Category Archives: AVCC Summits

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, discussed 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

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.

2023 Conservation Summit: Elevating Local Successes

Thanks to everyone for another fantastic Conservation Summit! Our 2023 virtual summit and annual meeting was held on Thursday, October 19th. During the meeting, we recognized and appreciated Nancy Jones’ over 20 years of dedicated service to the Board, and announced that she will not be seeking another term. After a brief financial snapshot of AVCC, we heard an overview of the recently passed 30 x 30 law (H.126, or Act 59) in Vermont and the work that lies ahead in its implementation. It was wonderful to hear from members of Conservation Commissions in 7 communities across Vermont who have received AVCC Tiny Grants to support their work in the past. Thank you to the Conservation Commission members from Bolton, Hartford, Jericho, Johnson, Monkton, Richford, and Shrewsbury, who shared their important work with us. 

Presentations from the 2023 Conservation Summit: Elevating Local Successes, 10/19/23

2022 Conservation Summit: Resilient Communities and Landscapes

Thanks to everyone for another fantastic Conservation Summit!

Presentations from the 2022 Conservation Summit: Resilient Communities and Landscapes, 10/15/22

2021 Conservation Summit: Caring for the Land

Thanks to everyone who organized, presented and attended our 2021 summit! Though the COVID pandemic again forced us to go entirely virtual, we were nonetheless able to meet and immerse ourselves in several interesting and related topics. In her opening session, Judy Dow set the scene of “going through the Narrows” as a metaphor for the path ahead in a world of changing climate and helped us focus ourselves on this journey and the path ahead. Then, Dr. Bill Keaton addressed the caring for the land theme with “Carbon Friendly Forests and Forestry” breaking out the key points landowners and conservationists need to know about the basics of carbon forestry and carbon markets. From there, Lynn McNamara and Zapata Courage delved into “Balancing Recreation and Ecological Goals” in our land management with wonderful insights into wetland management and examples from The Nature Conservancy’s stewardship of Raven Ridge. Alicia Daniels took us “On the Trail of Wildlife with a Vermont Master Naturalist” and we were able to do a virtual hike to Raven Ridge understanding the same place with a different lens as she addressed how appreciation of the landscape helps bring people to manage it with love and respect. Lastly, Judy Dow offered the keynote address, bringing together all these themes and engaging participants in a lively discussion. Many thanks to our presenters, sponsors, and participants and especially to Judy Dow for her leadership in this effort!