Current Practices Farm & Wilderness is conscientious in their practices, and diligent work has been done to maintain the abundant biodiversity within Lake Ninevah, Woodward Reservoir, and adjacent streams. There was a third pond with a dam known as Peggy’s Pond on the southwest side of the Woodward Area. The dam found on Peggy’s Pond was in danger of failure, and the decision was made to drain the pond and restore it to a wetland in 2019. After the dam was decommissioned, passive restoration allowed the native seed stock in the previously submerged soil to germinate, and a wetland has started to emerge. There are ecologically-minded practices in place on Lake Ninevah on Woodward Reservoir. Through the Vermont Public Access Greeter Program, greeters have been employed throughout the summer seasons to prevent invasive aquatic plant species from entering the water. Through education, boat inspections, and signage, people are asked to clean off their boats prior to entering the water and after exiting. For many lakes in Vermont, fast spreading non-natives like Eurasian Milfoil are harmful. Eurasian Milfoil is able to grow in lower temperatures than other native plants and eventually it blocks native plants from receiving sunlight. Since Lake Ninevah is a shallow lake, only about twelve feet at its deepest part, close monitoring is critical for its health. Periodic surveying of the lake is done to monitor and remove harmful non-native species, and Lake Ninevah has been free of Eurasian Milfoil for decades.
BUFFER PROTECTION AREAS
Farm & Wilderness Stewardship plans limit timber harvesting near wetland areas. These protections follow the current use guidelines for the Forest Legacy Program and the Vermont Shoreline Protection Act (Farm and Wilderness Foundation Forest Stewardship Plan). (TERRESTRIAL) INVASIVE SPECIES
There are a few terrestrial invasive species on Lake Ninevah that were found in 2016. The forester and the ecologist employed by the Ninevah Foundation and a representative from the Vermont Land Trust identified eight harmful non-native species including knotweed goutweed, wild (or poison) parsnip, buckthorn, wild chervil, giant hogweed, Garlic mustard, Wall-lettuce. Especially focused and concerned about these species near roads, lakeshores, and streams, the Ninevah Foundation began to collaborate with neighbors to develop a strategy to control their spread across land boundaries.
Vegetative buffers on Farm & Wilderness Property
Photo: Kelly Beerman
Hydrology |
Wetland off SAM trail on Ninevah Area
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