Commission -
2005 Annual Report
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2005 Annual Report links Berlin Pond Watershed Conservation Program | Berlin Pond Natural Community Mapping | Community Resources Overlay District | Berlin Pond Area Mountain Bike Trail | Community Incentive Program (CIP) Stream Geomorphic Assessment | Riverbank enhancements | Celebrate the Winooski |
Report of the Montpelier Conservation Commission
for City of Montpelier
Year 2005 Annual Report
The Montpelier Conservation Commission (MCC) is charged with advising the City Council, the Planning Commission and other city officials on issues concerning Montpelier’s natural resources and engaging residents to protect and enhance the City’s natural environment. This year’s highlights are described below:
Berlin Pond Watershed Conservation Program
The Commission researched and presented a report to the City Council in March to encourage further land conservation efforts around Berlin Pond, the source of the City's drinking water and an exemplary natural area. The report documented the need for further land protection in the watershed to maintain the high quality of the City's water supply, and encouraged the City to permanently protect and restrict from development the City-owned land in the watershed in exchange for a commitment by a group of conservation partners, including the Vermont River Conservancy, the Vermont Land Trust, the Capital Area Land Trust and the Trust for Public Land to conserve an equivalent amount of additional land in the watershed. A copy of the report and an accompanying slide presentation are available on the City website (http://www.montpelier-vt.org/mcc/index.cfm). The City Council adopted a resolution in support of the conservation effort, and the first meeting of a steering committee to consider land conservation priorities and review legal documents was convened in November.
Berlin Pond Natural Community Mapping
The Berlin and Montpelier Conservation Commissions, with support from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, Vermont Land Trust, and Vermont Community Foundation, hired ecologists Brett Engstrom and Marc Lapin to map natural communities in the Berlin Pond watershed. Mapping natural communities provides one way to classify a landscape and indicate its biodiversity. Field mapping was completed in the Fall of 2004 and a final report was issued in the Spring of 2005. A copy of the report and the natural community map are available on the City website (http://www.montpelier-vt.org/mcc/index.cfm). Among the highlights of the natural communities identified in the watershed were one of the largest stands of rich northern hardwoods in the state and a number of rare wetland communities. The results of the mapping project are already being used to set priorities for further land conservation in the watershed.
Community Resources Overlay District At the request of the Planning Commission, the Conservation Commission held a work session to study Geographic Information System (GIS) natural resource layers for the City to identify a proposed “Community Resources Overlay District.” The purpose of the proposed district would be to identify areas of the City that have potential natural resource, open space and/or recreation values that should be considered as part of the development review process. The City has received a municipal planning grant to conduct further natural resource inventory work to help refine the boundaries of the proposed district. Field work is planned for summer 2006.
Berlin Pond Area Mountain Bike Trail Members of the Montpelier Area Mountain Bike Association constructed a mountain bike trail on a portion of the Montpelier City Forest that provides access to an extensive trail network on Berlin Town forest and adjoining private land. The trail was constructed to standards of the International Mountain Bike Trail Association. The Commission reviewed and approved the location of the trails which were constructed to minimize impacts to wetlands and streams that feed into Berlin Pond. Parking at the trailhead has been improved and a trailhead kiosk has been installed.
Community Incentive Program (CIP) The Conservation Commission began a pilot program with the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District in 2003 to reduce waste generated at municipal facilities. Waste and toxics audits were completed in 2004 and a task force made up of members of the Conservation Commission, the Solid Waste District and City staff has followed through on the recommendations of the audit report which has resulted in a 50% reduction in waste generated by City Hall. An Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Policy was presented to City Council and approved in early 2005. As a result of the successful completion of Phase I of the CIP, the City received a $1000 incentive payment from the Solid Waste District.
Stream Geomorphic Assessment Phase I of the stream geomorphic assessment on the main stem of the Winooski River in Montpelier has been completed by a combined effort of the Winooski Conservation District, Friends of the Winooski River and the Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission. The purpose of the geomorphic assessment is to guide river corridor management and planning decisions that must take into account the active, and often unstable, nature of rivers and streams. The Commission is looking forward to the results of the fieldwork scheduled for summer 2006 to inform revisions to the Winooski River Vegetation Management Plan. Phase I on the North Branch will begin in early 2006.
Riverbank enhancements Progress was made on improving Montpelier's riverbanks, with significant assistance from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps (VYCC) and AmeriCorps member Owen French, under a grant prepared by Parks Department Director Geoff Beyer. The VYCC crew planted over 50 trees and shrubs, and performed critical maintenance on plantings from previous years, including removing invasive species, mulching and fertilizing. Hundreds of trees were also provided some protection from beavers. Volunteer groups in the spring and fall helped park staff to transplant another 40 trees along the riverbanks. The new tree and shrub plantings will provide additional riverbank stabilization, displace non-native species (such as Japanese Knotweed) that actually destabilize the riverbanks, and beautify the riverbanks over the long term. The Conservation Commission has also partnered with the Parks Department to hire Aleathea Jones, a VISTA volunteer, who will devote half of her time to riverbank work and open space planning.
Celebrate the Winooski The Conservation Commission, along with Friends of the Winooski River, co-sponsored the eighth annual “Celebrate the Winooski” festival in September. The aim of the festival was to boost stewardship of the Winooski River and its tributaries through river clean-up, education, and celebration. Although this year’s clean-up had to be delayed once again by high water levels, many individuals participated in a wide range of events, including a river parade and "junk sculpture" contest.
Commission members, alternates and liaisons during all or part of the year included Geoff Beyer, Paul Markowitz, Matt DeGroot, Christine Zachai, Paul Brown, Dave Braun, Thia Artemis, Stephan Syz, Ken Jones, Ken Matzner, Roy Schiff and Kris Hammer.
The Conservation Commission is an active group of enthusiastic Montpelier residents who are eager to assist the City in protecting its valuable natural resources. The Commission meets at 7:00 pm at City Hall on the second Thursday of every month. All meetings are open to the public. For more information contact Kris Hammer at 223-0577 or khammer@together.net. We welcome the participation of each and every resident.
Kris Hammer, Chair
Montpelier Conservation Commission
Updated May 10, 2006
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