Watersheds united vermont (WUV) is proposing a partnership with USFWS (the service) to restore upland and wetlandhabitats in strategic focal areas of vermont

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) awarded a $320,000 Cooperative Agreement under the Partners for Fish and Wildlife (CFDA 15.631) program to Watersheds United Vermont Inc. (WUV) to restore upland, wetland, and riparian habitats in priority Vermont watersheds. The project aims to improve habitat for priority fish and wildlife species, including Brook Trout and migratory birds. Through collaboration with USFWS's Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program, WUV will implement habitat improvement and restoration projects that will also provide broader ecological benefits such as improved water quality, flood attenuation, and groundwater recharge. The award period runs from April 2024 through May 2026.

Site selection will be guided by the services partners for fish and wildlife strategic plan.wuvs mission is to empower community-based watershed groups to protect and restore vermonts waters. WUV and USFWS will collaborate through the strategic habitat restoration in vermont agreement on habitat improvement and restoration projects. WUV proposes to work with the services partners for fish and wildlife program to improve and restore upland, wetland, and riparian habitat. Aside from providing habitat for fish and wildlife, restoring these habitats willhelp RE-establish other ecological functions which go far beyond the actual project area.wetlands, floodplains and riparian zones improve surface water quality, provide flood attenuation and help recharge groundwater supplies. The project will improve and restore altered habitat to benefit priority fish and wildlife species throughout priority vermont watersheds (lake champlain, lake memphremagog, connecticut river, and hudson river basins). The project will improve brook trout habitat and provide nesting and stopover habitat for migratory birds. Many sites may provide valuable habitat for at-risk species such as wood turtle and golden-winged warbler.