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AVCC Awards 2024 Tiny Grants

The Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2024 Tiny Grants. This annual AVCC initiative provides seed money or matching funds to conservation commissions for specific land conservation, education and outreach, stewardship and management, and planning activities. Conservation commissions are non-regulatory bodies designed to advise planning commissions and select boards on natural resources issues.

The AVCC received applications from commissions across the state for a wide variety of conservation-related projects, including work to improve signage and repair trails on municipal lands, document wildlife activity with trail cameras, eradicate invasive plants and insects, and complete natural resource mapping, inventories and assessments. In May, the AVCC announced its decision to fund projects from the Greensboro Conservation Commission, Middletown Springs Conservation Commission, South Hero Conservation Commission and Thetford Conservation Commission.

Here are some more details about these projects:

Greensboro – Following the identification and documentation of 63 unique invasive infestations, the Greensboro Conservation Commission requested AVCC funding to support their ongoing invasive species education and management efforts. Tiny Grant funds will spur the creation of a Town Tool Library, including silage tarps, a sharpshooter shovel, and a weed wrench, which will be made available to the commission, community volunteers and other interested parties.

Middletown Springs – Funds will allow the commission to construct a bridge to make the Sullivan Educational Woods Loop Trail safer and more user-friendly for hikers, birders and mushroom foragers, while also protecting the stream zone and wetland areas from further disturbance. The Sullivan Educational Woods was donated to the Town of Middletown Springs for the purpose of supporting public education about forest resources (including wildlife habitat, timber and recreation) and inspiring and promoting a stewardship and conservation ethic.

South Hero – Tiny Grant funding will help the commission host a community event featuring live American Kestrels and educators from the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS), and to purchase building materials to construct nesting boxes in the fall. Habitat loss, pesticides, West Nile virus, and a lack of suitable nesting areas have all contributed to declining populations of these birds, the smallest falcon species in North America. The educational outreach event will take place at 1:30 pm on August 4, 2024 at the Worthen Library in South Hero.

Thetford – Funds will be used to purchase tools (weed wrench, loppers, work gloves, paint brushes & paint, and safety vests) to enable volunteer land management crews to paint boundary lines, manage invasive species, monitor wildlife and more in the Town Forest, Hughes Forest, Post Mills Natural Area, and Taylor Floodplain Preserve. The commission hopes to use these funds to execute its new Town Lands Management Plan, which was unanimously approved by the Selectboard on May 20, 2024, and replaces the previous plan from 2008.

AVCC also proudly supports the work of conservation commissions by hosting an annual summit for community volunteers engaged in planning and caring for Vermont’s natural resources. Details regarding the 2024 AVCC Annual Meeting and Conservation Summit will be announced in the coming weeks.

To stay in the loop about conservation initiatives happening near you, or to share your events with other conservation commissions, subscribe to our listserv by emailing vtconservation+subscribe@googlegroups.com. You may reach out directly to the AVCC Board by emailing vtconservation@gmail.com.

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Fall Webinars from the Community Wildlife Program

Since 2020, the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department’s Community Wildlife Program has offered a biannual webinar series geared to the municipal land use and conservation audience. Their 2025 Fall Webinar Series commences with an installment on black bears on Tuesday, September 30th and concludes with a discussion about planning outreach campaigns on Thursday, December 4th. More details on the entire series can be found below. You can also watch webinars from previous years at https://vtfishandwildlife.com/get-involved/partner-in-conservation/community-wildlife-program/community-wildlife-program-webinars.

Living with Bears

Living with bears takes a community! Join us for a discussion about Vermont’s black bears and what individuals and communities can do to better share Vermont with these curious and powerful animals. We will discuss bear biology, ecology, the factors that bring bears into our communities, and what we can do to resolve ongoing issues and prevent future conflicts with bears. Participants will leave this workshop with specific action items they can implement at home and in their community.  

