Green Mountain Conservancy Land Conservation Fund

The Green Mountain Conservancy is continuing to acquire and conserve important forest blocks and wildlife corridors in southern Vermont.  Last fall it added 115 acres in northeastern Dummerston to its land holdings, the Canoe Brook Nature Preserve.  This Preserve, a long abandoned farm now grown up to forest, has ancient white oaks that likely provided shelter for farm animals in the 17 and 1800's.  More recently the Conservancy added 30 precious acres to the 954 acre Deer Run Nature Preserve-a connecting parcel that provides shelter to creatures moving across the lanscape to meet the challenges of climate change.   

The Conservancy is now working to acquire and conserve the Old Oaks Headwaters Preserve, 197 acres of forest in Marlboro, VT.  While protecting the water supply for regions to the south, this Preserve is home to a broad diversity of species.  There are multiple beaver wetlands in this forest block inhabited by beaver families that have been intensively studied by local naturalists, ledges that are home to  porcupines, and sign of the bears, moose and deer that make their lives here or pass through on their way to the Green Mountains or the Connecticut River.  Marlboro residents and visitors from around the world enjoy hiking or skiing on the town trail that crosses these bucolic lands. 

GMC is working collaboratively with three other area land trusts to increase their capacity to acquire and conserve land in the region.  As part of this initiative, GMC board members and a cadre of volunteers are learning specific software programs and learning strategies from experts that will increase their abilities to do this important work.  

Links:

• Green Mountain Conservancy website