More than 70 trees at the 154-acre King Farm in Woodstock have been harvested in order to help restore and stabilize the riverbank of the Ottauquechee River along Route 4, less than a mile downhill, according to a press release sent out last week by the Vermont Land Trust (VLT). “Addition of this woody material will provide natural protection for the riverbank, reduce erosion, slow down and filter water during high-flow events, and provide cover and habitat for fish,” the land trust stated in the release.
The river restoration project is being led by the Connecticut River Conservancy (CRC). “These trees will continue to provide environmental benefits in Woodstock for years to come, including reducing nitrogen runoff into the Ottauquechee River,” said Ron Rhodes, director of programs at the CRC. “We were thrilled to be able to partner with VLT to source the trees locally for the project.”
VLT lead forester Pieter van Loon worked with Ben Canonica of Canonica Landworks — the company based in Chelsea, Vt. that will execute the restoration project — on the tree harvest, which took place over a period of two weeks in March. Suitable trees were identified and marked by van Loon, who used an ecological forest management plan to manage the harvest. “The trees were dug on three sides, tipped, and their rootwads gently cleaned,” according to the VLT press release.
The river-bound trees are currently being stored at King Farm until the restoration project is implemented this summer, when the rootwads — with about 25 feet of trunk still attached — will be moved from King Farm to the restoration site. “The trunks will be anchored into the riverbank so that only the rootwads are in the water. The rootwads will trap sediment and debris, slow water flow, and provide habitat for fish and other aquatic organisms. The decomposing trunks will allow shrubs and trees to grow back along the bank over time. The resulting vegetated bank will be stronger and more resilient against erosion and rising waters,” VLT said in their statement.
For more on this, please see our May 14 edition of the Vermont Standard.