Dates:
Session 1: Tuesday, September 30th from 1:00 to 2:00 pm – Register here
Session 2: Thursday, November 6th from 10:00 to 11:00 am – Register here

Presenters:
Jaclyn Comeau, Black Bear Project Leader, VT Fish & Wildlife Department
Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish & Wildlife Department

Developing an Outreach Plan to Celebrate your Town’s Woods, Wetlands and Wildlife 

It can be daunting to plan the outreach for a series of events or plan an outreach strategy that may lead up to a proposed municipal change, sometimes years in the making. In this webinar you’ll learn more about creating an outreach plan with multiple events, separating messages for different audiences and identifying an over-arching theme that helps tie the series together. The panel of presenters includes Elise Schadler and Jens Hilke  with years of municipal technical assistance experience and Megan Davin a Communications and Outreach specialist. Join us for this exciting event to help improve your commission’s communications.

Dates:
Session 1: Wednesday, October 22nd from 2:00 to 3:00 pm – Register here
Session 2: Thursday, December 4th from 1:00 to 2:00 pm – Register here

Presenters:
Elise Schadler, Program Manager, Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
Megan Davin, Communications and Outreach Specialist, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation
Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish & Wildlife Department

Using Overlay Districts to Protect Connecting Habitat

Connecting habitat has emerged over the last twenty years as an important issue to plan for to maintain Vermont’s biological diversity and provide resilience in the face of changing climate. Many of us gravitate toward the use of Overlay Districts as an important regulatory tool in maintaining this sort of pattern on the landscape. There are a variety of municipal tools that could be used to address land use pattern and it can be helpful to review all of the options before deciding on one. In this webinar, we’ll address the pros and cons of Overlay Districts for protecting habitat connectivity and use real world case studies to see what has worked.

Dates:
Session 1: Friday, October 17th from 1:00 to 2:00 pm – Register here
Session 2: Tuesday,  November 18th from 10:00 to 11:00 am – Register here

Presenter:
Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish & Wildlife Department

Vermont’s Land Conservation:  Where Do We Go From Here?

Vermont has an incredible track record of protecting land for people and nature. Using the Conserved Lands Inventory developed by Vermont Housing & Conservation Board as part of Vermont’s 30×30 effort, we reflect on the distribution of permanently conserved lands around the state, and how those lands intersect our most ecologically important places seen in Vermont Conservation Design. By looking at these past patterns, we can celebrate the work by federal, state, town, and NGOs. We can also reflect on the types of lands and parts of the state that have been historically under-represented in our land conservation investments, and prioritize future places to work for both people and nature. Join us for this exciting webinar to learn how your town’s efforts can contribute to making our conserved lands more diverse, equitable, and ecologically impactful.

Dates:
Session 1:  Wednesday, October 8th from  11:00 am to 12:00 pm – Register here
Session 2:  Wednesday, November 12th from 1:00 to 2:00 pm – Register here

Presenters: 
Bob Zaino, Ecologist, VT Fish & Wildlife Department
Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish & Wildlife Department

2025 Conservation Summit: Community for Conservation

Thanks to all members of the conservation community that joined us for our 2025 Virtual Summit and Annual Meeting on Wednesday, September 10th. This year’s meeting featured over 50 AVCC members representing nearly 30 conservation commissions from across Vermont. We were greatly enthused by the turnout and pleased to have this opportunity to talk to and receive feedback from our members, supporters and friends. A special thanks goes out to our three CC presenters – Sue Stasny of Monkton, Jamie Kurowski of Cambridge, and Mark Naud of South Hero – as well as our two partner presenters – Jim Arbruster with the Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS) and Kevin Tolan with the Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE) – for their contributions. The full agenda and recording of the 2025 Annual Meeting can be found below.

12:00 pm: Introduction and Board Business
Programming Update and Agenda Rundown: Bill Dell’Isola, Board Chair
Membership/Financial Update: Mead Binhammer, Board Treasurer
Board Elections: Marian Wolz, Board Secretary
Proposed Bylaw Changes: Bill Dell’Isola, Board Chair

12:15 pm: Monkton Conservation Commission
Sue Stasny, Co-Chair, shared the commission’s work to assemble and circulate birdwatching kits through the Russell Memorial Library, reducing the hobby’s barrier of entry for lower-income residents and spreading awareness and appreciation for the diversity of bird species in Addison County.

