Spring 2024 Newsletter

The blue waters surrounding South Hero are part of what makes this place feel like home for many of us. Lake Champlain is where we fish, boat, swim, and watch the sun rise and set. It plays a crucial role in the local economy and serves as a source of drinking water for many in town.

We all have a role to play in protecting our water quality, but it can feel overwhelming to get started. With the newly released Keeler Bay Action Plan, local residents and experts are already working on projects that will improve the water quality in the bay and enhance its surrounding ecosystem.

In 2021, the Grand Isle County Natural Resources Conservation District and South Hero Land Trust began working with local residents to develop the Action Plan. With funding and support from the Lake Champlain Basin Program, we’ve identified ready-to-build projects throughout the watershed. Projects were ranked on their potential impact and feasibility. Three were prioritized: reducing stormwater runoff at the Keeler Bay Fish & Wildlife Access Point, restoring native shoreline vegetation along Sunrise Drive; and restoring the floodplain along the stream adjacent to Community Lane. Work has already begun on this last one! SHLT and the Conservation District are working with the landowners and Fitzgerald Environmental to develop a final design this year.

Smaller-scale projects can also improve water quality in Lake Champlain. That’s why, in 2024, we are continuing our Water Quality Block Parties with the Conservation District. These informal gatherings focus on ways for people to make changes on their own properties.