After tropical storm Irene hit Vermont in 2011, RMI partnered with Craig Mosher of Mosher Excavating to help restore his land that was heavily damaged and nearly stripped of topsoil as a result of the flooding.
During the aftermath of the storm, Craig selflessly volunteered his time and equipment to help restore access to local roads that were blocked by mud and debris from the Ottauquechee River. As his own property was still in need of some serious TLC, team members from RMI stepped in and offered to assist with the restoration by providing the materials necessary to build a topsoil that would restore the fertility and functionality of his land at no cost to Mosher, as well as to provide operational oversight for the project.
The field, previously a beautiful three-acre pasture located near the entrance of the town of Killington was land that Mosher had planned to utilize as productive cropland, and so our team was determined to give him back that opportunity. The project kicked off in March of 2012, where coordination between both parties allowed the removal of rocks and debris in the field by Mosher Excavating, and the stockpiling of material for the topsoil blend by RMI to occur concurrently over the next few months. By the end of June, RMI delivered just over 2150 cubic yards of paper fiber and 600 cubic yards of biosolids, both of which were mixed with sand by Mosher Excavating to produce a beautifully blended and vigorous topsoil.
Spreading began in early August lasting roughly two weeks, and by mid-month, nine new inches of topsoil covered the previously stripped field. The pasture was seeded the first week of September with a conservation seeding mix and annual rye. A thick grass cover was established by the end of Fall and the pasture was back to full productivity, allowing Craig to resume with his future plans for the pasture. Site visits and follow ups with Craig confirmed that the land remained healthy and active, and that the topsoil was able to withstand additional weather events.
We were grateful to have been given the opportunity to support our community during the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, and to partner with someone as charitable and deserving as Craig Mosher. RMI has continued to work with him throughout the years on additional projects at his nearby gravel pit.