12:25 pm: Cambridge Conservation Commission
Cambridge’s Jamie Kurowski presented the commission’s efforts to expand and deepen community engagement and outreach, specifically with its “BYOCutlery” incentive program at the Jeffersonville Farmers Market and “Welcome to Cambridge” packet for new residents.

12:35 pm: South Hero Conservation Commission
Mark Naud, Chair, talked about the commission’s American Kestrel project, which included an educational presentation from a VINS naturalist and the construction and installation of nesting boxes throughout town. Read the “Success Story” here.

12:45 pm: Vermont Institute of Natural Science (VINS)
Jim Armbruster, Lead Biologist, discuseed VINS’ work on the American Kestrel Research Project, an effort to reverse the decline in American Kestrel populations by building, installing and monitoring nesting boxes.

1:00 pm: Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE)
Kevin Tolan, Staff Biologist, spoke about VCE’s Vernal Pool Atlas, and how CCs can plug into the effort to identify and monitor the health of these unique wetland ecosystems.

1:15 pm: Closing Remarks and Member Feedback

All conservation commission members who attend the meeting were automatically entered into a drawing to win an AVCC t-shirt. Congratulations to our winner, Karen McKnight of the Underhill Conservation Commission!

Annual Summit Presentations

Vermont Conservation Plan Regional Listening Sessions

The Vermont Conservation Plan (VCP) Regional Listening Sessions were the first round of public engagement following the release of the Phase 1 Inventory Report, an inventory of conserved land and conservation policies around the state. These sessions consisted of an overview of the VCP guiding legislation, timeline, goals, and work to date, as well as updates from the Agency of Natural Resources and the American Farmland Trust. In order to gather as much public input as possible, these sessions were hosted at four locations across the state – Ludlow (7/23), South Burlington (7/24), East Burke (7/29), and Brandon (7/30) – with a virtual session held on August 5th for those that couldn’t attend in person. Learn more below or at the VCP website, https://lab2.future-iq.com/vcp/.

Wednesday, July 23rd – Ludlow
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Jackson Gore Inn at Okemo Mountain Resort (111 Jackson Gore Rd, Ludlow, VT 05149)

Thursday, July 24th – South Burlington
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Delta Hotel (1117 Williston Rd, South Burlington, VT 05403)

Tuesday, July 29th – East Burke
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Burke Mountain Hotel & Conference Center (2559 Mountain Rd, East Burke, VT 05832)

Wednesday, July 30 – Brandon
4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Brandon Town Hall (1 Conant Square, Brandon, VT 05733)

Tuesday, August 5th – Virtual
9:00 am to 10:30 am

The draft objectives and pathways that create the proposed framework for the Vermont Conservation Plan are listed below. These materials, as well as a number of conservation project success stories, can be found at https://lab2.future-iq.com/vcp/summer25-rls-materials/.

Objective One: Support Conservation in Communities

Objective Two: Center Vermont Conservation Design

Objective Three: Strengthen Conservation Capacity

The Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act, also known as Act 59 or the “30×30” bill, was passed in June 2023.  To catch up on all the work completed to date, check out the Phase 1 Inventory Report.  Additional information can be found in the Annexes (analyses, notes, and recommendations from the community) and Working Group Reports (deeper reviews of focal topics, including the management of state lands, aquatic systems, agricultural lands, and conservation categories).

AVCC Awards Tiny Grants to Eight Conservation Commissions

The Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) is pleased to announce the recipients of our 2025 Tiny Grants. This annual initiative provides seed money or matching funds to conservation commissions for specific land conservation, education and outreach, stewardship and management, and planning activities.

