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Caspian Lake Watershed Action Plan Final Report Presentation Webinar: Tuesday, January 16 at 5 p.m.

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Caspian Lake Watershed Action Plan Final Report Presentation Webinar
This webinar will be focused on presenting the final report for the Caspian Lake Watershed Action plan (LWAP). The final report will include a high-level overview/synthesis of all the prior completed desktop and field assessments, recommendations and outcomes.

All the Caspian Lake LWAP information is available for your viewing on the Storymap site.

What is a Lake Watershed Action Plan? A Lake Watershed Action Plan is an assessment and planning tool which identifies the greatest threats to the lake ecosystem, including impacts on water quality and wildlife habitat from stormwater runoff and from altered, cleared, or converted shorelands. The assessment combines a lake’s condition of shoreland, tributaries, drainage ditches, wetlands, hydrologically connected roads, and working landscapes in an individual planning guide that prioritizes restoration and protection actions for that specific region.

**If you are new to Microsoft TEAMS please allow 10 minutes before the start of the meeting to get TEAMS set up and ready for use.
Tuesday, Jan 16, 5:00 PM (EST)

REGISTER HERE

 

THE GREENSBORO ASSOCIATION CONTINUES TO SUPPORT FLOOD RECOVERY THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY RELIEF GRANTS

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Months after massive flooding devastated the region in July, and with ongoing weather threats that have carried into 2024, the Greensboro Association continues to support local organizations assisting those most impacted with funds raised through its Community Relief Fund.

In its 90 year history, the Greensboro Association has distributed grants to local organizations whose efforts serve those directly within the greater Greensboro community.  But the summer 2023 flooding saw the greatest need in recent memory, and many in our local communities continue to struggle with food insecurity and basic living and housing needs. Together with members and community donations, the GA raised over $80,000 in the weeks following the July floods to aid in recovery efforts and continues to accept donations. Because of the Greensboro Association’s deeply connected relationships with local organizations, businesses, and community members providing vital services throughout our community, it has been able to direct the monies raised to those most affected in our local community and those for whom other resources, including state and federal emergency funds are not available or sufficient. Recent flooding and climate swings continue to create instability this winter, increasing the unmet needs of many in our community. 

“These most recent GA grants reflect the longer-term needs of our community supporting the next phase of recovery and resiliency, strengthening our community to mitigate future disasters.  The Grants team is also coordinating with others in the Northeast Kingdom in order to view all area needs, and encourage coordination between organizations,” said Cathy Irwin, President of the Greensboro Association.

Recipients of the latest rounds of grants include Greensboro United Church of Christ, Smith’s Grocery, Center for an Agricultural Economy, Hardwick Area Food Pantry, Neighbors in Action, The Civic Standard, Greensboro Land Trust for Porter Brook Trail repair, Northeast Kingdom Organizing, and the Kingdom United Resiliency & Recovery Effort, which is a new entity formed to manage the long term recovery work in the NEK in coordination with FEMA and other regional, state, and federal partners. Funds will be used for things like construction materials to support ongoing infrastructure and housing repairs in the area, food and meals for those in need, and individual needs of those directly impacted by the disaster.  

“Food security, housing, transportation, mental and physical health, safety, child care, social isolation and connection are all things our communities have been grappling with. The recent floods and ongoing climate swings have continued to exposed the vital needs in our community and we [the GA Grants Committee] feel fortunate to be able to partner with such a dedicated array of organizations and community volunteers who are working to address both immediate needs while also strengthening our local systems and networks,” said Naomi Ranz-Schleifer, co-chair of the GA Grants Committee.

 

Tour de Greensboro Registration is Filling Up…Sign Up Today!

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We are pleased to announce that the second annual Tour de Greensboro registration is filling up fast. Do not delay registering for this special event to be held on Saturday, February 10. It will consist of a 25km, classic ski tour on some of the most scenic trails in the northeast, starting and ending at Highland Lodge.

Event sponsors include Toko US, Lumi Experiences, Highland Lodge and Willey’s Store.

We are limiting this to 120 skiers, so don’t wait, sign up today.  All entries will be non-refundable but may be transferred to another person via skireg.com.

