Post by Mech on Feb 5, 2005 21:10:44 GMT -5
Lake Champlain Initiative
www.phish.com/waterwheel/champlain.php
Lake Champlain is a long slender lake that extends over one hundred miles between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Adirondacks of New York. One of North America's most important and historically significant natural resources, it is considered the sixth Great Lake by some, a really good lake by others. Over $1 billion in tourism is generated from Lake-related activities every year. The Lake Champlain Basin is home to 600,000 people, one-third of whom depend on the Lake for their drinking water.
Unfortunately the Lake is currently plagued by several major problems: an overabundance of phosphorus from sewage discharge and agricultural/urban run-off, various types of toxic waste, and invasion by non-native nuisance species such as zebra mussels and water chestnuts. According to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, more than half the area of Lake Champlain is impaired from its full use due to pollution. The situation for Lake Champlain is thus not unlike that of most other large water bodies in North America: a great resource enjoyed by millions yet threatened by environmental problems. Chris Kilian, Natural Resources Project Director of the Conservation Law Foundation, described the situation as this: "If Vermonters are serious about correcting the Lake's pollution problems then we all have to start making some difficult choices."
The opportunity for Phish to help Lake Champlain arose in 1995 when Ben & Jerry's approached the band and proposed an ice cream called "Phish Food". After extensive discussion and product testing the band signed off on the concept and the eponymous ice cream was born. The band decided that they would donate all royalties due to Phish from the venture to help Lake Champlain. The band members have always believed in the adage "Think Globally, Act Locally" and this was a perfect opportunity to implement it. Clean water is an issue vital to every human being; of major importance on a local front, but also resonating on a national level.
Thus far WaterWheel has given away $1,054,700 to 29 organizations working on issues affecting Lake Champlain. Grants have been made for a variety of purposes, including land conservation, environmental advocacy, grassroots activism, education, and capital projects such as equipment purchases. Below is a summary of the grants, as well as profiles of some of the larger organizations.
The Lake Champlain Committee, a citizens advocacy group, has received $50,500 for operations. The Vermont Natural Resources Council has received $137,500 for its Lake Champlain Pollution Prevention Program. Rural Vermont, an organization dedicated to preserving the family farm and environmentally-sound agricultural practices, received a grant of $10,000.
The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has received $380,000 in support of its initiative to attack major pollution problems involving the lake as well as its advocacy to protect and clean up the lake, its watersheds and wetlands. A further $40,000 was donated to CLF's Lakekeeper program. Modeled on the Hudson Riverkeeper, Lakekeeper's mission is to protect and restore Lake Champlain, by advocating for stricter controls on pollution and by enlisting public support for the cause.
The Lake Champlain Land Trust has received five grants totaling $138,700 for land conservation. Projects include the Mallets Bay Natural Area, Rock Island, Mallets Creek Marsh Conservation Project, Landon Farm and Round Pond Natural Area, and the Mill River land in Georgia, VT.
The University of Vermont received $33,000 to buy equipment for its Ecosystem Science Laboratory, located on the waterfront in Burlington. Right next door to the lab is the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, which received $30,000 for its Eco-Peers Teaching Program, and $70,000 towards the construction of its brand new facility, which opened in 2003. The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum received $20,000 to buy canoes and to fund general operations of its Paddling Ecology program, teaching middle school students maritime skills and hands-on environmental education.
The Nature Conservancy of Vermont has received $55,000 for its aquatics SWAT team, promoting responsible stewardship in the fight to control the water chestnut invasion and other nuisance species. The National Wildlife Federation's Vermont branch was given $5,000 for its lead sinker exchange program, intended to help endangered bird populations. The City of South Burlington received $7,500 for construction of the Bartlett Brook Stormwater Treatment System located near Shelburne Bay. The Citizens' Environmental Commission received $15,000 for its innovative Eco-Threat web site enabling the public to easily learn about environmental problems in their areas. The City of Burlington received $6,000 to fund a partnership with UVM to study storm water runoff and its effect on Burlington Bay.
14 local watershed groups have received grants totaling $56,500 for general operations: AuSable River Association, Bouquet River Association, Franklin Watershed Committee, Friends of the Mad River, Friends of the Winooski River, Keeping Track Vermont, Lewis Creek Association, Middlebury River Water Partnership, Missisquoi River Basin Association, Potash Brook - Voice Watershed, Poultney Watershed, Vermont Conservation Organization Association, Vermont Association of Conservation Districts, and the Winooski Park District.
Press releases detailing many of these grants are available online:
* October 30, 2003
* August 30, 2000
* April 3, 2000
* June 30, 1999
* February 24, 1999
More in-depth profiles about many of the groups WaterWheel has supported are available are available here. A great resource for more information about the Lake is the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Links to the websites of some of the groups WaterWheel has supported are below.
* Conservation Law Foundation
* Lake Champlain Lakekeeper
* Vermont Natural Resources Council
* Lake Champlain Committee
* Lake Champlain Land Trust
* Rubenstein Science Lab at the University of Vermont
* Citizens' Environmental Commission's EcoThreat
* Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
* ECHO Leahy Center For Lake Champlain
* Lewis Creek Association
* Friends of the Winooski River
www.phish.com/waterwheel/champlain.php
Lake Champlain is a long slender lake that extends over one hundred miles between the Green Mountains of Vermont and the Adirondacks of New York. One of North America's most important and historically significant natural resources, it is considered the sixth Great Lake by some, a really good lake by others. Over $1 billion in tourism is generated from Lake-related activities every year. The Lake Champlain Basin is home to 600,000 people, one-third of whom depend on the Lake for their drinking water.
