Awe and wonder
“We never cease to be in awe of this land and its amazing variety of beings,” said Andrew Toepfer, board member of Bull Creek Common Lands (BCCL).
They were visiting the land last spring, with VLT’s Jennifer Garrett, and stopped by the biggest red oak in the forest.
BCCL, an all-volunteer community-based land trust in southern Vermont, conserved the 342-acre parcel with us in the fall of 2025, after working over several years to secure three contiguous parcels totaling over 230 acres in Athens and 110 acres in Townshend.
The land is a special place that many in the local community know and appreciate.
“We protected this land so everyone, and their children and grandchildren, can enjoy it and appreciate the benefits of healthy forests, clean water, and plentiful wildlife,” said Andrew.
“We do this work because we love our neck of the woods in the same ways other Vermonters do. We want to uphold the rural Vermont tradition of keeping land open for the community to roam on, balance recreation and wildlands, and restore ecosystem health to benefit all.”
Photo: Andrew Toepfer and Hannah Regier of Bull Creek Common Lands at the largest red oak tree in the Bull Creek Headwaters.
