trail where we cleared away brush
9-15-22
Today we continued to work on the river access trail. On a particularly steep section of the trail we attached a rope to a tree on the top of the slope and knotted it about every foot, so when people go down or up the hill they have a hand hold. When we finished the rope, me and Una marked places in the trail that needed work, and after a quick snack break we all worked 0n those sections. I filled in a large hole on the side of the trail, using dirt dug from the hill.
9-30-22
Today we worked on the Cross Vermont Trail. First we spread straw across the sides of the trail where other people had spread seeds. Planting a quick growing cover crop helps the trail by not leaving it bare during the winter. The straw helps protect the seeds from wind and rain. Then we moved wood and plastic rolls as three pipes to different sections of the trail.
10-6-22
We continued working on the Cross Vermont Trail. We carried up wheelbarrows full of small stones to fill in a trench that was dug on the outside of a railing (on the sloping side of the trail) to help with erosion. Other people dug a trench under the railing to add a retaining wall board to the bottom of the already existing railing.
10-13-22
This week we kept working on the cross vermont trail. We continued our work last week with retaining rails. We dug trenches under the railing and then added a rail below. We then filled in the inside edge with dirt. On the outside edge dug a trench and then carried rocks to fill it.
10-20-22
This week we took a break from trail work and plated trees! We worked with Winooski Natural Resources District to plant saplings along the edges of a river (which flows into the Winooski river). This helps with erosion and keeps the river healthy as well as providing habitat for birds and animals. We were planting a mix of trees, including Red Osier Dogwood, Willow, Chokecherry, Maple, and Buttonbush. I planted 27 trees and named them all :)
Scarlet
Chloe
Derek
Pippy
Silvia
Abby
Gerry
Luna
Lark
Bay
Ray
Marla
Manny
Maisie
Ashly
Orla
Sage
Star
Lula
Lore
Pria
Sky
Marisa
Cora
Crystal
Cloud
Cia
10-27-22
This week we moved to a new location to plant trees. We planted some of the same species as the week before (Dogwood, willow) as well as pine, larch.) We planted them in a stretch of field beside a branch of the mad river. There weren't a lot of trees there already, so we were trying to strengthen the riparian buffer. Riparian buffers help with water quality, provide shade for the river (keeping the water cooler), and help provide habitat for animals alongside the river as well as for young fish (when trees fall into the river and provide shelter.) Me and Una were working together, and we planted about 84 trees.
11-3-22
We went back to working on the Cross Vermont Trail, and continued working on the railings. We dug trenches and then cut and measured wood, to make the curb. After we shrewd in the retaining rail, we refilled one side and on the outside we filled the trench with rocks. I also saw a great blue heron and a bald eagle by the river. :)
11-17-22
We were still working on the Cross Vermont Trail, but this week we worked on building a bridge over a little stream running down the hill. First we had to position two large beams on either side of the ravine, and make sure they were level, the same height on each side, and exactly 16 ft apart. That took the whole morning to get them perfectly lined up. In the afternoon we started placing boards. These would hold up the planks on the actual bridge, so we nailed three or four boards together to form thicker boards, then we attached them to the original two boards.