Landowner Resources

The majority of land in the watershed is privately owned. Landowner stewardship is key to the long term health of the watershed. The Friends provides assistance to individual landowners, large and small, to help them be good watershed stewards. We work with riparian landowners to help restore riparian vegetation and stabilize stream banks. This assistance may range from something as simple as providing a list of native species for restoration to working with landowners to place a permanent easement on the river corridor through their property.

There are many programs and information resources available to property owners. However, it comes in many forms and is spread out across a myriad of government agencies and organizations. The Friends and the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District as part of the Winooski Headwaters Project have created a guide for land owners seeking assistance with restoration or river protection projects on their land. There are over forty organizations and agencies that provide either financial, technical or educational information for protecting and restoring land along the Winooski River and it's tributaries. The guide focuses on the Winooski Watershed, however it is useful for landowners in other watersheds who may be seeking more general information about their land adjacent to rivers and streams. Creation of the guide was funded in part by a grant from Cabot Creamery.

The Friends is actively working with landowners to improve riparian zones, reduce storm water runoff and improve land management practices. If you are a landowner and are interested in working with us, please contact us using our contact form.