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About Us

Our Mission

The Franklin County Natural Resources Conservation District empowers and partners with land stewards and communities on the ground by supporting connections that benefit natural resources, water quality, soil health, and the working landscape in Franklin County and across Northwest Vermont.

Who We Are

Natural Resources Conservation Districts (NRCDs) are non-regulatory local organizations that work with private landowners, state and federal agencies, and other partner organizations to promote and implement conservation programs. The first NRCD was established in 1937, following the creation of the USDA's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). NRCDs lead conservation efforts at the local level. Today, there over 3,000 NRCDs nationwide and 14 NRCDs in the state of Vermont.

What We Do

We work with land stewards and community partners in Franklin County and beyond, providing them with technical, financial, and educational support.

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Our diverse services include...

  • Agricultural producer support:

    • Nutrient management planning & soil sampling

    • Grant application assistance

    • Water quality and habitat improvement projects on farms (e.g. tree plantings or stream restoration)

  • Natural resources project management:

    • Planning, design, and implementation for projects on lakes, streams, floodplains, forests, and buffers

  • Designing and hosting outreach and education events

  • Grant application support for towns and other organizations with shared goals

  • Connecting land stewards with technical and financial assistance programs to benefit natural resources

  • Annual Tree and Trout Sales

...and more!

Outline of Franklin County adjacent to the Grand Isle County and Lamoille County boundaries. Map inset from the statewide Conservation District map.
State-wide map of Vermont's 14 conservation districts and their boundaries, titled "Vermont Association of Conservation Districts: Find your conservation district!"
What We Do

Land Acknowledgement

Franklin County NRCD serves communities within Franklin County, which comprises parts of the Mazipskoisibo (Missisquoi) River and Wintegok (Lamoille) River Valleys as well as portions of Bitawbagok (Lake Champlain). We acknowledge that this region is the homeland of the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi. The Abenaki People have lived here for thousands of years, acted as land and water protectors, and made incalculable cultural and environmental contributions to this region. As an organization working in conservation, it is important to acknowledge the ways in which this land was, and continues to be, positively shaped by the Abenaki People. ​

 

European colonizers committed genocide, theft, and ethnic cleansing against the peoples of Wôbanaki (Dawnland) through enslavement, war, and disease. This violent history shapes land use in Franklin County as we know it today. The Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi continues to face oppression and marginalization in Franklin County and beyond. We understand that this land acknowledgement must be accompanied by concrete actions to support the Abenaki People. We hope to grow and learn as an organization and improve our support of the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi in as many ways as possible. 

 

​We encourage folks in Franklin County and across Vermont and beyond to stand in solidarity with the Abenaki Nation of Missisquoi. For more information, visit: https://abenakination.com/

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