The Nature Conservancy in Vermont - The Oak Log: Summer 2007 Story 3

Download a copy of the Summer 2007 issue of The Oak Log (PDF, 786KB).

The Oak Log / Summer 2007
by Emily Boedecker

Degraded habitat, invasive species, and loss of protective habitat buffers to streams and wetlands were just some of the serious issues identified in a year-long assessment of Lake Champlain’s health. The Vermont and Adirondack chapters lost no time in launching a new regional Lake Champlain program based on this report, which was conducted in cooperation with conservation partners, scientists, and other experts. The main goals of the new Lake Champlain Program are to better understand the natural balance of the lake and restore key ecological functions.

Leading this initiative will be Tom Berry, former natural resource policy advisor for Senator Jim Jeffords and Senator Bernie Sanders, who joined the Conservancy in April. Tom, who has experience working with government agencies on both sides of Lake Champlain, in-depth knowledge of lake issues, and a background in stream ecology and natural resource management, has received a warm welcome from partners around the lake.

Professor Mary Watzin, who is widely recognized as the leading expert on the Lake Champlain ecosystem and is director of the University of Vermont’s Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory, says both Tom and The Nature Conservancy “have a long track record of success working collaboratively with private land owners and government agencies to restore habitat and control invasive species. The Conservancy’s biodiversity protection plan adds a welcome focus on the living resources of Lake Champlain.”

Bob Klein, the director of the Conservancy’s Vermont chapter, sees the lake as a patient needing a comprehensive diagnosis that addresses its underlying health, and not just its symptoms. “By focusing on biodiversity and restoring health to essential ecological functions within the lake ecosystem, we can restore its natural balance and put the patient back on the road to recovery.”

An initial one-year agreement with UVM to co-locate Tom Berry and the Conservancy’s Lake Champlain Program with the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources will foster close working relationships and provide access to the school’s cutting-edge science.

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Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Oak Log Cover Design: The Laughing Bear Associates; Cover Photos © Susan C. Morse (Bobcat and bear).