Brighton – At the end of a partnership effort to protect Island Pond’s namesake island, and with the support of the Brighton selectboard, the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation bought and conserved the 15-acre island and a lakeshore parcel to add to Brighton State Park. The wooded island has long been an integral part of the local community’s lake experiences, and the community’s support resulted in a successful $1.1 million fundraising campaign for its protection. As part of a state park, the island will remain open to the public and continue to contribute to the area’s recreation economy.  

Derby – Bradley and Gislaine Judd conserved 147 acres of farmland, woods, streams, and wetlands. The property has been in the Judd family for four generations. Part of the farmland is used by the Judds for their beef herd while the remainder is leased to neighboring farmers. The land’s conservation will ensure that its natural resources are protected and the farm will remain available and more affordable for future generations of farmers. The parcel includes large swaths of wetlands – over 30 acres. These now have special protection to ensure their important ecological functions are not hindered. 

Greensboro – Bend We worked with the Natural Resources Conservation District of Orleans County to plant 200 native shrubs and trees on half an acre along a headwater stream of the Lamoille River. The planting included shrub willow, white spruce, arrowwood, silver maple, and tamarack. The planting took place on a farm that Ray Shatney and Janet Steward conserved in 2023 to support their grass-fed beef operation. 

Hardwick – Tom and Janet Bellavance protected 91 acres of farmland, woods, and wetlands, by donating a portion of the conservation value of the land. They hay about 40 acres of the farmland themselves, selling some round bales to area farmers and using some for the family’s dairy operation in Alburgh, called Sunset Lake Farm. Livestock from Bellavance Beef, a local grass-based beef business run by the Bellavances’s son, Ethan, and his wife, Caitlin, graze part of the land. The forested wetlands on the property have special protections to keep them healthy and to keep water clean. 

Kirby – Brian and Kim Nichols conserved 120 acres of farmland, woods, streams, and wetlands. The property includes 63 acres of cropland that help support the family’s small dairy, Speedwell Farms, located in nearby Lyndon. They sell milk to Dairy Farmers of America. The land also includes significant stream and wetland features, including a state-significant Rich Fen occurrence. Barnes Brook and Hawkins Brook, both tributaries of the Passumpsic River, flow through the property. All the streams and wetlands have special protections for clean water, flood resilience, and habitat. 

Berlin – A grassroots effort that coalesced into the Berlin Pond Watershed Association succeeded in protecting 33 acres of wetlands and woodland next to Berlin Pond, for clean water, wildlife habitat, flood resilience, and recreation. The pond is the sole source of drinking water for Montpelier and a portion of Berlin. When the land went up for sale, private individuals stepped up to buy the majority and hold it until a more permanent solution could be achieved. The City of Montpelier bought a portion and ultimately the remainder from the interim buyers and conserved it. In addition to habitat for many bird species, the parcel includes part of a large wooded wetland – that can hold water during extreme storms and help reduce flood damage – as well as road frontage that’s part of a circuit around Berlin Pond used by walkers, bikers and bird watchers. 

Cambridge – We worked with crews from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps at our Brewster Uplands property to enhance habitat and stream health in the Brewster River watershed, and also improve trails for visitors. A custom flow device was installed in a culvert at the end of a large wetland complex, to prevent beavers from damming it. On the popular West Farm trail, a VYCC crew built infiltration steps out of crushed stone to minimize erosion and runoff. They also replaced five culverts with fords made of gravel to improve wetland function and flood resilience. 

Cambridge – We partnered with the Lamoille County Natural Resources Conservation District on a tree planting on a conserved farm. The project took place on more than two acres along the Seymour River, and 750 native shrubs and trees were planted. Valley Dream Farm sits at the base of Mt Mansfield and the Seymour River flows through it on its way to the Lamoille River. Joe and Anne Tisbert originally conserved Valley Dream in 1992, and last year they added special protections for the river and its tributaries and connected wetlands. 