 

Tour de Greensboro: February 10, 2024

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Embrace the winter and sign up for the second annual Tour de Greensboro. This event, to be held on Saturday, February 10th, will consist of a 25km, classic ski tour on some of the most scenic trails in the northeast. Start and end at Highland Lodge where we will have some chili and fixings and a post-ski bonfire. Go fast or take your time to savor a mid-tour hot cider and donuts. All proceeds will benefit the Greensboro Association. We are limiting this to 120 skiers, so don’t wait, sign up today.  All entries will be non-refundable but may be transferred to another person via skireg.com.

2023 Community Garden Season Update

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The Greensboro Community Garden has made good progress this Summer with the help of the $500 GA grant. In May we held our first community outreach event in collaboration with the Greensboro Free Library. Doug and Kayleigh, co-owners of Breadseed Farm in East Craftsbury gave a presentation on “Maximizing the Harvest” – sharing tips and techniques on how to follow no-till, organic practices to grow bountiful, great tasting, produce. It was a hybrid event but most of the 26 attendees turned up in person to enjoy the social gathering following the presentation with cheese kindly donated by Jasper Hill and kombucha by Becky Arnold. 

Planting Day in early June was a huge success, with a demo of how to use a broadfork for “no-till” aeration of the soil, and a plentiful supply of compost from Black Dirt Farm. We were able to buy two hi-rise water sprinklers as well as no-kink, lightweight hoses using the GA grant funds, which was super helpful for ease of getting the seeds and seedlings established. All the bugs in June and the rains in July did not deter the Garden from growing, nurtured by an active group of 12 core volunteers with additional supporters. Harvests have been plentiful, with over 100lbs of produce donated to the Hardwick Area Food Pantry to date. 

Additionally, we formed a new collaboration with Smith’s Grocery in Greensboro Bend during August, which has been very well received. Over 50lbs of produce was donated during the month, stocking the chiller cabinet in the store on a Friday with fresh vegetables harvested from the Community Garden. In addition, volunteers from the Community Garden collaborated with Rural Arts and the Bend Revitalization Initiative to supply salad and veggies with dip at the Basketball Skills Event at the Bend Community Park in early August.

Other community events have included: participation in the Funky 4th pie auction, with two savory donations from Community Garden lead volunteer, Jenny Bales; and supporting the Greensboro Farmers Market, especially on Kids Day, with a “Veggies Rock Hunt” activity. 

We will continue to harvest our produce as long as it lasts for donation to the Food Pantry. In addition, we plan to wrap up the season with a community workshop on mushroom growing, discuss a collaboration with the “Grow Your Own” program sponsored by the Center for an Agricultural Economy, and planting garlic in the Garden.

Many thanks to our lead volunteers: Jenny Bayles, Heidi DeBrino, Carol Calcagni, Joan Feffer, Alison Gardner, Cathy Hansen, Beth Meacham, Sara Slater, Liz Steel, Emily Stone, Ed Sunday-Winters and Fan Watkinson.

 

Are You Concerned About the Water Quality in Caspian Lake

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Please plan to attend the Caspian Lake Watershed Action Plan Community Input Meeting on Augst 30 at 5:30 p.m. at the United Church of Christ Fellowship Hall in Greensboro. There will be a review of the field assessment results and you will hear about the project ranking process that identifies the best potential restoration projects for our watershed.

Click here for more information.

Hazard Mitigation Survey from the Town of Greensboro

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The town of Greensboro is working on updating their Local Hazard Mitigation Plan and would appreciate your input through the short survey below.  Thank you!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeb8bilWIIAskDRKKP1W4w4nVixGD0l8aaoTebj8v3Gkli2zA/viewform?usp=sf_link

In addition, there will be a public meeting on August 10 at 6 p.m. at Fellowship Hall at the Greensboro United Church to review the Hazard Mitigation plan. Alison Low from NVDA will lead the discussion and plan going forward. All are welcome.

 

July 26 Community Relief Fund Update

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The Greensboro Association has raised nearly $55,000 for community relief from the recent flooding disaster. The grants committee has awarded $20,000 to local groups working directly with community members and they continue to work with local organizations to determine where the greatest needs are.