This spring, we received a record 31 applications for nearly $20,000 in combined funding, a reflection of both the vitality of Vermont’s many conservation commissions as well as the need for better resourcing and support. This year, we are proud to award over $4,000 – more than double our 2024 total – to eight commissions across four counties. These grants are made possible with generous support from The Nature Conservancy in Vermont, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission and Vermont Natural Resources Council. 

We received applications from commissions across the state for a wide variety of conservation-related projects, including work to improve signage and repair trails on municipal lands, document wildlife activity with trail cameras, eradicate invasive plants and insects, and complete natural resource mapping, inventories and assessments. After much deliberation, the AVCC Board elected to fund projects from Bolton, Cambridge, Fayston, Johnson, Monkton, New Haven, Starksboro and Westford. Here are some more details about these projects:

Bolton – Joiner Brook Plantings 

Funding to reestablish native plant species at a former parking area at the bottom of Bolton Valley Access Road, restoring a buffer and promoting flood resilience along Joiner Brook, a tributary of the Winooski River.

Cambridge – Expanding Community Engagement Around Conservation

Funding to expand CCC’s community outreach beyond their existing communication channels, bridging the gap between digital and in-person engagement and ensuring all residents have opportunities to shape conservation efforts. Part of this effort included the design, printing and distribution of a “Welcome to Cambridge” brochure for new residents and a “BYOCutlery” incentive program at the Jeffersonville Farmers Market.

Fayston – Boyce Hill Town Forest Documentary 

Funding to produce a documentary about the history of Boyce Hill, a 93-acre property that was donated and preserved via conservation easement. The documentary will help communicate to residents about management goals for the property and engage volunteers for future land management. 

Johnson – Johnson Pollinator Garden

Funding to enhance a nascent pollinator and native wildflower garden on an unused, unkept parcel of town-owned land adjacent to a skate park, community garden, and mobile home park. The garden will serve as a learning-lab to help educate the community about the value of flood resiliency projects.

Monkton – Birdwatching Kit Lending Library

Funding to purchase three birdwatching kits for residents to borrow from Monkton’s Russell Memorial Library, enabling Monkton residents to develop an appreciation for nature via direct experience. 

New Haven – Trail Camera Lending Library Program

Funding to purchase two trail cams and accessories for residents to borrow from the New Haven Community Library, engaging New Haven residents in learning about, documenting, and stewarding wildlife while collecting essential wildlife data to help the Planning Commission make informed decisions about land use.

Starksboro – Cota Conserved Lands Invasives Project

Funding to purchase two specialized Extractigator tools for invasive species removal in the riparian areas along Lewis Creek. These tools will help the commission pursue its educational and community engagement goals, giving volunteers hands-on conservation experience. 

Westford – Westford Trail Enhancement Project

Funding to purchase lumber and hardware for the construction of two essential 8’ x 3’ bridges each in the Misty Meadows and Maple Shade trail networks to increase trail accessibility and mitigate environmental degradation in the face of worsening weather.

Excitingly, three of these CCs—New Haven, Starksboro, and Westford—are receiving their first Tiny Grant since at least 2016, and each is also a new AVCC member.  We are excited to contribute to the important community-based conservation work these commissions have been doing for years.

The AVCC again extends its congratulations to all of the 2025 Tiny Grant award recipients and looks forward to seeing the positive impact these projects have on their communities. We also want to thank the commissions whose proposals we did not fund; it was heartening to read about all the innovative projects being planned and executed by hardworking volunteers across Vermont.

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Thank you for your contribution to the AVCC!

Your donation goes a long way in supporting local conservation. In 2024, our Tiny Grants program accounted for nearly 74% of our total spending, which means most of your contribution goes directly to the community volunteers making a difference in cities and towns across Vermont!

Founded in 1990 and governed by an all-volunteer Board of Directors, the Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to support Vermont’s existing conservation commissions and encourage the establishment of new ones. Our EIN is 03-0350552. All donations are tax-deductible.

