Bennington County Conservation District

06/11/2026

Due to stormy conditions forecasted for tonight, we will be moving the Walk & Talk on the Walloomsac event to this Sunday, 6/14 at 10:00am.

Send a message to learn more

06/09/2026

With much of the eastern US and some parts of Vermont already in some level of drought (D0-D2), the weather through this week is looking to provide some welcome relief. Unfortunately, though, we are only beginning the growing season, and we are vulnerable to a quick turn toward drought conditions.

What many people don’t realize is that your drought impact reports directly influence whether Bennington County qualifies for federal disaster assistance.

Your drought impact reports directly influence whether Bennington County qualifies for federal disaster assistance. I wrote it twice, so you had to read it twice.

Drought severity levels are primarily based on real-life reports of impact (Think: well failures, crop losses, stressed livestock, low public water supplies, among many others.) Without enough reports from each county, the severity of the drought and its impact WILL be underestimated, and Bennington County risks missing out on yet another year of disaster funding that could help our communities recover.

Please take just a few minutes out of your day and report your drought impact observations! It may be the difference between you and your neighbors receiving the help they need, or not!
https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/1d3753b053804415bd0fd00a813a115f/page/Welcome?fbclid=IwY2xjawSULIdleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETFHQzV4b3QyZUxUdmxHckFZc3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHnfuhNBrozDqXO9wAT1e7ptvI7zdcQvGONZ6PMCd__936XHCmANBm1KqIAw3_aem_YPVqK5U_CIw0FzFb41SRvA

06/08/2026

Bennington tonight, Rupert tomorrow!! American Legion post 13

06/08/2026

Attention Farmers!

The State of Vermont's Capital Equipment Assistance Program (CEAP) covers up to 90% of the cost of equipment that helps protect water quality and reduce runoff — and applications for the next round are due July 15th.

A few examples of what's eligible:
No-till planters and grain drills (up to $50,000)
Cover crop equipment like roller crimpers (up to $50,000)
Precision ag tools like yield sensors and GPS-guided fertilizing equipment (up to $25,000)
Manure injection toolbars and dragline systems (up to $70,000 for farmers, $150,000 for custom applicators)

Your farm only needs to cover 10% of the project cost, and other grants can count toward that match. If you haven't applied before, new applicants are given priority in the ranking process.

We can help you with the application and questionnaire, and we're happy to provide letters of support. Just reach out to us here or give us a call.

Apply at: https://agriculture.vermont.gov/ceap

06/05/2026

When we first started systematically engaging with the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service on the Locally Led Process in 2022 Bennington County received $86,645 in financial assistance deployed into the working landscape. Last year we were allocated $250,000 to pursue the goals that Bennington County residents expressed through the Locally Led Survey and Local Working Group participation.

But we knew we could do better. Through the hard work of our incredibly committed team and the invaluable assistance of our partners at the Poultney Mettowee Natural Resource Conservation District, the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts - VACD, NOFA Vermont, the University of Vermont Extension Service, the Bennington County Regional Commission, the White River NRCD and most importantly the working land stewards of Bennington County we had so much demand for the Local Fund Pool that the NRCS has informed us that they have pre-approved 17 projects totaling $948,981 in investment into the working landscape and preliminary approved our full ask of $1,000,000 pending full approval from DC for next year.

This was a tough year. Between government shutdowns, funding delays, and an incredibly hard winter there were times we were discouraged. But we pulled it off by working together and staying committed to the goals we heard from the community through our continuous community engagement processes.

Sign up for updates, ways to be involved, and to receive notifications of opportunities for technical assistance and funding on our website or by following our page!

Locally led conservation comprises a series of phases that involve community stakeholders in natural resource planning, solution implementation, and…

06/04/2026

We understand that community members may have questions about the purpose of the workshop, the role of partner organizations, the ownership and handling of participant information, and the intended outcome of the event.
Those are fair questions.
BCCD is a public conservation district, and our responsibility is to be clear, transparent, and accountable to the communities we serve.

This statement is intended to clarify BCCD’s role, explain why the workshop falls within the District’s statutory mission, and answer the most important public questions related to funding, data, governance, and the end goal of the workshop.

Bennington County Conservation District (BCCD) would like to provide additional context related to the Community Resilience Municipal Workshop Pilot…

06/04/2026

Join us for a community information session about updates to Vermont’s wetland maps and what they may mean for your property and community.
Register here: https://www.bccdvt.org/2026-06-16-public-meeting-vermont-wetland-map-updates

https://www.facebook.com/share/1BTCncSBuB/

06/04/2026

TOMORROW!