Chelsea – In 2021, we worked with Button Family to conserve and buy their 124-acre farm so that it would remain available to farmers. Beginning farmers Chris and Amanda Helali of Opera House Farm began renting it from us for their farm operation right away. After two years of holding the property so Chris and Amanda could raise the funds needed to buy it, we sold the conserved land to them.   

Plainfield – We planted 125 native trees and shrubs in a former field that the landowners had retired from active use when they conserved their land. Yellow and grey birch, quaking aspen, and shrub willow were among the species planted along wetlands and streams that flow into the Kingsbury Branch of the Winooski River. The trees will support an active floodplain forest that fills when river waters rise. 

Waitsfield – DeFreest Farms protected a 70-acre parcel along Route 100 and the Mad River for farming, flood resilience, and recreation. Dave DeFreest and his extended family rely primarily on rented cropland for their dairy, including this parcel that the DeFreests leased for many years. When it came on the market we bought the parcel, conserved it, and then sold it to the DeFreests to help secure their landbase. The conservation project was the first in the nation to close under a new funding program to help farmers acquire farmland through USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service. In addition, over a mile of recreation trail was developed along the Mad River, in coordination with the Mad River Path Association, and 38 riverside acres have special protections to allow the river to move freely over time and spread into its natural floodplain when waters rise. 

Bakersfield – Matt Hull of Dalestead Farm and Maple conserved 220 acres of farmland, pasture, wetland, and forest, including a 50-acre sugarbush. Matt uses the farmland to grow feed for his milkers. The fifth-generation family dairy and sugaring business also owns other land in the area. In total, Matt milks around 85 cows and manages a 20,000-tap maple operation. The newly protected land includes nearly two miles of streams, including Beaver Meadow Brook, and 27 acres of wetlands, all of which now have special protections for clean water.  

Charlotte – We helped Clemmons Family Farm, Inc., an African American women-led nonprofit organization, buy and conserve the historic Clemmons farm. Dr. Jackson Clemmons and Mrs. Lydia Clemmons purchased the farm in 1962. They maintained the property as a working farm, restoring its many historic buildings, and creating a space to share African American history, culture, and arts, until it was purchased by the nonprofit named in their honor. Now a significant arts and culture center that mobilizes a state-wide network of more than 260 Vermont artists of the African diaspora, the Clemmons farm is an official landmark on Vermont’s African American Heritage Trail. The project was supported by a number of partnering organizations and individuals who came together to safeguard the farm’s future as a vital cultural, historical, and agricultural site in Vermont. 

Charlotte – We collaborated with the Charlotte Park & Wildlife Refuge to improve seven acres of former farmland for bird habitat. The restoration, which included treating invasive species, planting native trees, and managing space for specific nesting and foraging uses, will provide better habitat for birds like the Golden-winged Warbler and Blue-winged Warbler. Ninety native trees were planted by students from the University of Vermont. 

Colchester – We continued our work restoring a section of Crooked Creek and streamside wetlands at the conserved Button farm. We built or improved five wood structures in the stream, to help slow and filter water and enhance floodplain function. We also planted about 100 live willow stakes in the restoration area. 

Cornwall, Bridport – We partnered with Vermont Fish & Wildlife to protect 111 acres of open land, streams, and wetlands. The state bought the land from Betty Lou Gorton and conserved it with us. They added the land to the Lemon Fair Wildlife Management Area. It will be managed to enhance habitat for grassland birds, like the Eastern meadowlark and the bobolink, that are in decline in Vermont because of the loss of the habitat they need to thrive. The property is home to several tributaries that feed into the Lemon Fair River nearby, as well as wetlands. These resources now have special protections for clean water. The conservation project will also improve public access to the wildlife management area, which is open to the public for birdwatching, cross-country skiing, fishing, hiking, hunting, walking and wildlife observation.  

Fairfax – Ted and Chris Bessette conserved 200 acres of farm, forestland, and wetlands. The Bessette farm has been in the family for nearly 100 years, since the 1940s. Born and raised on the farm, Ted ran the family dairy with Chris, his wife, for many years before selling the herd. Now they produce maple syrup from their 6,000-tap sugarbush, grow hay for local farms, and also raise some beef. In addition to keeping the land open, the conservation protections will help ensure that the land stays available and more affordable for farmers.  

