341 acres of Bull Creek Headwaters conserved for public access, critical wildlife habitat, healthy forest, flood reduction, and clean water
The southern Vermont community-based nonprofit Bull Creek Common Lands (BCCL) has placed 341 acres of remote land in Athens and Townshend under the permanent protection of a conservation easement with VLT. The conserved land is the headwaters of Bull Creek, a special place that many in the local community know and appreciate.
The newly conserved land contains many wetlands and different forest types that are home to beavers, moose, deer, bear, fox, ducks, and songbirds, as well as rare and endangered plant species. There are also several cellar holes and evidence of past farming.
Public access for non-motorized recreation is currently available from Sam Farr Road in Athens with a pull-off parking area. The primary existing trail on the property is a section of the Legal Town Trail along Bull Creek. BCCL is planning a new trail that will connect Sam Farr Road to the other side of the property in Townshend.
Those interested in visiting the land from the Townshend side should visit the BCCL website for information. Visitors are also welcome to hike off-trail on the property.
Tourtellot Pond, a large open-water wetland with marshy edges and beaver lodges.
“BCCL protected this land so everyone, your children and grandchildren, can enjoy it and appreciate the benefits of healthy forests, clean water, and plentiful wildlife,” said Andrew Toepfer, board member of Bull Creek Common Lands. “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.”
The land includes a section of Bull Creek along with the creek’s headwater tributaries, numerous wetlands, five vernal pools, beaver ponds, large swamps, and peatlands. It lies less than a half mile west of the Raymond Bemis Community Forest, which BCCL established in 2023.
Andy Toepfer and Hannah Regier, two of Bull Creek Common Lands’ board members, standing in front of the property’s largest red oak tree, on the town line between Athens and Townshend.
“The protection of the Headwaters meets values that many in the community share,” said VLT’s Jennifer Garrett, who worked with BCCL on the project. “We’re gratified to support BCCL in the conservation of critical habitat and watershed features in southeastern Vermont, in a way that brings together care for the landscape with people’s needs and wishes.”
Community members in the area already use the Headwaters land for hiking and hunting. BCCL plans to manage it for both public access as well as the health of the land and water. The nonprofit has already done some work to stabilize soils on old logging roads, and thus reduce erosion caused by rain and snowmelt. They have also begun managing non-native plant species in some areas to reduce pressure on existing flora and protect biodiversity.
BCCL worked over several years to protect the land, which was previously split across three contiguous parcels of 188+ acres in Athens, 110 acres in Townshend, and 42+ acres in Athens.
BCCL thanked the many supporters and partners who contributed to the success of this project.
The effort was funded by the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board (VHCB), Open Space Institute (OSI), Davis Conservation Foundation, Fields Pond Foundation, Windham Foundation, and numerous generous donors.
“Communities know their landscapes best, and Bull Creek Common Lands proved that here,” said Gus Seelig, Executive Director of the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board. “They saw what needed protecting in their corner of Vermont and made it happen. VHCB was glad to support work that protects clean water, keeps habitat intact, and ensures public access forever. This is Vermont conservation at its finest.”
“OSI was honored to support Bull Creek Common Lands’ initial acquisition of 110 acres—an ecologically rich landscape of forests, wetlands, and streams,” said Sarah Wells, Open Space Institute’s New England Program Manager. “It’s inspiring to see how that first step set the stage for protecting the entire headwaters, helping safeguard water quality, reduce flooding, and provide vital habitat for wildlife. This achievement reflects the vision and persistence of BCCL, Vermont Land Trust, and every partner who made it possible.”
Header photo shows a rich hardwood forest ravine in winter, courtesy of Bull Creek Common Lands.
