Lewis Creek Association History

2006 2004 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997   2006 Restoration LCA worked with the towns of Charlotte and Hinesburg to eliminate negative roadway impacts on adjacent land resources and the water quality of Lewis Creek; as well as Mud Hollow Tributary and Thorp Brook (tributaries of LaPlatte).   A volunteer group led by Starksboro's Jennifer Turner continued river corridor plantings at the Starksboro ball field and Jean Wagner's property.   UVM students helped the Donegan family of Hinesburg to plant 800 trees and shrubs on their LaPlatte River floodplain using native plant materials.    Students from Champlain Valley Union High School helped to revegetate Camp Common Ground Center's streamside floodplain in Starksboro. Education and Outreach LCA, LaPlatte Watershed Partnership and Addison County Riverwatch Collaborative co hosted slide show discussions on bats and fishes of Vermont, and river corridor science for Vermont landowners and town officials.   LCA partnered with both Four Winds Nature Institute and Willowell Foundation to bring natural science programming and “place based” curriculums to schools in our towns.   LCA worked with partners to shape community service activities for schools, towns, and local volunteers who worked on water quality monitoring, endangered bat surveys, river corridor soil testing, habitat improvement projects in road right-of-ways, wildlife habitat assessments, and fluvial geomorphic assessments. Planning (This is a growing program for LCA.) LCA produced and distributed one of Vermont's first river corridor management plans for five miles of Lewis Creek in the Starksboro valley with help from South Mountain Research and Consulting, local residents, conservation organizations, and government groups.    LCA joined with state and private groups to develop a Champlain Valley Weeds Management Plan, a State of Vermont Wildlife Action Plan, a Lewis Creek Watershed Conservation Plan, an Otter Creek Basin Plan, and a Charlotte All Hazard Mitigation Plan.   LCA advocated for integrating local, regional, state and federal river corridor management standards, wetland rules and regulations, and for the immediate preparation of a strategic regional plan to facilitate sustainable agriculture business plans for the Champlain Valley. Conservation  (This is a growing program for LCA.) LCA increased its commitments to towns, land trusts, conservancies, residents, and state agencies; and advanced strategic land conservation initiatives in Monkton (2), Starksboro (5), Charlotte (2), Ferrisburgh (2), and Hinesburg (2). Data Collection LCA informed research, conservation and restoration projects for Champlain Valley “direct to lake” tributaries; and LaPlatte and Lewis Creek watersheds with results from fluvial geomorphic assessments, water quality testing, endangered mussel habitat monitoring, and soil phosphorus testing.