Fairfield – Damian and Stephanie Branon protected 176 acres of hayfields, sugarbush, woods, along with streams and wetlands. They use the land to support their beef herd and their 30,000-tap sugaring business, 5,000 taps of which are on this parcel. The couple first conserved over 300 acres at their home farm twenty years ago. The project brought the total conserved acreage in Fairfield up to over 10,000 acres.  

Franklin – We worked with The Dream Program, a Vermont nonprofit, to help them buy and protect an island on Metcalf Pond. The nonprofit has added the island to Camp DREAM, its overnight, year-round camp for youth from low-income housing neighborhoods and rural communities across Vermont. The island will enable more waterfront adventures as well as ecology education programs for campers. Its wooded, wetland, and shoreline spaces add to Metcalf Pond’s diverse habitat, which supports a range of wildlife including loons and bald eagles. This effort expands our partnership with The Dream Program; we first worked with them in 2003, when they bought and conserved 50 acres to establish Camp DREAM.  

Franklin – Scott, Beth, and their son Brad Bessette protected 92 acres, nearly all of which is farmland. The Bessettes are a well-known dairy family with an operation based in Highgate. Starting with a 400+ acre parcel in 1995 conserved by Scott’s parents, the Bessettes have conserved nearly 900 acres of farmland to date. This piece grows corn, soybeans, and hay, and provides feed for their cows. The property includes a section of a tributary of the Rock River and an adjacent wetland, both of which now have special protections for clean water, habitat, and flood resilience.  

Franklin – Adrian and Marie Rainville conserved 197 acres of farm fields, wetlands, woods, and streams. The parcel includes nearly a mile of the Rock River, which flows into Rock River Bay in the northern part of Lake Champlain. The Rainvilles care deeply about the land and its conservation. Adrian keeps a list of every bird species seen on the farm. The conservation project earmarks a 30-acre wetland protection zone with additional protections to reduce soil erosion and to promote clean water, and wildlife habitat. This will allow the Rock River to meander naturally and to slow and filter waters during storms. This spring they worked with the Natural Resources Conservation District of Franklin County to plant nearly 1,600 native trees and shrubs in the area, to reduce erosion and boost habitat. 

Highgate, Franklin – Matt Laroche of Laroche Dairy & Son added conservation protections to the 218-acre farm property to make the farm more affordable and available for future farmers. The farm has been in the Laroche family for generations and was originally conserved by Matt’s parents Real and Marie in 1999. Matt took ownership in 2020 and runs the farm with son Ryan, the fourth generation. They milk about 400 cows. Matt also committed to additional protections on an acre of wetlands on the property. 

Jericho – Gary and Tammy Davis protected 180 acres of farmland, managed forest, and wetlands on Davis Farm. Their multigenerational organic dairy is perched on a scenic stretch of land with amazing views of Mt. Mansfield. Gary bought the farm from his parents in 1986 and has been looking after it ever since. The couple have diversified the farms over the decades, adding beef and chickens and expanding into on-farm events and farm stays. The protected land includes a stretch of the Browns River and wetland areas. The Davises committed to minimizing human activity and supporting natural vegetation in these areas, for clean water and flood resilience. 

Jericho – Jake Kornfeld, Corinne Froning, Jacqueline Huettenmoser, Spencer Hardy, and Tucker Andrews of The Farm Upstream bought and conserved 52 acres of farm fields, woods, wetlands, and a stretch of the Lee River. The land was sold by Martha “Hunt” Prince, whose family owned the land for many generations. Martha worked with the Jericho Underhill Land Trust and VLT to make the farm available and affordable for the young farmers. The farmers grow organic vegetables and plan to set up a roadside farmstand. Under the conservation easement, the wooded area along the river will be maintained for clean water and flood protection. 

