Project Update: Derway Cove Celebration! On September 27, 2022 the Lake Champlain Land Trust and Winooski Valley Park District welcomed our partners and the public to Derway Cove to help us celebrate the permanent conservation of this new riverfront access area. (Learn more: Derway Cove featured in North Avenue News)
Our latest conservation success encapsulates four key aspects of our mission—protecting water quality, saving biodiversity, conserving scenic beauty, and expanding public access.
Thanks to the support of our members and our project partner, the Winooski Valley Park District (WVPD), Derway Cove is now a place where rare plants and animals are protected, the scenic view from the Burlington Greenway Bridge is preserved, and community members are able to access the Winooski River and Lake Champlain free of charge.
Derway Cove and its natural, scenic, and recreational resources are now permanently protected by a conservation easement held by the Lake Champlain Land Trust and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. Earlier this year, the Partners created a river access path winding among over 150 water-quality improving trees we planted in 2020. Derway Cove has already become a popular spot for walkers, birders, and anglers.
Thanks to the support of our members, we are able to continue our long tradition of working tirelessly to ensure equitable access to Lake Champlain and its natural areas—places that provide our communities with safe, close-to-home spots to recreate and enjoy.
The Transformation of Derway Cove
The Derway Cove project started in late 2016 when the previous owner, the Bowler family, who operated River’s End Marina on the site for over 40 years, agreed to give WVPD and the Lake Champlain Land Trust the opportunity to fundraise and acquire the property for public use.
In September 2018, the Bowler family sold the property to the WVPD with the support of the Lake Champlain Land Trust, Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and the Burlington Conservation Legacy Program.
All buildings and infrastructure on the site were removed and remediated in 2019 thanks to funding from FEMA that was facilitated by the State of Vermont DPS Division of Emergency Management. Thanks to a grant from the Lake Champlain and Tributaries Restoration Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, the site has now been transformed to an ecologically-sensitive public access area. (View a video of the demolition and before and after images.)
The Lake Champlain Land Trust will continue to work with the WVPD to renaturalize key portions of the site to protect rare species, improve water quality, and absorb floodwaters.
Our Goal: Equitable Access to the Lake
Derway Cove is just the latest in a long line of Lake Champlain Land Trust conservation projects aimed at making it easier for folks to access our beloved Lake Champlain.
The Lake Champlain Land Trust has a proud history of working with communities to protect dozens of free access points such as Mill River Falls in Georgia, Round Pond in South Hero, Split Rock Mountain in Westport, and most recently, Rock Point in Burlington.
Our supporters take pride in knowing that our conservation work opens up new outdoor recreation opportunities for all residents and protects community trails that have been loved for generations.
When You Go:
Derway Cove is now open! The access area is located at 3090 North Avenue in Burlington. You may click this Google Maps link to generate custom driving directions from your location to the Derway Cove / Derway Island Natural Area parking area.
Walkers, anglers, and birders will find lots of wildlife and beautiful scenery at Derway Cove. Paddlers can park at the parking area and carry or pull their canoe or kayak approximately 500 feet from the gate to the launch site. All are welcome to use the canoe carts stored at the gate. (Be sure to check the Current Lake Temperature before heading out.) Email us at for more information.
Partners:
Derway Cove was conserved in partnership with the Winooski Valley Park District, the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, and the Lake Champlain Land Trust. Government agencies and organizations providing critical support included the Burlington Conservation Legacy Program, FEMA, the State of Vermont Division of Public Safety Emergency Management Division, and the Lake Champlain and Tributaries Restoration Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation.
Want to help us save our next public access project? Make a secure donation today!
