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Stream Steward Spotlight- Russell Greene Natural Area
The watershed that surrounds and contributes water to Lake Champlain covers more than 8,000 square miles and is home to over half a million people. Roads, houses, lawns, driveways, agricultural fields, and other developed lands can potentially contribute pollution to Lake Champlain. However, every property has an opportunity to reduce its impact on water quality and support the health of local rivers, streams, and lakes.
Voluntary property assessments through the Stream Wise and Stormwater Consultations are designed to engage and educate landowners about ways to manage their properties for clean water, natural resources, biodiversity, ecological resilience, and flood resilience. These consultations guide landowners through practical strategies for capturing, slowing, and infiltrating stormwater while connecting them with the information, funding, expertise, and support they need to put these practices into action.
This year, FCNRCD is continuing to complete Stream Wise and Stormwater Consultations across Franklin County. During one of our Stream Wise consultations, we had the pleasure of visiting the Russell Greene Natural Area with Georgia Conservation Commissioner Tom Hargy. Tom led us along the winding trail, past the wetland, beneath towering pines, and alongside Deer Brook. His passion for conservation was evident as he identified native plants along the way and shared stories about how the landscape has changed over the years.
As we walked along Deer Brook, we found an expansive riparian buffer—the vegetated area along a stream or river—on both sides of the waterway. The forest contained all the layers of habitat structure expected in a pine-hemlock forest and was dominated by native species. These characteristics are important components of a Stream Wise property.
Healthy, native vegetation growing along both sides of a stream helps slow, spread, and infiltrate stormwater before it reaches the waterway. The sandy soils at Russell Greene Natural Area play an important role as well, allowing water to infiltrate quickly into the ground. We observed no concentrated channels carrying water directly into Deer Brook, which helps reduce erosion and the amount of sediment and pollutants reaching the stream.
The volunteers who manage Russell Greene Natural Area are also taking proactive steps to protect and strengthen the riparian buffer. In areas where vegetation along the streambank is slightly sparse, they are planting shrubs to encourage additional vegetation to establish and help prevent streambank erosion. They also keep a close eye on invasive plants. Very few invasive species were present, which is a tremendous accomplishment and a testament to the ongoing stewardship of the property.
While conditions upstream can influence water quality downstream, the Russell Greene Natural Area is doing its part in caring for the land and protecting Deer Brook. The Georgia Conservation Commission’s commitment to conservation and long-term stewardship is evident throughout the property.
We appreciate all the hard work that has gone into keeping this forest and stream healthy over the years, and we are happy to say that Russell Greene Natural Area is Stream Wise and a great example to follow!
Photo 1: tom Hargy, Georgia Conservation Commissioner, accetping the Stream Wise Award on Behalf of Russell Greene Natural Area.
Photo 2: The Stream Wise Award proudly displayed at the trail entrance.
If you have a stream on your property, you can support healthy ecosystems too! Stream Wise is an initiative created by the Lake Champlain Basin Program that engages streamside property owners throughout the Lake Champlain Basin in enhancing and protecting vegetated stream buffers. These efforts increase flood resiliency while benefiting water quality and wildlife habitat.
Through the initiative, partnering organizations including Franklin County Natural Resources Conservation District provide free on-site consultations to streamside landowners, providing guidance on how to best steward our streams. Contact the Franklin County NRCD for a Stream Wise Consultation at kerry@franklincountynrcd.org or use the following form: https://TinyURL.com/FCNRCD-Stream-Wise
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