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On the Third Branch of the White River in Bethel, conserved lands upstream of Bethel Village, in an area where the floodplain is broad, the river meanders widely, and natural floodplain forests line the valley Conservation and Flood Resiliency like a string of pearls. These lands fared better in Irene than the more constrained and more developed land downstream, where damage was severe. Protecting floodplain forests through conservation easements also enhances the biological diversity of our landscape. Floodplain forests are a rare natural community type in Vermont, having been largely converted to agricultural use because of the natural fertility and ease of tilling in alluvial soils.
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