Unfortunately the Lake is currently plagued by several major problems: an overabundance of phosphorus from sewage discharge and agricultural/urban run-off, various types of toxic waste, and invasion by non-native nuisance species such as zebra mussels and water chestnuts. According to the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, more than half the area of Lake Champlain is impaired from its full use due to pollution. The situation for Lake Champlain is thus not unlike that of most other large water bodies in North America: a great resource enjoyed by millions yet threatened by environmental problems. Chris Kilian, Natural Resources Project Director of the Conservation Law Foundation, described the situation as this: "If Vermonters are serious about correcting the Lake's pollution problems then we all have to start making some difficult choices."
The opportunity for Phish to help Lake Champlain arose in 1995 when Ben & Jerry's approached the band and proposed an ice cream called "Phish Food". After extensive discussion and product testing the band signed off on the concept and the eponymous ice cream was born. The band decided that they would donate all royalties due to Phish from the venture to help Lake Champlain. The band members have always believed in the adage "Think Globally, Act Locally" and this was a perfect opportunity to implement it. Clean water is an issue vital to every human being; of major importance on a local front, but also resonating on a national level.
Thus far WaterWheel has given away $1,054,700 to 29 organizations working on issues affecting Lake Champlain. Grants have been made for a variety of purposes, including land conservation, environmental advocacy, grassroots activism, education, and capital projects such as equipment purchases. Below is a summary of the grants, as well as profiles of some of the larger organizations.
The Lake Champlain Committee, a citizens advocacy group, has received $50,500 for operations. The Vermont Natural Resources Council has received $137,500 for its Lake Champlain Pollution Prevention Program. Rural Vermont, an organization dedicated to preserving the family farm and environmentally-sound agricultural practices, received a grant of $10,000.
The Conservation Law Foundation (CLF) has received $380,000 in support of its initiative to attack major pollution problems involving the lake as well as its advocacy to protect and clean up the lake, its watersheds and wetlands. A further $40,000 was donated to CLF's Lakekeeper program. Modeled on the Hudson Riverkeeper, Lakekeeper's mission is to protect and restore Lake Champlain, by advocating for stricter controls on pollution and by enlisting public support for the cause.
The Lake Champlain Land Trust has received five grants totaling $138,700 for land conservation. Projects include the Mallets Bay Natural Area, Rock Island, Mallets Creek Marsh Conservation Project, Landon Farm and Round Pond Natural Area, and the Mill River land in Georgia, VT.
The University of Vermont received $33,000 to buy equipment for its Ecosystem Science Laboratory, located on the waterfront in Burlington. Right next door to the lab is the ECHO Leahy Center for Lake Champlain, which received $30,000 for its Eco-Peers Teaching Program, and $70,000 towards the construction of its brand new facility, which opened in 2003. The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum received $20,000 to buy canoes and to fund general operations of its Paddling Ecology program, teaching middle school students maritime skills and hands-on environmental education.
The Nature Conservancy of Vermont has received $55,000 for its aquatics SWAT team, promoting responsible stewardship in the fight to control the water chestnut invasion and other nuisance species. The National Wildlife Federation's Vermont branch was given $5,000 for its lead sinker exchange program, intended to help endangered bird populations. The City of South Burlington received $7,500 for construction of the Bartlett Brook Stormwater Treatment System located near Shelburne Bay. The Citizens' Environmental Commission received $15,000 for its innovative Eco-Threat web site enabling the public to easily learn about environmental problems in their areas. The City of Burlington received $6,000 to fund a partnership with UVM to study storm water runoff and its effect on Burlington Bay.
14 local watershed groups have received grants totaling $56,500 for general operations: AuSable River Association, Bouquet River Association, Franklin Watershed Committee, Friends of the Mad River, Friends of the Winooski River, Keeping Track Vermont, Lewis Creek Association, Middlebury River Water Partnership, Missisquoi River Basin Association, Potash Brook - Voice Watershed, Poultney Watershed, Vermont Conservation Organization Association, Vermont Association of Conservation Districts, and the Winooski Park District.
Press releases detailing many of these grants are available online:
* October 30, 2003
* August 30, 2000
* April 3, 2000
* June 30, 1999
* February 24, 1999
More in-depth profiles about many of the groups WaterWheel has supported are available are available here. A great resource for more information about the Lake is the Lake Champlain Basin Program. Links to the websites of some of the groups WaterWheel has supported are below.
* Conservation Law Foundation
* Lake Champlain Lakekeeper
* Vermont Natural Resources Council
* Lake Champlain Committee
* Lake Champlain Land Trust
* Rubenstein Science Lab at the University of Vermont
* Citizens' Environmental Commission's EcoThreat
* Lake Champlain Maritime Museum
* ECHO Leahy Center For Lake Champlain
* Lewis Creek Association
* Friends of the Winooski River