Orwell – Jon Lucas of Lucas Dairy Farm conserved 390 acres of farmland, wetland, streams, and woods. A first-generation dairy farmer, Jon was leasing land and looking for a farm of his own for many years. Meanwhile, Mike and Tom Audet of Ledge Haven Farm were looking for a new steward and owner for their decades-old family farm. Jon bought the land from the Audet brothers and conserved it with us. He runs his dairy with about 250 milkers and another 200 young stock, and sells milk to the Cabot Creamery. The conservation ensures the farm will remain available to farmers in the future.  In addition, over a mile of tributaries to East Creek and Lake Champlain and 45 acres of wetlands have special protections, along with nearly nine acres of clayplain forest, a forest type that is now rare in Vermont. 

Richford, Jay – We worked with longstanding partners The Nature Conservancy (TNC) to protect and sell nearly 5,000 acres of remote forest. Located on the north- and west-facing slopes of the Green Mountains, the newly protected land adds to a network of nearly 10,000 acres of unfragmented, protected forest stretching from Vermont to Quebec. Over 2,000 acres are now protected as managed forest, while 1,900+ acres are subject to a forever wild easement held by TNC. The latter parcel was purchased by the Northeast Wilderness Trust and is part of their Bear’s Nest Wilderness Preserve.   

Ripton, Middlebury – Simeon Hutner donated conservation protections on 207 acres of mostly forested land. The parcel is adjacent to the Green Mountain National Forest. It has a significant wetland with beaver activity and about a mile of headwater streams, including Dragon Brook, a tributary to the North Branch of the Middlebury River.   

Sheldon – We built and installed eleven wood structures in a tributary of the Missisquoi River on Mark St. Pierre’s conserved farm. Built of willow and native wood, the structures will enhance stream habitat, improve floodplain function and clean water. This project was a partnership with the Missisquoi River Basin Association, Franklin County Natural Resources Conservation District, Friends of Northern Lake Champlain, TNC Vermont, and Riverscape Ecology. 

Shoreham – We worked with conservation partners and volunteers to plant 675 native trees and shrubs on nearly two acres of former farmland along the Lemon Fair River. Bill and Lissy Heminway conserved the land with us last year. As part of the conservation, they retired some streamside areas from active farm use and are establishing vegetation to reduce erosion and runoff and help filter and slow rainwater. Students from the Monkton-based Willowell Foundation school joined the three-day planting for hands-on learning about the landscape and watershed. The Addison Country Natural Resources Conservation District and the Partners for Fish & Wildlife program of the US Fish & Wildlife Service were key partners. The planting included silky dogwood, bur oak, chokecherry, nannyberry, paper birch, swamp white oak, and winterberry. 

South Burlington – We purchased and conserved 169 acres as part of a multi-year effort to conserve and secure over 350 acres for farming, education, recreation, and community initiatives. We are working closely with the adjacent Bread & Butter Farm, conserved several years ago, and a coalition of community partners including the City of South Burlington to support this ambitious project. In addition, this spring we supported the planting of over 550 native trees and shrubs along Muddy Brook on the property. The planting was led by the Winooski Natural Resources Conservation District and included community volunteers. 

South Burlington – Long-time conservationist Sarah Dopp donated conservation protections on 40 acres of farmland, forestland, and wetlands. The property is nearly surrounded by previously conserved and public land, and directly abuts City-owned property to the north. The parcel has a headwater stream that flows to Shelburne Pond and nearly seven acres of a large wetland that extends beyond the property boundaries – both these features now have special protections for clean water and flood safety. The parcel’s farmland is used by neighboring Bread and Butter Farm for grazing. While the land will remain in private ownership, the project includes the potential for a future public trail segment for trail connectivity to the abutting City-owned property. 

Weybridge – We worked with the US Fish & Wildlife Service to plant a total of over 3,500 native trees and shrubs along the Otter Creek and associated streams on two farms. Twenty-one hundred trees were planted on eight acres on Roger Wales’s farm, conserved with us in 2022. Roger’s farm sits in the low-lying floodplain of the Otter Creek, just upstream from the creek’s confluence with the Lemon Fair River. Dan Kehoe’s conserved farm sits adjacent to Roger’s property. In 2022, Dan and his wife, Corinne, added special clean-water protections on 34 acres of their farm, which was originally conserved in 2001. Now, 1,480 new native shrubs and trees have been planted on nearly four acres of their farm, along a stream that flows into Otter Creek. 

