Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area

In the western foothills of the Green Mountains of Vermont, the dramatic cliffs of White Rocks National Recreation Area provide a stunning backdrop for visitors and residents. Outdoor adventurers can explore mature hemlock and oak forests, which are rich with rare vegetation and wildlife. Anglers can spend a whole day fishing for brook trout from Otter Creek, the state’s longest river, which meanders through this stunning landscape before eventually emptying into Lake Champlain. But beyond its beauty and recreation opportunities, the area holds something more powerful. This extensive wetlands system safeguards local communities by decreasing flood risk and mitigating the effects of climate change.

Two miles upstream from the historic village of Wallingford, 355 acres around Otter Creek were in danger of development and fragmentation—jeopardizing water quality, endangering rare species, and increasing flood risk to downstream communities. In 2011, protected wetlands and floodplains further down the Otter Creek Basin prevented $1.8 million of flood damage in the town of Middlebury, VT during Tropical Storm Irene. With increased precipitation and extreme storm events due to climate change, protecting and restoring wetlands, floodplains and upland forest is critical to protecting local communities, like Wallingford where essential buildings—their fire station, elementary school, and town garage—are all vulnerable to flood risk. In partnership with the Vermont Department of Fish & Wildlife, Trust for Public Land helped protect this landscape as an expansion to the Otter Creek Wildlife Management Area—helping build stronger, more climate-resilient communities for Vermonters.