This summer, the Champlain Valley Farmer Coalition teamed up with Addison County River Watch (ACRW) to offer high school students a chance to learn more about water quality and how to protect our local watersheds. As part of this week-long internship program, students learned about innovative farming practices that protect and enhance water quality.
ACRW’s mission is to monitor and assess the condition and uses of our local rivers over the long term, raise public awareness of the values and functions of our watersheds, and support stewardship that improves water quality.
It was an exciting and informative week for the students! Highlights include:
- Taking a tour of sampling and restoration sites with Becky Tharpe from Just Water Consulting. Students learned how water quality sampling works, and why it is important to human and ecological communities.
- Visiting Longcloud Farm in Bridport to check out their riparian buffers and conduct site maintenance. The group learned how riparian ecosystems protect rivers and streams. They explored how to engage with farmers and landowners in adding riparian species to their land. The students talked about struggles with invasive species, as well as why certain species of trees are used in buffer zones.
- Sampling for macroinvertebrates. The group compared stream areas to further understand how physical characteristics of streams inform what macroinvertebrates live there. They learned why macroinvertebrates are indicators of stream health, as well as their ecological role.
- Visiting Conant’s Riverside Farm in Richmond to learn all about Nutrient Management Plans! While there, they heard about water quality practices and how farms implement them, including decreased tillage, cover cropping, manure injection, and more. Dave Conant and Ryan Carabeau walked the students through their system of moving manure from the barns to storage to fields, all of the specialized equipment, how they decide which fields receive nutrients, and when to spread manure. Students were able to see first-hand how the heavy rain events impact not only the land along a river but the long-term impacts like the quality of the harvest.
- Enjoying a hike up Mt. Philo to view and explore the Lake Champlain Basin from a different angle. By observing and exploring the environment on the ascent, students got a clear view of the flow of water from the peak. They discuss geology and how that can inform environments and industries, like agriculture.