You will receive an email acknowledgement from the AVCC Board of Directors (vtconservation@gmail.com), but please reach out should you need anything further. We greatly appreciate your support, and look forward to working with you on conservation projects in your town!

AVCC Webinar: 2025 Updates to the Climate Action Plan

The Vermont Climate Council is in the process of updating the state’s Climate Action Plan, with a finalized plan due by July 1, 2025.  This plan has a necessarily broad focus on cutting climate pollution and helping communities adapt and become more resilient in a warming world. On Wednesday, March 26, the AVCC and VECAN (the Vermont Energy and Climate Action Network) co-hosted a webinar to explore some of the ideas in play and how you (and your networks) can help shape the plan.

Climate Action Plan – Status Update and Input Opportunities
Wednesday, March 26th at 12:00 pm EST
Register: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/9c2hI8bETommhVzm5HrHuQ

We were joined by the following members of the Vermont Climate Council who are helping to lead the pollution cutting, rural resilience, and agriculture and ecosystems pieces of this important work.:
➡ Jared Duval, Energy Action Network, member of a Vermont-based organization with expertise in energy and data analysis
➡ David Mears, member with expertise in the design and implementation of programs to increase resilience to and respond to natural disasters resulting from climate change (also the chair of the Northfield Conservation Commission)
➡ Johanna Miller, Vermont Natural Resources Council, member to represent a statewide environmental organization
➡ Jaiel Pulskamp, Kettle Song Farm, member to represent the farm and forest sector

The Vermont Climate Council is expected to release a draft version at the end of March, and has scheduled public engagement opportunities throughout April in towns across Vermont (see below). Please follow this link to view the full list of priority recommendations from the Council’s subcommittees (please note that the Climate Council has not yet reached consensus on these actions).

➡ April 10, 5:30-7 pm: Virtual  |  Register for a virtual event 

➡ April 14, 6-8 pm: Hardwick  |  Hardwick Town House, 127 W Church St, Hardwick, VT 05843 |  Register for Hardwick event 

➡ April 15, 6-8 pm: Hinesburg  |  Champlain Valley Union High School, 369 CVU Rd, Hinesburg, VT 05461  |  Register for Hinesburg event 

➡ April 16, 6-8 pm: St. Albans  |  St. Albans City Hall, 100 N Main St, St Albans, VT 05478  |  Register for St. Albans event 

➡ April 17, 6-8 pm: Bennington  |  Bennington Fire Department, 130 River St, Bennington, VT 05201  |  Register for Bennington event 

➡ April 23, 5:30-7:30 pm: Bellows Falls  |  Rockingham Free Public Library, 65 Westminster St, Bellows Falls, VT 05101  | Register for Bellows Falls Event 

➡ April 28, 5:30-7:30 pm: Barre  |  Old Labor Hall, 46 Granite St, Barre, VT 05641  |  Register for Barre event

➡ April 30, 5:30-7:30 pm: Rutland  |  Rutland Regional Planning Commission, 16 Evelyn St 2nd Floor, Rutland, VT 05701  |  Register for Rutland event 

➡ May 1, 12-1:30 pm: Virtual  |  Register for a virtual event

Contact anr.cao@vermont.gov or call (802) 404-2729 with any questions, including for any accessibility needs (language, transportation, disability, etc.) to participate in the spring input sessions.

You can also view upcoming meetings of the Council and its various subcommittees on the calendar on their website. Vermonters are encouraged to join these meetings to share their thoughts with the Council, or submit a written comment here.

“Local Conservation for Regional Outcomes”: AVCC Panel at the Vermont Conservation Conference on October 7, 2024

On Monday, October 7, 2024, the AVCC hosted a panel discussion around the promise and potential of regional collaboration between conservation commissions at Sowing Seeds: Conservation Connections for a Resilient Future, the first statewide conservation conference in Vermont in over a decade. The theme for the session was “Local Conservation for Regional Outcomes”, and we sought to explore how commissions have come together to address some of the biggest conservation challenges – such as invasive species, flood resilience, and forest fragmentation – that don’t stop at a town’s borders.

