Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions

Central Vermont RPC helped Calais do a GIS Buildout analysis to determine the maximum number of new building units that could hypothetically be placed in Calais given current regulations as well as under another scenario. This project helped the town look at its zoning standards and get a sense of where new development was being guided, enabling them to better understand current regulations and changes that might be made to better protect natural resources. Within the context of this hypothe.. Read More

In the mid 2000's the Georgia Conservation Commission (GCC) applied for and received a grant for a phase 1 geomorphic assessment of the town's streams and rivers. The intent with this work was to establish stream buffers based on actual "on the ground" information that would determine the correct buffer width for a particular stream. This study recommended 3 buffer widths; 25', 50' and 100' and a map was made delineating these buffers on the different reaches of the streams. There were sev.. Read More

The Forests, Wildlife, and Communities Project is a collaborative effort between multiple towns and organizations within the Mad River Valley (Fayston, Waitsfield, and Warren). The goal of the project is to raise awareness around strategies to conserve forestland, wildlife, and natural resources. Project partners utilized information from ecological inventories in three towns to produce maps to promote land use planning, zoning and permanent land conservation efforts. Project partners also de.. Read More

Cold Hollow to Canada (CHC) is a Regional Conservation partnership that covers 7 towns in the Northern Green Mountain Biophysical region in Vermont. See the separate, "Cold Hollows to Canada" conservation story for overarching information about the creation of this initiative. This story focuses on the private woodlot partnerships that CHC has engaged in. CHC has initiated a number of projects but one of note is the pilot peer-to-peer project, Cold Hollow Woodlots, that includes 12 landowner.. Read More

After the Sullivan family donated the 14-acre forest to the town of Middletown Springs, the town's conservation commission were appointed stewards of the property and created a loop trail and signage. One of the largest projects pursued by the group was a series of walks that took place each month for about six years. Open to all, this family-friendly series offered citizens the opportunity to engage in monthly-guided walks of the forest. Additionally, the series included activities like st.. Read More

Susan Sawyer has been with the Woodbury Conservation Commission for about twenty years and she is a naturalist. The Conservation Commission's role is to advise the select board and to educate the public on the issues that happen within Woodbury. Her main focus is on education and she is the one who wrote the natural history publication and created maps. It was published in 2006 but she started writing in in 2005. Other members of the WCC edited and town residents contributed photos for the pu.. Read More

Park lands in North Branch River Park were acquired with significant invasive species that needed control. It was proposed to create an interpretive trail on invasive species management, including signage with explanations of the invasive species and how they are being controlled.

Between 2011 and 2013 the Vermont River Conservancy (VRC)spearheaded an effort to acquire a parcel of land in Enosburg Falls with 1,500 feet of Missisquoi River frontage. The 7-acre property was purchased and turned over to the Village of Enosburg Falls in 2013. "Island View Park" is now available for permanent public access.

Comprised of beautiful river lands on the Missisquoi River many consider this property "Enosburg's Jewel" and the best location from which to view the Bridge of.. Read More

Few local land trusts exist in Vermont as it is difficult to achieve the necessary tax status and maintain funding and staffing for stewardship activities in perpetuity.

As of October of 2014, the Greensboro Land Trust (GLT) has acquired sixteen conservation easements, comprising 1,100 acres within Greensboro. For two of the easements the GLT paid full value, all the others were either entirely or largely donated. (Where the GLT makes a partial payment, the transaction is termed a 'ba.. Read More

Since 2006, the Salisbury Conservation Commission has been working to track wildlife along all of the roads within town. This effort was put forth in order to address the concern of the affects of roads as barriers for wildlife movement due to things such as colonization, gene flow, and needed annual movement. Additionally, tracking provides a way of figuring out where road impacts with wildlife are likely to be great. The tracking itself is done by commission members and local volunteers, wh.. Read More