Greetings and Happy New Year!
We have received critical funding from the New England Grassroots Environment Fund for the second year in a row, to help us run Green-Up Day, create the first piece of a town-wide trail network, stabilize our streambanks with shrubs and trees, present the findings from our wetland and vernal pool survey, organize a local resource fair, and hold a number of walks and presentation such as those many of you attended last year. If there's a subject you'd like us to cover, or a speaker you'd like us to bring to town, please let us know!
We have also received funding from the Trees for Local Communities Cost-Share Grant Program of the State of Vermont. This will help support the planting of robust sugar maples in Corinth Center along the cemetery as well as crabapples in each of Corinth's seven villages, with a focus on East Corinth. This grant requires a match from the community, both in terms of time and money, so to maximize its benefit to our town, we're actively looking for volunteers to donate time planting trees and also to donate trees themselves. We hope to buy 12 crabapples at $40 apiece; five individuals have generously offered to purchase one apiece already, and if you would like to add to the effort, please contact me.
Finally, we have received a technical assistance grant from the National Park Service's Rivers and Trails Program. The NPS will help us plan and create the first of what we hope will be many public recreational trails linked throughout town. Many groups have generously offered their advice and support, including the local Boy Scouts, 4-Hers, Historical Society, Waits River Watershed Council, and Sno-Scramblers. More hands and minds are always welcome. Please email me if you'd like to become part of our trails task force. Our first meeting is next week.
On Wednesday, January 23rd, at the Town Hall, Matt Peters and Erin Haney from the University of Vermont will be presenting the results of their wetland and vernal pool survey in Corinth. Many of you met Matt and Erin this summer, when they were in town doing this project as part of their graduate studies and working on behalf of Orange County Headwaters. Since then, they've been hard at work putting together data, photos, and maps, and the results are impressive. Please join us for 7 p.m. dessert potluck and presentation. Please bring a dessert to share; we'll have coffee and tea available.
Our next meeting is Thursday, February 7th at 7 p.m. in the town hall. We'll be discussing trails, trees, and events, and we'll begin planning this year's Green-Up Day. Our meetings are open to the public, so we hope to see you there