The session included presentations from Margo Ghia of the Windham Regional Commission, Jim Henderson of the Bennington County Regional Commission and the Sandgate Conservation Commission, Heidi Willis of the Salisbury
Conservation Commission, and Curt Lindberg from the Waitsfield Conservation Commission representing the Tri-Town Partnership (Fayston-Waitsfield-Warren).
We greatly appreciate both our panelists and attendees for sharing their experience and enthusiasm for partnering with neighboring communities on conservation projects

In addition to our panel, Board members Mead Binhammer, Bill Dell’Isola, Suma Lash, Marian Wolz, and volunteer Alex Connizzo took turns running the AVCC materials table in the main presentation hall, where we sold raffle tickets to raise funds for the upcoming round of Tiny Grants. We want to thank our generous raffle sponsors for helping us raise nearly $700 for local conservation!

The raffle included items from Bee’s Wrap, Hunger Mountain Co-op, King Arthur Baking Company, Lunaroma, Orvis, Patagonia, Skida, Skinny Pancake, Switchback, Trapp Family Lodge, and Vermont Glove. Congratulations to our winners, Kate E. from Burlington, Kate W. from Chelsea, Mark N. from South Hero!

2024 Conservation Summit: Amplifying Local Voices

Thank you for attending our 2024 Virtual Annual Summit on Thursday, September 5, 2024! We were greatly enthused by the turnout, with nearly 70 participants joining the call to find out about AVCC’s latest activities. As we plan our programming for the coming year, we encourage you to reach out to the AVCC Board at vtconservation@gmail.com with any comments, questions, and/or webinar ideas.

We would like to extend our deep gratitude to our four presenters, Steve Harrington from the Middletown Springs Conservation Commission, Willow Uth from the Putney Conservation Commission (with additional contributions from Gino Palmeri), Krista Karlson from the Thetford Conservation Commission, and Julie Frost from the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at UVM. More details, including links to their presentations, can be found below.

Speaking of gratitude, we bid a fond farewell to Mark Nelson, Chair of the Ripton Conservation Commission, who is departing the AVCC after six years of service. As Board Chair, Mark stewarded the organization through the pandemic, leaving us on strong footing thanks to his thoughtful and dedicated leadership. We know Mark will continue working for the benefit of Vermont’s forests and communities, and we wish him the best in the years ahead. Thanks for everything, Mark!

We also want to congratulate Greta Hasler and Gannon Osborn on their election to the AVCC Board! They both bring great experience to the Board, and we look forward to working with them over the next three years.

We hope you’ll join us again next month for our panel on regional collaboration at the 2024 Statewide Conservation Conference in Randolph. Registration is now open: Sowing Seeds: Conservation Connections For A Resilient Future.

Annual Summit Presentations

Middletown Springs Conservation Commission
Steve Harrington spoke about the commission’s efforts to educate residents on issues of conservation through the town’s forest, the Sullivan Educational Woods. Middletown Springs received a 2024 Tiny Grant to construct a bridge on their hiking trail, making the path safer and more user-friendly while also protecting the stream from disturbance.

Watch the presentation / View the slideshow

Putney Conservation Commission
Willow Uth detailed Putney’s efforts to manage invasive species in the East Putney Forest Block, an important wildlife habitat and corridor connecting forested land on either side of Route 5. The commission used funds from a 2023 Tiny Grant to purchase special girdling knives and uprooter tools, and they’ve engaged local experts in the fight against buckthorn and Japanese stiltgrass.

Watch the presentation / View the slideshow

Thetford Conservation Commission
Krista Karlson talked about recruiting volunteers to implement Thetford’s recently updated Town Lands Management Plan, which the commission helped craft. Funds from their 2024 Tiny Grant will be used to purchase supplies for painting boundary lines, wildlife monitoring, invasive species management and more in the Town Forest, Hughes Forest, Post Mills Nature Area, and Taylor Floodplain Preserve.