Donations have enabled us to provide much needed food security including supporting the increased food demand at the Hardwick Area Food Pantry (and its satellite locations) made even more necessary by the extensive crop loss experienced by area farms that traditionally donate produce to the pantry as well as the Center for an Agricultural Economy (CAE)’s food voucher program making food and grocery vouchers available to those in need for use in Greensboro at Willey’s General Store and Smith’s Grocery, in Hardwick at the Buffalo Mountain Market, and an increasing list of other local grocery stores as well as farmers markets. Food vouchers are being distributed by the Hardwick Area Food Pantry (HAFP), Hardwick Rescue Squad, Northeast Kingdom Organizing (NEKO) and other frontline organizations, who are also distributing emergency meals.
Funds have also been instrumental in supporting on the ground volunteer efforts coordinated by NEKO, The Civic Standard, and local Neighbor to Neighbor groups to muck out basements by supplying funds to purchase pumps, fans, dehumidifiers, PPE, and other cleaning supplies necessary to salvage homes and businesses, provide essential drinking water and food to work crews, and provide emergency shelter for those whose homes have been damaged. Churches, including the Greensboro United Church of Christ have also continued to offer community members assistance with food, fuel and other needs.
Lastly, Relief Funds have also been distributed to subsidize food, fuel, and supplies that Smith’s Grocery and Willey’s General Store have been donating to support our community members and non-profit partners. Willey’s is working with organizations to bulk order tools and hardware supplies for demolition and rebuilding efforts that are just getting started.
There’s still time to support this fund to help the local organizations in our area in need. You can donate at: https://greensboroassociation.org/…/community-relief…/

2023 Annual Meeting: August 3 at 4 p.m.

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The 2023 Annual Meeting of the Greensboro Association will be held on August 3 at 4:00 pm at Fellowship Hall.   We sincerely hope many of our members will be able to attend to hear about the great work of the GA this past year.  If you are unable to attend in person, a zoom link can be found below.

After the business meeting, our first speaker Lauren Jenness, New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission (NEIWPCC) Environmental Analyst, Lake Champlain Basin Program, will share information about the GA’s participation in the Stream Wise Program, which the GA will soon be starting.  If you live on land on the feeder brooks into Caspian Lake or Greensboro Brook, or on the Lamoille River or its tributaries in Greensboro Bend, getting a Stream Wise assessment can help you take the best possible care of your stream side property.

Following Lauren’s presentation, Kent Hansen, chair of Greensboro’s Planning Commission, will share what the Planning Commission has been working on over the last year and what proposed Zoning Bylaw changes are coming up.

The agenda for the Annual meeting can be found here.

Last year’s minutes can be found here.

 

Topic: 2023 Greensboro Association Annual Meeting
Time: Aug 3, 2023 04:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
Meeting ID: 834 2311 8833
Passcode: 104409

July 16 Community Relief Fund Update

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The Greensboro Association’s Community Relief Fund has awarded its first recipients of emergency funding.
$5000 will go to the Center for Agricultural Economy who will distribute food vouchers that can be used at the Hardwick Area Food Pantry, Willey’s store (Greensboro), C&C Market (Barton), Buffalo Mountain Market (Hardwick), Smiths (Greensboro Bend) and both Genny’s in Craftsbury and Albany.
Another $5000 will be going to the Hardwick Area Food Pantry because of the increased food demand in the area after the flood. They have seen a 25% uptick in usage since even before the flood, and with the damage done to many farms in the area that have helped supply the pantry with food, they anticipate a high demand for fresh produce and expect it to be more expensive to get their hands on.
And $1000 will go to Smith Store in Greensboro Bend for their emergency food and fuel fund. Smiths has been delivering food and supplies to people in the area and have been feeding many of the road crews working frantically to get our roads back in order.
There are other recipients in the works, and we will announce them as we are able. But the fund could still use support — every dollar donated will go back to the Greater Greensboro Community.
If you’d like to give to the Community Relief Fund, you can do so at this link: https://greensboroassociation.org/…/community-relief…/

Caspian Lake Sailing Race Series Schedule

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The Caspian Lake Sailing Series will run Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning Wednesday, August 2nd and concluding Saturday, August 19. Races will start at 2pm. Starting line will be north of sunken island off Aspenhurst Point. All types of boats, all ages, and all skill levels welcomed and encouraged. The race on Saturday the 12th will be in memory of John C. Stone II who passed away last summer shortly after a final sail, ending his 91 years of Caspian sailing. John followed Luther H. Gulick’s lead in helping to build the Flying Dutchman fleet on Caspian starting in the mid 1960s.