Acts 59 and 181 were written to help Vermonters adapt to a rapidly changing landscape by addressing biodiversity loss, habitat fragmentation, and a rapidly changing climate. These bills missed the mark; that's clear. What's also clear is this: our landscape is still changing; our livelihoods are still being threatened by the problems these bills were meant to address:
What are you willing to do to address these challenges?
What do you want to see done?
What would a better process look like in your community?

BCCD has worked with landowners in Bennington County since 1946. We are not the ones writing these laws. We are the ones who look for the places where resources are lacking and then coordinate assistance from all available sources —including public and private, local, state and federal— to develop locally-driven solutions to natural resources concerns.

So, we want to hear from you and bring what you tell us into the next round of conversations.

We will be at the Winhall Community Arts Center tomorrow night at 4pm. If you're interested in having this conversation, please join us then or at one of our other upcoming listening sessions in Bennington County. We would love to see you!

UPCOMING EVENTS:
Tomorrow! Winhall - Winhall Community Arts Center, 4-7pm
June 8, Bennington - American Legion Post 13, 4-7pm
June 9, Rupert - Merck Forest & Farmland Center, 6/9 4-7pm

Please know that you do not have to show up exactly at 4pm; We will be hanging around at the end to answer any lingering questions, etc.

If you are driving and have an extra seat, or if you're in need of a ride, consider starting/joining a carpool here: https://groupcarpool.com/t/3vk948

Please feel free to share with anyone who may be interested in attending any of these events.

Interested in hosting a listening session? Send us a message!

06/03/2026

~~Restoring the Hoosick Bend Trail with Pownal Conservation Commission~~

On Sunday, we joined the Town of Pownal Conservation Commission and local volunteers at the Hoosick Bend Trail to install live willow stakes along a small section of riverbank that has eroded due, in part, to encroachment by Japanese knotweed. These living willow stakes will take root and help stabilize the streambank, support wildlife, and improve long‑term flood resilience, water quality, and biodiversity.

Japanese knotweed (Reynoutria japonica) is a large herbaceous plant with hollow, jointed stems that resemble bamboo. Stems are green and mottled during the growing season and turn dark brown or red in the winter. It has broad, oval, dark‑green leaves that are pointed at the tip. In summer it produces small greenish‑white flowers that trail down the stems, followed by small, winged fruits later in the season. New growth looks like pink asparagus stalks and are actually edible! Knotweed outcompetes and replaces native vegetation. Dense thickets can reduce sunlight pe*******on by more than 90 percent!!!!! Thick mats of dead and decaying vegetation in fall and spring prevent other plant species from germinating and growing.

Rivers and streams face an increased erosion risk from uncontrolled knotweed populations. The ground beneath dense growths of knotweed rarely supports other vegetation, leaving the bare soil very susceptible to erosion. Japanese knotweed root systems are not as dense as those of native plants and do not hold soil as well. When deep‑rooted native vegetation is pushed out, the bank loses the root structure that used to hold soil in place. Reductions in available soil (because of erosion) and space (because of the larger root and rhizome biomass) affect the ability of the streambank to hold water during heavy rains (Japanese Knotweed BMP).

As storms, flooding, and drought events become more frequent and intense with climate change, this cycle of knotweed‑induced erosion can seriously impact trails such as this one in Pownal, as well as infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and homes. Knotweed can grow through concrete or asphalt up to 8 cm thick!!

HUGE thank you to everyone who showed up to help; your time, attention, and adventurous spirit make a real difference for the Pownal community and our larger watershed!

If you are interested in helping with future riparian restoration or invasive plant projects, join our volunteer list at https://www.bccdvt.org/get-involved

Sources:
1. Vermont Fish & Wildlife. https://www.vtfishandwildlife.com/learn-more/landowner-resources/liep-invasive-species-program/terrestrial-invasive-plants/japanese-knotweed
2. Invasive Species Centre. https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/invasive-species/meet-the-species/invasive-plants/japanese-knotweed/
3. MacCallum, Keith. SER Webinar: Invasive Japanese knotweed as a catalyst for streambank erosion. https://www.ser.org/news/567622/SER-Webinar-Invasive-Japanese-knotweed-as-a-catalyst-for-streambank-erosion.htm