Watch the presentation / View the slideshow
Contact the Commission
Read the Thetford Town Lands Management Plan

Vermont Town Forest Census Project
Julie Frost updated AVCC members on efforts underway to inventory municipally-owned town forests across Vermont and better understand their current governance, usage, accessibility, and stewardship. Once the census is complete, the researchers will put together a map of all town forests, with a public database with details about acreage, location, key contacts, and more. The Town Forest Census Project is a collaboration between the Vermont Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation and the University of Vermont.

Watch the presentation / View the slideshow
Contact the Researchers
Click Here to Access the Town Forest Stewardship Toolkit

Thank You, Mark!

Mark Nelson is a retired financial services executive who retired early to commit his time and energy to conservation, environmental, and social work. Mark’s passion for conservation and environmental protection is based on his desire to “be the voice for those that have no say in human decisions that have an impact on them”. He is a founding member and current Board President of Standing Trees Vermont, and continues to serve his community as Chair of the Ripton Conservation Commission. From 2014 to 2018, Mark was Chair of the Vermont Sierra Club Executive Committee, and is also a past board member at Vermont Natural Resources Council and Habitat for Humanity of Addison County, and a former member of the Ripton Energy Committee and the Ripton Energy Assistance Program (REAP). He is an Advanced EMT, Wilderness EMT and firefighter with Ripton Fire & Rescue and Middlebury Regional EMS.

Congrats, Gannon and Greta!

Greta Hasler
Greta joined the AVCC Board while serving as Communications Director at Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC), and currently works as Communications Director for Vermont State University. She is an active member of the Cambridge Conservation Commission, and draws on her experience in advocacy and engagement around climate and energy policy, responsible resource management and food system resiliency. She was formerly on the outreach team at U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders’ Vermont office, led clean water permitting for agriculture at the Maryland Department of the Environment, and supported renewable energy policy work at both the Sierra Club and 350Vermont.

Gannon Osborn
Gannon is the Land Conservation Program Manager with the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR), where he has worked since 2018. In this position, he works to conserve land through additions to State Parks and State Forests, as well as conservation easements held by FPR. Gannon has experience working with local land trusts in regional land conservation and conservation stewardship, as well as in environmental consulting. Outside of work, he enjoys exploring the outdoors in all manners and all seasons, cooking over an open fire, traveling to new places, hunting down the best general store baked goods, and relaxing with a good book.

Act 59: Public Meeting to Review Vermont’s Draft Conservation Inventory on Thursday, June 27th

As part of the Act 59 implementation process, the Vermont Conservation Strategy Initiative (VCSI) team is hosting a virtual public meeting at 4:00 pm on June 27, 2024 to review the draft inventory of conserved lands in Vermont. Register today!

The “Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act” (CRBPA, or Act 59), was passed by the legislature last July, and commits Vermont to the goal of conserving 30 percent of its land by 2030 and 50 percent by 2050. The bill requires the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB), in consultation with the Agency of Natural Resources, to develop an inventory of conserved lands that takes stock of existing conservation data and practices, public and professional perspectives, and opportunities and avenues for future conservation.

As part of this process, VCSI has collected stakeholder input through surveys, focus groups, interviews, and roundtables, including two sessions with conservation commissions – an in-person meeting at Waitsfield Town Hall on March 20th and a virtual focus group hosted by the AVCC on March 27th. The upcoming June 27th meeting represents yet another opportunity for commission members to share their thoughts and perspectives on this historic legislation.

The inventory, which represents a culmination of all the VCSI work to date, is required to be submitted for review to the House Committees on Environment and Energy and on Agriculture, Food Resiliency, and Forestry and the Senate Committee
on Natural Resources and Energy by July 1st, 2024. A statewide conservation plan that details the strategies for biodiversity protection and land management that will enable the state to reach its 30 x 30 and 50 x 50 conservation goals is due to the legislature by December 31st, 2025.

You can find out more about the Act 59 implementation process by visiting the VCSI website at https://vhcb.org/our-programs/vcsi.