Wake Boats in Vermont Update: What to Know and What You Can Do

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JoAnn Hanowski, co-chair of the Greensboro Association’s Lakes and Environmental Stewardship Committee, sat down with NEK-VT Rocks out of Newport, VT to discuss the status of wake boats in Vermont alongside Jim Lengel of Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes.  

The topic of wake boats has been an active one within the Greensboro and surrounding communities in the past months.  Although wake boating can be a fun and rewarding way to keep the kids active, it also produces some unwanted side effects on our lakes, including: 

  • Eroding lake banks, causing phosphorus to spill into the lake
  • In shallow water, a wake boat motor can also churn up previously settled phosphorus from the bottom of the lake.
  • Invasive species such as Eurasian milfoil and zebra mussels can be released into lakes from the emptying of ballast tanks.
  • Waves can reach nesting loons and other wildlife, eliminating their productivity for at least a year.
  • Waves can also surprise and endanger other lake activities, such as kayaking, fishing, paddle boarding and swimming.

 As you’ll hear in the interview, JoAnn points out that the Department of Conservation understands there may be safety issues with wake boat interactions.  However, anecdotal evidence of safety issues is not persuasive enough.  She encourages anyone who has an interaction with a wakeboat to report it to the state or local police (in Greensboro call the Orleans County Police at 802-334-3333) so that there is an official record of it.  These records will provide important concrete evidence of safety issues with wake boats operating on our lakes.  

In addition, if you have a wake boat interaction story, Responsible Wakes for Vermont Lakes encourages you to send it to them at responsiblewakes.org.  

There will be another opportunity for public input, with a public meeting and written comments, early this summer.  It will be especially important to engage multiple generations of lake users in this process.  Stay tuned for the announcement of this upcoming meeting and opportunity to comment.  The Greensboro Association will keep membership apprised of that meeting date and time when details become available.

Spring Update from the GA President, Cathy Irwin

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The 2023 Dues Notice will be sent to all members on Sunday, March 26. Please read the Spring update from Cathy Irwin, GA President here.

 

Urgent: Public Meeting 2/15 – Proposed DEC Wakeboat Rules

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On Wednesday, February 15, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) will give the public an opportunity to react to their proposed rule on the use of wake boats in Vermont.  

A meeting will be held in Greensboro at the Highland Center for the Arts and via Microsoft Teams.  JoAnn Hanowski, co-chair of the Greensboro Association’s Lakes and Environmental Stewardship Committee, will be representing the GA at this meeting.  There are concerns that the DEC proposal of a 500′ distance from shore requirement for wake boating is not enough to prevent harm to both the environment and other boaters and lakeshore owners. There will be opportunity for public comment at this meeting; to sign up for a 2-minute time slot to speak, go to https://forms.office.com/g/ayJuuH9923.  

 

A group called RWVL (Responsible Wakes for VT Lakes) is pushing back on the DEC to consider getting closer to their proposed 1000’ distance from shore requirement.  RWVL is a group of concerned Vermonters, many of whom are year-round and seasonal lake and pond residents.  To learn more about the RWVL position, go to http://responsiblewakes.org/ .  Vermont Business Magazine has additional information on this issue and it can be found here:  https://vermontbiz.com/news/2023/january/31/vermont-dec-releases-draft-rule-wake-boat-regulation

Currently Caspian Lake boaters must travel at no-wake speed and not over 5 mph within 200’ of the shoreline, a person in the water, a canoe, rowboat or other vessel, a designated swim area, or any anchorage or dock.  In addition, use of jet skis, personal watercraft or any other Class A vessel which uses an inboard engine powering a water jet pump as its primary source of motive power is prohibited.  The wake from a boat must not endanger anyone else. Canoes, kayaks and paddle boards are especially vulnerable to high-wake turbulence, and boaters are responsible for any act which endangers or jeopardizes the safety, life or property of another person.  Finally, loons, ducks and other birds are especially sensitive to boat traffic. It is a punishable offense to kill or harass any water bird through the operation of a boat on any Vermont lake.

