Category Archives: AVCC Events

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!