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Did You Know?
During the heyday of the Champlain Canal, between 1823 and the early twentieth century, thousands of canal boats passed between Lake Champlain and the Hudson River, transporting raw materials and finished products.
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Natural Resources & Biodiversity
Photo: Becca Rimmel
A diverse biological community is important for the function of Lake Champlain and its watershed. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of an ecosystem. Systems with a large number of species that includes plants, animals, insects and fish are typically considered to be “healthier” than those with fewer species. Ecosystems with a large number of species tend to be more resilient to changing climate conditions and other pressures, including humans. Additionally, diverse ecosystems provide beneficial services to human populations, including food, clean water, and recreational opportunities.
Habitat degradation, particularly fragmentation of habitat, is among the greatest threats to fish and wildlife populations. Wetlands, lakeshores, and stream corridors are especially important, providing critical habitat connections in the landscape. Dams, impassable culverts, and other road crossings pose barriers to migrating fish, invertebrates, and amphibians. Landlocked Atlantic salmon, eastern brook trout, and lake sturgeon are unable to reach historic spawning waters.
The improvement of fish passage and habitat connectivity has become a conservation priority in the Basin. Recent work has focused on improving aquatic organism passage (AOP) by mapping and prioritizing culverts for replacement and protecting wildlife corridors by restoring riparian and floodplain areas. Other projects have retrofitted culverts to improve passage for fish and other aquatic organisms.
More on Biodiversity
For more information about efforts to protect critical habitat and improve connectivity, please visit the ““Biodiversity”” section of our State of the Lake website.
To learn about actions taken to protect and enhance biodiversity in the Basin, please visit the “Healthy Ecosystem Goal” section of the Lake Champlain management plan Opportunities for Action.
Vermont Wildlife Resources
New York State Biodiversity Clearinghouse
Québec Biodiversity Atlas
What is the
State of the Lake?
Learn about the health of Lake Champlain in the 2018 State of the Lake report. Read about trends in key indicators of water quality and ecosystem health. Read the State of the Lake report
Make Some Waves
From using lake-friendly cleaning products to volunteering with a local watershed group, you can help restore and protect the Lake Champlain Basin. Find out how you can get involved
Track Our Progress
Explore the goals and actions of our partners and track our progress online with the Opportunities for Action website. View Opportunities for Action
