The Vermont Introduced Species Collaborative hosted its 3rd Annual Introduced Species Collaborative Gathering on Friday, May 8th in Montpelier. This event was for anyone interested or engaged in introduced (invasive) species management to gather and learn how different organizations and volunteer groups are working to protect Vermont’s natural communities and working landscapes. It was a full day of building connections and knowledge, and we hope that our online and in-person attendees all walked away with new ideas, new energy, and new contacts that will expand and enhance their work. 

The Collaborative also extends its gratitude to the event’s many speakers for the effort and care that they put into creating engaging presentations related to introduced species management. It was inspiring to see the breadth of knowledge in the room, from community level coordination of volunteers to cross agency partnerships.

3rd Annual Vermont Introduced Species Collaborative Gathering
9:00 am to 3:30 pm | Friday, May 8th
111 State Street, Room #110, Montpelier, VT 05602

The 2026 gathering featured presentations and discussions on these topics and more:
➡ Cross-agency treatment of tree of heaven with the Agency of Transportation and the Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation
➡ Mad River Knotweed Project qualitative research project with community partners
➡ A spotlight on the Aquatic Invasive Species Program
➡ State ecologist perspective on invasives management on state lands
➡ Five-minute flash presentations on species specific management strategies, partnerships, and town-level organizing

Below are some helpful links to keep up the momentum:
Planting Guidelines for Agency of Natural Resources Lands  – effective native planting methods for a variety of different project types
Aquatic Introduced Species Patrol Program – trainings start in June
Forest Pest First Detector Program – link to a directory of FPFDs who are interested in networking and connecting with others
Site Tours of MycoEvolve’s Restoration Work at Shelburne Farms

Click here for the full agenda and find recordings below:

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Morning Session:

Language Conversation, Regulated Introduced Plant Species Rule Overview, and VTInvasives.org Website Updates (recording)
• Emilie Inoue, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets
• Gwen Kozlowski, UVM Extension / Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

Mad River Valley Invasive Species and Habitat Restoration Initiative (recording)
Ever wonder what it takes to grow, sustain and improve a community-based invasive species and habitat restoration initiative? Some answers are starting to emerge from a qualitative research study of the initiative in the Mad River Valley. This is a conversation among research team members and leaders of this valley-wide effort to glean early insights from the research.
• Andrea Henderson, Fayston Conservation Commission
• Curt Lindberg, Waitsfield Conservation Commission
• Zoë Smiarowski, UVM Field Naturalist Program

A State Ecologist Perspective (recording)
This presentation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how introduced invasive terrestrial plant species are managed across Vermont Agency of Natural Resources lands. It will highlight how the State Lands Ecologist, with the VT Fish & Wildlife Department, coordinates with land managers through project review, site visits, and ongoing consultation, along with collaborative efforts such as the Black Ash Workgroup and partnerships with organizations like Ruffed Grouse Society.
• Danielle Owczarski, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department

— Five Minute Flash Presentations —

Innovative and Effective Non Chemical Strategies of Ecological, Multi-Functional Riparian Forested Buffer (recording)
• Jess Rubin, UVM Department of Agriculture, Landscape, and Environment / MycoEvolve

Black Ash Stewardship (recording)
• Joanne Garton, Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program

Calais Phragmites Control Project (recording)
• Neal Maker, Calais Conservation Commission

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Afternoon Session:

Aquatic Invasive Species Program (recording)
• Kim Jensen, Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation

Lake Champlain Aquatic Invasive Species Management (recording)
• Meg Modley, Lake Champlain Basin Program

— Five Minute Flash Presentations —

Controlling and Poison Parsnip in Lincoln (recording)
• Tina Scharf, formerly with the Lincoln Conservation Commission

Mechanical Management of European Frogbit (recording)
• Kate Kelly, Lewis Creek Association

Help Spot Spotted Lanternfly! (recording)
• Ginger Nickerson, Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program

Integrated Pest Management (recording)
• Stephanie Smith, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets

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Tree of Heaven Collaboration (recording)
Bonnie and Noah will share about their collaborative management of tree-of-heaven and how the challenge of managing introduced plant pests has brought about the opportunity for greater communication and connection between their agencies.
• Bonnie Donahue, Vermont Agency of Transportation
• Noah Hoffman, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

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The AVCC was pleased to see so many conservation commissioners in attendance at this year’s event, including a few presenters. The vast majority of our member commissions are actively engaged in monitoring, removal and remediation initiatives on town-owned lands, and we strongly encourage that this work continue in coordination with partner groups and neighboring CCs. Let us know what you’re working on and how we can help by emailing info@vtconservation.org.

About the Vermont Introduced Species Collaborative: Comprised of members from the Vermont Land Trust, the Vermont Agency of Agriculture Food and Markets, the Vermont Association of Conservation Districts, and the Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions, we have joined together to build a unified and inclusive network that aims to connect all those whose work intersects with the management of introduced (invasive) species in Vermont. By fostering collaboration, trust-building, and diverse participation, we aim to ensure that all practitioners have access to accurate, timely information and an effective network of communication. This network promotes cooperation among government, landowners, industry, conservation groups, and the public to address the challenges posed by introduced species. Together, we strive for mutual gains and sustainable outcomes through a balanced approach that complements voluntary actions with the support of regulatory and state agencies.

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.

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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

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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

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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

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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