Champlain Valley Native Plant Restoration Nursery
Project Summary

The mission of the nursery is to produce high quality container-grown seedlings from local seed stock for restoration and buffer plantings in the Champlain Valley. The nursery, started in 2002, is a partnership between the Poultney-Mettowee Watershed Partnership (PMWP) and The Nature Conservancy’s Southern Lake Champlain Valley Program. The PMWP focuses on the interstate watersheds of the Poultney and Mettowee Rivers and is itself, a partnership between two state soil conservation districts; one in NY and one in VT. The Poultney and Mettowee River watersheds are located in northern Bennington and western Rutland Counties, VT and in northeastern Washington County, NY. The Conservancy’s Southern Lake Champlain Valley Program has a similar interstate focus, as its program area includes land in both NY and VT. The plantings will serve many goals including, stabilizing streambanks (reducing erosion), restoring native plant communities (clayplain and floodplain forests), re-establishing connectivity of habitat along riparian corridors, improving water quality, and preventing the spread of non-native plant material in the landscape.

As of November 2005, over 23,000 seedlings produced from locally collected seeds are growing in deep-cell containers.

The nursery receives a great amount of help from volunteers and interns in accomplishing seed collection, propagation and growing operations. Many opportunities exist for individuals and groups interested in learning about native plant production and lending a hand.

The long-term financial goal of the nursery is to become self-sustaining through the sale of seedlings. Seedlings are being sold wholesale to individuals and groups engaged in conservation and restoration plantings in the Champlain Valley such as regional watershed and county conservation districts, private conservation organizations, and farmers and private landowners enrolled in government cost-share conservation programs. The first Open House at the nursery was held in the early fall of 2004, when local individuals had a chance to tour the nursery and purchase seedlings in smaller quantities.

For more information contact:
Murray McHugh
115 Main Road, West Haven, VT 05743
802-265-8645 x23; mmchugh@tnc.org

The nursery during winter	Murray McHugh in the nursery
Volunteer Carl Mohlenhoff
Carol Shaw at the RNRCD Open House	Cathy Vidovich at the RNRCD Open House