How willows keep one stream cool and clean

A dairy in Homer, N.Y., planted trees to protect local water

Willow wattles growing along Factory Brook in Homery, N.Y., provide a buffer from agricultural runoff as well as crucial shade for fish and other wildlife that needs cold water to survive. The willows were planted by McMahon's E-Z Acres where the stream flows through the dairy farm. About two-thirds of the farm's 2,500 acres rests above the groundwater aquifer that is the only water supply for the village of Homer. As their business has grown, brothers Michael and Peter McMahon's awareness of their farm’s potential impact on their neighbors has led them to be fervent stewards and engage their community—for the benefit of both local streams and faraway bodies of water like the Chesapeake Bay.

Video Credits

Produced by

Will Parson

Music:

"The Provisions" by Blue Dot Sessions via Free Music Archive

Special thanks to

Michael McMahon