As JoAnn has pointed out, “The state of Vermont has total jurisdiction over the use of public waters.  Any change to public use on Caspian Lake, including a ban on wakeboat operation would require a petition to the DEC.  In any scenario (the current DEC revised petition, the original petition, or no ruling) Greensboro will be faced with managing wakeboat access and use on Caspian via our greeter program and through public education.”  

Please consider making your voice heard on this important topic! 

For any questions please contact membership@greensboroassociation. org.

Interesting update on VT short-term rentals

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Towns Across Vermont Are Beginning to Regulate Short-Term Rentals

When Moriah Stokes and Vincent Connolly purchased a second home in Morrisville in 2017, they already had plans to list it on Airbnb.

The couple were living in Colorado at the time, and Stokes, who grew up in Morrisville, wanted to be able to visit her family without staying in a hotel. Renting out the home meant the property didn’t sit vacant, and it provided some extra cash. When the couple decided to move back to Vermont in 2019 to raise their three young children, the home was waiting for them. Read more

Tour de Greensboro

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DATE CHANGE: This event will be held on Sunday, February 5.

 

Embrace the winter and sign up for the first annual Tour de Greensboro. This event, to be held on Saturday, February 4th, will consist of a 25km, classic ski tour on some of the most scenic trails in the northeast. Start and end at Highland Lodge where we will have some chili and fixings and a post-ski bonfire. Go fast or take your time to savor a mid-tour hot cider and donuts. All proceeds will benefit the Greensboro Association. We are limiting this to 100 skiers, so don’t wait, sign up today. (see details below)

January Greetings

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New Year’s 2023, looking towards Black’s Point –Karen Gowen, photographer

 

On January 8, the lake froze (again), and by the 14th of January was sporting 4 inches of ice on the east shore.  A few more good cold nights will be great news for all winter activities in the Northeast Kingdom!

Those who live in Greensboro year-round or travel up in the winter are looking forward to the first annual Tour de Greensboro, to take place on February 4.  100 cross-country skiers will take to the trails around town, and then gather for lunch at the Highland Lodge.  There may still be a few slots left to ski in this event—you can register here: https://www.SkiReg.com/tour-de-greensboro.  Organizers are also looking for volunteers; please contact Stew Arnold at [email protected] to sign up to help.  We are honored that the Greensboro Association will be the lucky recipient of funds raised!

The Greensboro Association Board keeps working in the colder months, with committees focusing on fundraising, investment management and the refinement of our funds distribution policies for the benefit of the many fine non-profit organizations in or near Greensboro.  Since formalizing the FFG in 2015, we have invested $175,000 into our amazing community! You will be hearing from us in March when we launch our 2023 membership drive. Until then be well!

