 An Eastern Bluebird catches a bug. Healthy riparian areas offer a far greater abundance of flying insects compared to bare shorelines, making them valuable sources of food for birds. Photo: Jen Bennett, 2020. By: Marcy Bucheit, Watershed Engagement Coordinator
On July 20th & 21st, Mad River Watch volunteers visited their field sites to collect data and make careful environmental observations, contributing to decades of monitoring along the Mad River and its tributaries. This article is part of an ongoing series that shares highlights from this field work as well as lessons learned over the past 40 years of Friends of the Mad River’s Mad River Watch program. Birds Need Healthy Buffers “We are always talking about the ecological benefits of healthy riparian buffers,” says Marcy Bucheit, Friends of the Mad River Watershed Engagement Coordinator. “These areas of vegetated land along streams and rivers provide a wide range of benefits from stabilizing riverbanks to filtering pollutants to providing shade to cool water temperatures. This summer, in collaboration with our partners at Audubon Vermont, we are bringing attention to the benefits that riparian buffers provide for birds. Many species rely on riverside habitat for foraging, breeding, and shelter; intact riparian buffers help support healthier birds.” Not All Buffers Are Equal “What is the recipe for success in a buffer to support birds? It begins with a diversity of native plants,” explains Bucheit. “The fruits of invasive vegetation, like common buckthorn and bush honeysuckle, provide poor nutrition compared to native species. Eliminating the bird “junk food” of invasive species opens up space for native plants which are better suited to bird diets.” In a buffer of native species, birds benefit the most from a biodiverse variety of plants with different ages and heights. The presence of a shrubby understory, such as willow or dogwood, provides species like Willow Flycatcher and Yellow Warbler the shrubby habitat they need for nesting or perching. Mature canopy supports species like Pileated Woodpecker by providing places for nesting cavities and insect foraging. “When it comes to the width of a riparian buffer, the number we often reference as a target benchmark for landowners is 50 feet,” adds Bucheit. “And the 50 foot standard is great for many of the bank stabilization and water temperature reduction benefits we’re going after. However, when we consider riparian buffers and bird habitat, as wide as possible is the best.” Birds that prefer edge habitat like the Northern Cardinal or the Gray Catbird can be found in buffers as small as 10 feet. In a 50 foot buffer, species like the Hairy Woodpecker or the Red-eyed Vireo will be present. However, sensitive species that need undisturbed habitat, such as the Scarlet Tananger, will typically not be seen until the buffer is 150 feet or wider. For this reason, a wider buffer will help support a greater diversity of birds in that buffer. Restoration: Birds as the Hook “Birds are charismatic and we all love seeing or hearing distinctive species,” says Bucheit. “If landowners want to plant trees, practice no mow, or manage invasive species in order to see more birds, that’s amazing! In the process, they’ll also be benefitting water quality, stream habitat and the climate resiliency of our landscape. We encourage any landowner interested in this work to get in touch with us.” Notes from the Field This week, volunteers were asked to do some birdwatching at their sites and report back who they’d found. Some species were common across multiple sites including Song Sparrow, Blue Jay, American Robin, Black capped Chickadee, Red-eyed Vireo, American Goldfinch, and Common Yellowthroat. However, some unique observations were made at particular sites. At Riverside Park, a volunteer heard a Redstart and an Alder Flycatcher. At Mill Brook, a volunteer spotted an Eastern Phoebe and a Belted Kingfisher. At Warren Covered Bridge, a Yellow Bellied Sapsucker was heard. The lack of rain and warm summer weather the last few weeks was highlighted in many observations of low flow levels. Water temperatures ranged from a low of 55F at 7:30am Monday at Chase Brook to a high of 76F at 12:30pm Sunday at Mill Brook.  The Duell & Cowen family poses with their Stream Wise Award, recognizing excellent management and condition of their streamside land! As you drive around the Valley over the next few weeks, you may notice some new signs popping up in the front yards of your friends and neighbors. With designations of “Stream Steward” and “Stream Wise”, these signs recognize local community members who have participated in a program designed to help landowners better manage their stream and riverfront properties. From Warren to Moretown, Friends of the Mad River has been busy conducting Stream Wise visits, providing assessment, planning, and implementation support . The Stream Wise program is modeled after the successful Lake Wise initiative which aims to mitigate nutrient runoff into Lake Champlain. These programs engage landowners in stewardship efforts that improve water quality and provide a host of other benefits to local flora and fauna. While decreasing the runoff of nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus is certainly a component of Stream Wise, the program primarily focuses on the establishment and maintenance of a vegetated stream buffer. So what exactly is a vegetated stream buffer? Simply put, a healthy stream buffer has a wide range of native trees, shrubs, bushes, and other vegetation. It provides food, shelter, and habitat for local animals, insects, birds, and a range of other species. Healthy buffers provide shade for our streams and rivers, keeping water temperatures cool, which makes fish and other aquatic wildlife much happier. Having a solid buffer is also vital to flood resilience, as floodplain forests help to slow and spread storm waters, while also preventing erosion. Here’s the thing, though. In a perfect world, every stream and river would have at least 50 feet of buffer along the vast majority of its banks! That may sound like a lot, and compared to what we observe