Posted August 8, 2025 at 11:02am by Kerri Grimaldi

Direct Seeding Trials for Flood Resilience

The Riparian Lands Native Seed Partnership (RLNSP) is restoring corn and hay fields to native forests along our waterways. Each year, as part of the RLNSP, the Intervale Center and NorthWoods Stewardship Center collect approximately 30 million native seeds across Vermont to increase the availability of source-identified native trees and shrubs for restoration projects. 

In partnership with VT Fish & Wildlife, the RLNSP planted 4.3 million seeds this July along the Winooski River in a former corn field. Transforming this field into native forest will strengthen soils, mitigating potential flood impacts while also improving water quality to the greater Lake Champlain Basin watershed. See this project for yourself in this news clip from WCAX and learn more about the RLNSP's latest work in their summer newsletter!