Greensboro Association Updates: July 11

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Summer Music from Greensboro | Tuesday, July 12th, 7:30 p.m.
We invite you to attend the opening concert of Summer Music from Greensboro’s 2022 concert series.
Giving performances that are “lithe, persuasive” (The New York Times), “eloquent and enthralling” (The Boston Globe), and described as “the most compelling American group to come on the scene” (The New Yorker), the Horszowski Trio has quickly become a vital force in the international chamber music world. “The Horzowskis are power players.”—The Los Angeles Times.
Greensboro United Church of Christ. Tickets at the door: $22. Students and children under 18: free.
Join us for this first concert of our 2022 summer season and enjoy the best of what true musicianship in live performance has to offer!
For further details, please visit the website: https://www.summermusicfromgreensboro.net/
Swimming Lessons
We are excited to announce that in collaboration with the Greensboro’s & Hardwick’s Recreation Committees, Teach Americans to Swim Program will be offering swim lessons to Greensboro & Hardwick Residents and children in surrounding towns. FOR AGES 2 Years – 13 Years during the week of July 18-22, 2022 Starting at 10 AM.  Registration information is here.
Caspian Challenge on July 31 | Click here to register
Join us for a morning of fun, exercise, and community support for Greensboro’s natural treasure: Caspian Lake! Proceeds from this year’s run will go toward the Greensboro Association’s Lake Protection Fund, which helps provide milfoil and other invasive species prevention, as well as lake quality monitoring. Pre-registration is strongly encouraged. Race day registration opens at 7:15 AM and closes PROMPTLY at 8:15 AM.
July 14 Public Hearing about Reclassification of Caspian Lake
At the Annual Meeting last August we had a presentation from Oliver Pierson, Vermont-Dept of Environmental Conservation Lakes and Ponds Program Manager, who discussed the pros and cons of re-classifying Caspian Lake as A1 versus B2. Basically, reclassification would bring more attention to the lake and the need to be proactive in protecting its water quality. In addition, if Caspian’s water quality decreased below the A1 criteria, the lake would be classified as impaired, and resources would be available to mitigate the sources of the problems causing the decline in water quality. The meeting will be at 5:30 p.m. at Fellowship Hall.
Greensboro Association Annual Meeting
The 2022 Annual Meeting of the Greensboro Association will be held on Thursday, August 4 at 4:00 pm in Fellowship Hall at the United Church of Christ in Greensboro, VT.  All members of the Association are invited and encouraged to attend.  This will be an in-person meeting with a zoom option. The zoom link will be shared prior to the meeting.

Greensboro Association Notice of Annual Meeting

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The 2022 Annual Meeting of the Greensboro Association will be held on Thursday, August 4 at 4:00 pm in Fellowship Hall at the United Church of Christ in Greensboro, VT.  All members of the Association are invited and encouraged to attend.
The Agenda and new slate of trustees will be distributed prior to the meeting. The minutes of the 2021 Annual Meeting are available here.

Bear Coexistence Advisory from Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department 🐻

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The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department is receiving reports from across the state of black bears seeking food in yards, outbuildings, and livestock enclosures this spring.  Many of these situations can be prevented if people take steps to make their backyards bear-safe before a bear shows up.

Bears—and people—are at risk when bears spend time in human-dominated landscapes.  And every time a bear finds an easy meal of birdseed, compost, or unsecured garbage, they are learning a dangerous association between people and food.  Coexisting with bears starts with you taking the following steps to help keep bears wild:

Birdfeeders are a big problem!  Take down birdfeeders until December.  You can attract birds by planting bird friendly native plants instead—check out Audubon’s Native Plants for Birds Program: https://www.audubon.org/native-plants  [Link]

Make your garbage inaccessible.  Store garbage in a secure structure and a bear proof container.  Learn how to make your garbage can bear proof here: https://vtfishandwildlife.com/sites/fishandwildlife/files/documents/Learn%20More/Living%20with%20Wildlife/Living%20with%20Bears/bear-resistant-retrofit-polycart.pdf  [Link]

Dispose of garbage frequently.  If you have pick-up services, wait until the morning to put your garbage out. Demand bear proof dumpsters for your community.

Follow steps for composting in bear country.  Compost needs to be 3 parts brown materials to 1 part kitchen scraps, turned frequently, and kept in a sturdy tumbler or bin: https://vtfishandwildlife.com/node/260  [Link]

Use electric fencing to keep chickens and bees safe.  Fences need to be 4,000-6,000 volts, tested regularly and baited:https://vtfishandwildlife.com/node/1996  [Link]

Clean your grill after every use.

Make bears feel uncomfortable in your yard.  Yell, bang pots and pans, or use other noise devices from inside your home.  Never shoot a bear to scare it.  Even BBs can seriously injure bears.

Please report your bear encounters to Vermont Fish & Wildlife.  These reports allow us to help you prevent future bear incidents.  They also give us information to help all Vermonters better coexist with bears: https://anrweb.vt.gov/FWD/FW/WildlifeBearReport.aspx  [Link]

Following these steps can save bears’ lives, and help protect you, your neighbors, and your property.  Please do your part to be a good neighbor and help keep Vermont’s bears wild!

If you have questions, contact the Vermont Fish and Wildlife department at 802-828-1000, or [email protected] .