Andover – In 2022, VLT received a gift of 268 acres of forest, fields, streams, and wetlands from the estate of the late Audrey “Claire” Holloway. Claire and her husband Lawrence cherished the land and its natural features, and wished for it to remain undeveloped. Thanks to their dear friend Gerry Williams, who provided assistance throughout the process, we were able to conserve the land and sell it to new owners, the Langer family. Before the sale, the historic July rainstorm washed away a culvert on the property and the access road. Our restoration team worked with hydrology consultants and engineers to design and replace a new, wider culvert to enhance stream function and wildlife habitat along the Andover Branch, which flows into the Williams River.   

Athens – After two years of effort, Bull Creek Common Lands (BCCL), a new nonprofit organization, bought and conserved 37 acres of forest and streams along Bull Creek, to establish a community forest. They bought the land from David Bemis and named it after Bemis’s late uncle, Raymond Bemis, who was well known in the community. The Raymond Bemis Community Forest is open for hiking, bird watching, cross-country skiing, and wildlife watching, and will be available as an outdoor classroom for educational programs. Bull Creek, which is part of the Saxons River and Connecticut River watersheds, runs for about a half mile across the land. The forest also has wetlands, a vernal pool, and an area of Sugar Maple Floodplain Forest.  

Bethel – John “Sandy” Pike donated conservation protections on 271 acres of open hayfields and forested hillsides. Nestled along the western side of I-89 just south of the Randolph town line, Sanford Farm has been in Sandy’s family for generations. Sandy purchased the land from his aunt a few years ago and is slowly breathing life back into the farm. Formerly a dairy, the fields will again be hayed and there will be beef cows on pasture in the summer. The property includes streams, including a tributary of the Third Branch of the White River, wetlands, vernal pools, and forested seeps. The conservation includes special protections along all streams and wetlands to reduce erosion and so the land can slow, filter, and absorb rainwater.  

Dorset – Keith Mithoefer conserved 49 acres of mostly wooded land, streams, and wetlands almost alongside Vermont Route 30. The land was once part of the Danforth Farm, a portion of which we conserved in 1992. This highly scenic parcel is located prominently at the southern end of over 3,000 acres of conserved farmland along the Mettowee River in Dorset and Pawlet.  

Dummerston – The Green Mountain Conservancy added 30 acres to the Deer Run Nature Preserve and conserved the newly added land. Now spanning 940+ acres in Dummerston, Newfane, and Brookline, the Preserve includes forest rich with wildlife habitat, streams, and vernal pools, not to mention miles of trails with stunning views. The latest addition features a type of forest that is rare in Vermont, with oak, hickory, and hophornbeam trees growing over a herbaceous forest floor, as well as habitat for a rare plant and a woodland seep.   

Hubbardton – We conserved and sold 220 acres of forest, streams and wetlands that the late Elizabeth Sumner had left to VLT in her will, with a desire to see it conserved. Elizabeth and her partner, the late Pei-Heng Chiang, moved to Hubbardton in 1971 and taught for many years at Castleton State University. The mostly forested property at the northern end of the Taconic Mountains hosts headwater streams of Lake Bomoseen, large wetlands, and a vernal pool. The land was bought by the Denbeaux family, who will continue the long tradition of careful stewardship of this land. Land gifts like these are a remarkable conservation legacy and provide essential financial support to VLT, and we are very grateful. 

Pownal – The Town of Pownal worked with us to buy and conserve 296 acres to add to their town forest, expanding it to over 1,000 acres. Located on the eastern flank of the Taconic Mountains, the Strobridge Recreation Area is highly visible from Vermont Route 7. The scenic property, established in 2002, has been inaccessible since 2011 when tropical storm Irene washed away the access road. The new addition boasts a network of logging roads, well-managed timber, an important tributary of the Hoosic River, and uncommon ecological features. It also includes a trail easement from Dean Road to restore access. People will once again be able to enjoy hiking, birding, mountain biking, snow-shoeing, and more on the land.  