throughout much of the Valley, it is. Several hundred years of settlement and development have left much of our watershed without adequate buffers. By clearing land for houses, businesses, and farms, we have whittled down the natural barriers of our rivers and streams. Stream Wise is developed to help individual landowners better understand what they can do to help reverse this trend. The Stream Wise program has two levels of recognition. A “Stream Steward” property reflects the continued efforts of a landowner to help develop a healthy stream buffer. This may include actions such as removing invasive species, planting trees, or leaving sections of their yard unmowed. Many of these strategies might not seem that mind blowing, and that is exactly the point. The program aims to equip community members with simple strategies that they can do at low cost in order to do their part to contribute to a healthier watershed. A “Stream Wise” property is the highest recognition from the program. These sites have healthy buffers of at least 30-50 feet along most of the stream or riverfront. At these sites, you would observe a multi-layered forest with relatively few invasive species present, and a homeowner who has made a concerted effort to minimize impervious surfaces like paths and walkways. Keep an eye out for these signs which will be popping up around the Valley in the next few weeks. If you are interested in learning more about Stream Wise, please reach out to [email protected] or fill out this interest form. (Left) Luke Foley, Climate & Engagement Manager, and Marcy Bucheit, Watershed Engagement Coordinator, present the Robillards with a Stream Steward recognition for their committment to knotweed eradication and tree planting. (Right) A Stream Steward flag adorns the new MRV Recreation Hub site, recognizing the buffer planting of 400 trees there.
 By: Luke Foley, Climate & Engagement Manager
This past weekend, our Mad River Watch volunteers were back in the water—sampling and keeping tabs on the river that runs through the heart of the Valley. They weren’t the only ones enjoying their time in the river, as a holiday weekend, coupled with high temps and humidity, had many of us seeking out our favorite swim holes. As many of you probably noticed, these warm days have led to increased water temps across the watershed. And while temperature is a vital set of data that our volunteers collect, it is only one of many observations that they are making every other week when they venture out to the far reaches of the watershed. This week, we are shining a light on why we gather data on pH and conductivity, and what the recently passed “Big, Beautiful Bill” might mean for water quality in the Mad River. What’s pH Got to Do With It? The Mad River’s pH readings this week were hovering between 6.0 and 7.0 with an average of 6.5. This average is just about neutral—where water is healthiest for most fish and bugs that call it home. That’s good news. But keeping it that way takes more than just luck. Back in the 1980s and early ’90s, the river wasn’t always so well balanced. Pollution from coal plants in the Midwest was floating in on the wind, coming down as acid rain, and making our river water more acidic. After the Clean Air Act was strengthened in 1990, emissions were cut dramatically—and the pH in the Mad River started climbing back to healthier levels. It’s a great example of how federal environmental policies—even ones made hundreds of miles away—can make a real difference here in the Valley. Conductivity: A Clue About What’s Dissolved in the Water But pH isn’t the whole story. Volunteers this week also noticed higher-than-usual conductivity in a few spots. Conductivity basically comes down to how much stuff—like road salt, fertilizer, or even natural minerals—is dissolved in water. So what’s the connection to pH? When there are more dissolved materials in the water, it can throw off the pH balance. For example, runoff from heavy rains or melting snow can wash in salts or nutrients that make the water more alkaline or, depending on the source, more acidic. And that kind of change can stress out fish, insects, and other river life. In short: conductivity can be a warning sign that something’s changing upstream—even if the water still looks clear. Enter the “Big, Beautiful Bill” Just this week, Congress passed—and the president signed—the sweeping One Big, Beautiful Bill Act (also known as the "Big, Beautiful Bill"). It’s massive, covering tax cuts, cuts to food assistance, defunding clean energy programs, and rolling back many environmental protections. One of these rollbacks is pushing to weaken the EPA’s air pollution rules, including those that limit power plant emissions. If that happens, we could see a return of more acid rain—and a slow slide back toward the kind of pH problems we were seeing 30 or 40 years ago. Combine that with more local runoff (which raises conductivity), and the river could find itself under pressure from two sides. The chemical balance that keeps our river healthy is delicate, and even small changes can ripple out fast. The Power of Local Eyes and Ears Why should we care about all this? Because when pH and conductivity levels shift too far, it doesn’t just affect fish and frogs. It can change how nutrients and metals move through the water, how safe the water is to swim in, and how resilient the river is after storms. That’s why Mad River Watch is so important. Every other week throughout the summer, local volunteers are out there collecting samples, asking questions, and watching for changes. Their work helps make sure the Valley has real data to inform local planning and to advocate for clean water policies that matter. So whether you’re dipping your toes in the river this weekend or just driving along Route 100, take a moment to appreciate our lovely little Mad River. And then stay informed and fight the policies that threaten it, because keeping our river healthy takes all of us—boots in the stream and voices in the room. Photo credit: Brad Long |
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November 2025
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