Orleans County NRCD
Programs and Services Meet the Board and Staff
Conservation Equipment Rental Program
Check out our 2019 District Highlights Newsletter
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2021 Annual Plant Sale
WE HAVE A NEW WAY TO ORDER! Check out our new Order Online Form.
You can securely place an order with PayPal with a debit or credit card using the online form, or by printing out and sending in the order form with a by cash or check made out to OCNRCD to 59 Waterfront Plaza Newport VT 05855.
Click here for the 2021 catalog
Click here for the 2021 order form
All orders are due by Friday MARCH 26th
All orders will be available for pick on Saturday May 1st 2021 at the Newport USDA office at 59 Waterfront Plaza
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The Vermont Healthy Soils Coalition (VHSC) and Littleton Food Co-op is having a six webinar deep dive into building healthy soils and resilient communities focused on the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont and North Country of New Hampshire. The series starts on February 10th and will showcase gardening, farming, and forestry initiatives that exemplify best practices to foster soil and community health.
To join register now
https://www.eventbrite.com/…/soil-health-and-community…
Contact us if you are interested in doing soil health testing on your farm!
Orleans County nrcd hosts the nek tri district meeting
The three Northeast Kingdom Conservation Districts had our Tri District annual meeting on August 19th in Westmore with 7 board members, NRCD staff and partners gathered to update each other on our work, interface with partners on relevant topics and visit with each other. After our presentations we all headed over to the Farm at Wheeler Mountain which is owned and operated by Orleans County NRCD board member, Joanna Lidback. She gave us a farm tour highlighting all the great conservation work they have completed with assistance from OCNRCD staff including technical and financial support through the USDA NRCS Memphremagog RCPP program.
Water Quality Reports and Resources
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The Orleans County Natural Resource Conservation District (OCNRCD) was established in 1946 as a non-regulatory organization led by local landowners. We strive to protect natural resources by seeking solutions to local environmental concerns and providing resources to address them.
Our current focus is to support Orleans County communities and landowners in their efforts to improve water quality issues. Our extensive partnerships with state, federal and local organizations enable us to coordinate resources locally to support conservation land use practices.
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Mission Statement
Protect and enhance the soils and waters of Orleans County by providing leadership, education and services for implementation of sound land stewardship practices.
Contact us at:
59 Waterfront Plaza
Newport, VT 05855
(802) 334-6090 x 7008
sarah.damsell@vt.nacdnet.net
emily.finnegan@vt.nacdnet.net
Upcoming Workshops:
The Science of Water Quality: A Workshop For Farm Employees
Date & Time TBD
Location TBD
Ecosystem Services through an Artists’ Eye
Opening reception TBD
MAC Center for the Arts, 158 Main St. Newport
Manure Injection Field Day
Date & Time TBD
Location TBD
Conservation Success Stories!
Orleans County NRCD highlights local farmers who reduced their nonpoint source pollution by installing best management practices that have measured phosphorous runoff reductions in Orleans County watersheds!
Click here to read the Morin Farm over 85% phosphorus reduction success story.
Click here to read the McCormick Farm 50% phosphorus reduction success story.
“I don’t think people realize the effect that these projects can have on the environment.”
“We are getting more milk and better quality since we completed all this work”, this is their third year of getting a quality milk award. Overall, the project “has brought us closer together as a family.”
“The project improved the farm because the cows are out of the mud, there is more room to feed in one place, it is easier to maintain, it helps my manure management, it looks a lot nicer and the work benefits the local waters because the cows are not going in the stream whenever they want.”