Rupert – Brothers Mike and Mark Lourie conserved 236 acres of forest. They run a dairy, Rupert Valley Holsteins, and protected the wooded portion of their property. The land is adjacent to their 178-acre home farm, which they protected with us in 2022, and almost 5,000 acres of Merck Forest & Farmland Center and other conserved properties. It has many ecological riches: Dry Oak-Hickory-Hophornbeam Forest, Dry Oak Forest, and Dry Chestnut Oak Woodland, along with a large vernal pool.   

Rutland County – We worked with Outright Vermont to help them buy and conserve a lakefront property to establish a permanent home for their summer camp dedicated to LGBTQ+ youth. A significant grant from VHCB supported acquisition and protection of the property, including shoreline, woods, wetlands, cliffs, streams, and vernal pools. Outright offers one of only a handful of LGBTQ+ friendly camps in America and as demand for their camp has grown, so has their need for a permanent location. Their new and permanent home previously served as a Scouting America camp and already has a dining hall, cabins, waterfront, amphitheaters, and other camp structures. The land will enable Outright to serve more LGBTQ+ campers and offer more outdoor programming for families.  

Shrewsbury – The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit focused on conservation nationwide, worked with us to protect 314 acres of high-elevation forest and wetlands on the west slope of the Green Mountains. TCF bought the land from Daniel and Cynthia Mitchell in 2008 with the intention of conserving it and finding a permanent buyer willing to steward the land. Simultaneous to the conservation, TCF sold the land to Somerset Investment Partnership. The land is near thousands of acres of public forest, including the Calvin Coolidge State Forest, and is part of a critical wildlife corridor for the movement of bear and wide-ranging animals. The property also hosts headwater streams for Freeman Brook and a significant vernal pool.  

West Haven – We planted 125 native trees and shrubs along wetlands and streams that feed the Poultney River on a farm. The arrowwood, bur oak, shrub willow, and gray and silky dogwoods planted here will reduce erosion and runoff and enhance wildlife habitat.  

Westminster – The late Libby Mills was a champion of forest conservation in southern Vermont, and played a major role in building a collective 3,000+ acre forest preserve that spans six towns. She had long cherished her own land in Westminster – 45+ acres of woods, fields, and wetlands, including a dynamic beaver-influenced wetland. Her goal was to conserve her land to preserve its wildlife habitats and to advance protection of connected forestland in the region. Libby passed away in January 2023 but her friends and the Mills E. Trust persevered and donated the conservation easement on the property. 

Westminster – We added wood structure to a small stream whose channel had been cut down to bedrock and which could not easily flow into its floodplain when needed. With our partners at the Windham County Natural Resource Conservation District and Riverscape Ecology, along with VLT member volunteers, we built a series of structures resembling beaver dams in 350 feet of a tributary of the Connecticut River. The work was done on Gordon and Mary Hayward’s conserved land, which is well known in the community for its extensive formal gardens. This project complements a tree planting along the stream that we completed in 2022.  

Whitingham – Leon and Linda Corse conserved 45 acres of grassland, forest, wetlands, and streams. They are the fifth generation to run The Corse Farm Dairy, which was established in 1868. They converted the operation to a grass-based, organic dairy in 2006 and conserved the home farm in 2013. This latest project brings a parcel they had been leasing into the farm’s ownership and long-term management.  

Whitingham – Roy and Vanessa Corse have run Corse Maple Farm for decades, though the family maple business goes back to the 1860s. They conserved 192 acres of managed sugarbush that they had leased for years. The nearby core of their maple farm, which hosts their sugarhouse, on-site sales, and packing rooms, was conserved in 2022. That conservation funding helped them purchase this additional land which has secured the vast majority of the maples they tap. The newly conserved property includes wetlands and forest streams, which now have special protections to promote clean water.