The Association of Vermont Conservation Commissions (AVCC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to support Vermont’s existing conservation commissions and to encourage the establishment of new ones. Founded in 1990, the AVCC is governed by a fully volunteer Board of Directors and has no full-time staff. Limited outreach and administrative support is provided by our partners at Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC).
If you are interested in joining the AVCC Board, please send an email to board@vtconservation.org including some biographical information and a brief statement of interest. Current or former conservation commission members are especially welcome, but the position is open to anyone with knowledge, experience, interest and/or availability who is looking to make a difference across Vermont. A more detailed description of the functions of the Board and responsibilities of its members can be found here.
Bill Dell’Isola (he/him), Chair, is currently the Conservation Analyst for the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. Recently, he was the Conservation Biologist for the Teton Regional Land Trust in Driggs, Idaho, where he engaged in conservation planning, conservation easement stewardship, grant writing, and Sandhill Crane and Trumpeter Swan restoration projects. Before TRLT, he worked for the Idaho Department of Fish and Game, Trumpeter Swan Society, and Brookhaven National Laboratory. Bill has a degree in Wildlife Science from SUNY-ESF and lives in Northfield with his wife, Annie.
Mead Binhammer (he/him), Treasurer, serves as a Project Director for the Vermont Land Trust, where he works to steward and conserve important landscapes in the central part of the state. Before returning to his home state of Vermont, Mead worked in wildlife biology and land conservation, most recently leading a region-wide stewardship team for the Trustees of Reservations in Massachusetts, where he also served as a volunteer board member for his local land trust in Attleboro. Mead has a B.S. in environmental science from Union College and lives in Brookfield.
Marian Wolz (she/her), Secretary, is the Resilience and Adaptation Coordinator at the Agency of Natural Resources’ Climate Action Office. She works closely with state and local partners to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change by supporting and building capacity in communities to implement adaptation actions. Before joining the Climate Action Office, Marian worked on statewide planning initiatives for climate change, emergency response and recovery, and community planning for affordability and multi-modal transportation. She holds a bachelor’s degree in public and urban affairs from Virginia Tech and has served on the Montpelier Conservation Commission and the Montpelier Conservation Fund Advisory Board.
Amanda Garland (she/her) serves as Stewardship Manager at Vermont River Conservancy (VRC), where she is responsible for field-based easement monitoring and land stewardship projects. Amanda has a BA in Environmental Science, with an emphasis on Terrestrial Ecology, and graduate-level study in conservation ethics, ecology, and natural resource management at UVM’s Rubenstein School. Backed by her rich experience as a service project leader, park ranger, trails manager, and conservation educator, Amanda brings enthusiasm and a can-do sense of adventure to everything she does. Amanda is a local Vermonter who lives in Barre in a house she built. She loves planting trees and gardening and has a passion for long-distance paddling.
Megan Litwhiler (she/her) is the Assistant Director of Academic Programs at the Arthur L. Irving Institute for Energy & Society at Dartmouth College, where she helps lead the development and implementation of the Institute’s curricular, co-curricular, and professional development programs. Prior to that, she spent over five years at the Museum of Science, Boston, partnering with scientists and research centers to help them communicate their work to public audiences and interdisciplinary academic audiences. Megan earned her PhD in biology (specializing in urban bird ecology) from Rutgers University-Newark and the New Jersey Institute of Technology. A past member of the Mount Holly Conservation Commission, Megan enjoys bird-watching, horseback riding, and spending time with her family in their home state of Vermont.
Will Marlier (he/him) is the Lake Watershed Program Specialist at the Orleans County Natural Resources Conservation District. He manages restoration projects benefiting water quality and lakeshore habitat across Orleans County. Will holds an undergraduate degree from Temple University and completed an Animal Care Internship at the Philadelphia Zoo. He returned to Vermont in 2020 and has since served as Clerk of the Greensboro Conservation Commission and Advisor to the Greensboro Land Trust, spearheading invasive species management and outreach efforts. In 2024, he was Assistant to the House Committee on Environment & Energy at the Vermont State House. Will lives in Greensboro, Vermont, enjoying rural life with his wife, Dahria, and their myriad of animals.
Justin Marsh (they/them) is Political Director at Vermont Conservation Voters (VCV) and the chair of the Cambridge Conservation Commission. Justin is a Cambridge native, growing up on their family’s dairy farm and sugar bush. In 2012, they ran for the state legislature and have worked on several historic campaigns since. They are a published editor (Tasteful Traditions, Red Barn Books, 2014), and have held or currently serve in several positions on local non-profit and municipal boards. In 2016, they helped write the grant known as The Silo Project, which transformed two abandoned concrete silos on preserved land into the largest outdoor public art installment in the state of Vermont. In 2020, they were instrumental in the conservation of 51 acres of land now known as the Peter A. Krusch Nature Preserve. They are the former Director of Communications & Development at Pride Center of Vermont, and an alum of Vermont State University.
Gunnar Nurme (he/him) serves as the Land Acquisition Specialist for the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, where he works to protect important lands and special places all around the state. Before moving to Vermont and joining FPR in 2023, Gunnar lived in coastal Maine where he worked as the Lands and Stewardship Coordinator at Coastal Rivers Conservation Trust. Other past experience includes serving as a member of the Lakes Region Conservation Corps and several years spent working as an outdoor guide in the White Mountains. Gunnar holds a degree in Environmental Studies and Economics from St. Lawrence University. Gunnar now calls Richmond home and in his free time enjoys backcountry skiing, trail running, mountain biking, and fly fishing.
Bella O’Connor (she/her) is an attorney and organizer interested in implementing the transformative solutions emerging within the climate justice movement. Bella received her JD from Vermont Law and Graduate School, where she served as an Environmental Mission Scholar and was the recipient of the Marc Mihaly Environmental Leadership Award for outstanding service in her volunteer and clinical work. In both her personal and professional life, she has collaborated with local, state, and national organizations on a broad range of grassroots campaigns and policy initiatives combatting our ecological crisis and the exploitative nature of industrial agriculture. Moreover, she is the founder of the Vermont Coalition Against Factory Farms (VCAFF) and co-coordinator of the White River 350VT Node. She lives in South Royalton, manages her local farmers market, and is happiest when she is enjoying a crisp, fall day!
Rose Vath (she/her) is the AI & Business Intelligence and Performance Manager at the Agency of Transportation and is the Chair of the Montpelier Conservation Commission. Prior to joining AOT, Rose worked as an environmental coordinator for the USDA and led the development of environmental planning software to streamline the implementation of conservation programs such the Conservation Reserve Program and the Regional Conservation Partnership Program. Rose has extensive volunteer experience with environmental organizations, ranging from a local sea turtle rehabilitation hospital to the United Nations Environmental Program. She received her master’s degree in aquatic environmental science from Florida State University. Rose moved to Montpelier with her wife in 2022 and enjoys camping, kayaking, and snowshoeing through Hubbard Park.