Membership Newsletter - Vermont Woodlands … · Membership Newsletter Vermont Woodlands ... Annual Meeting attendees listen to Steve Sinclair present. ... CUTC came up with propos-

Membership Newsletter

Vermont Woodlands Association 2012 Officers and Directors

OfficersPutnam W. Blodgett, President, Lyme, NH

Paul Harwood, Vice Pres.Tunbridge, VT

Trevor Evans, Treasurer Newport, VT

Bill Kropelin, SecretaryCambridge, VT

Al Robertson, Secretary Sheffield, VT

DirectorsKathy Beland, W. Rutland, VTClark Bothfeld, Northfield, VTJohn T. Hemenway, Strafford, VTLeo Laferriere, Waitsfield, VTBen Machin, Washington, VTJohn Meyer, Montpelier, VT Sam Miller, Waterbury Ctr., VTDavid Paganelli, Barre, VTWilliam Sayre, Bristol, VTRich Turner, Williamstown, VTDavid Wilcox, Berlin, VT

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June 2012 Membership Newsletter

Vol. 8, No. 2 June 2012

About 110 people showed up for the 2012 Annual Meeting at Vermont Technical College on Saturday, March 31. Judd Hall is the perfect space to accommodate our growing membership and extensive partner displays. As always, VWA President

Put Blodgett called the meeting to order and kept a close eye on the time clock to make sure we all stayed on schedule.

Steve Sinclair, State Forester, kicked off the presentations with what he called “Put’s Shop-ping List.” With only an hour, Steve did quite a good job tackling many critical issues fac-ing landowners, foresters, and loggers, including invasives species, AMP changes, biomass considerations, UVA, and the timber harvest impact assessment. Dave Wilcox further explained the assessment and reaffirmed the confidentiality of all information collected.

Local sawmill operator Ken Gagnon gave us a perspective on the state of Vermont’s saw-mills, market conditions, sales, and the economy. He urged forest land-owners to support local mills when considering where to sell their logs.

VWA’s John Meyer briefed us on progress of the reorganized Current Use Tax Coalition and H.237 passed by the House last year. This year, the bill languished in Senate Finance and no action was taken by the close of the session. The proposed changes to Land Use Change Tax seemed to be the stumbling block for at least one Senator.

We heard from George Tucker, NRCS forester, on the Technical Service Provider (TSP) situation in Vermont and the progress toward a single model management plan. We met Ryan Kilborn and Kyle Mason, VT FPR foresters who are now working on NRCS proj-ects. George also reminded us of the 2012 Farm Bill that has funding dedicated to NRCS for invasives control. Everyone should keep an eye on the progress of the Farm Bill as this is now the only source of cost share funds for forestry practices.

Dave Wilcox took the podium again, this time to talk about forest management in a mixed forest type, primarily boreal/pine and northern hardwoods on his own Tree Farm. This was an excellent overview of Dave’s on-the-ground management that helped to recover

VWA Holds Their Annual Meeting by Kathleen Wanner, Executive Director

continued on page 5

Annual Meeting attendees listen to Steve Sinclair present

Vermont Woodlands Association Page 2

Membership Newsletter June 2012

News from Department of Forests, Parks and RecreationNew Publication to Help Forest Land Managers Deal with Tree Killer

by Ginger Anderson

continued on page 10

The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) has

completed a new publication to help forest managers understand potential impacts of an insect pest that is poised at Vermont’s borders. The publication is Ash Manage-ment Guidelines for Forest Managers. It can be found at http://www.vtfpr.org/htm/forestry.cfm or contact your County Forester for more information.

Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) is a non-native wood-boring beetle that attacks and kills all native ash tree species. Vermont has three species of this graceful hardwood, includ-ing white ash, the wood of which has been widely used for baseball bats, tool handles and other valuable products. Ash produces a seed similar to maple that is eaten by wildlife including turkeys, songbirds and squirrels. Ash trees provide some of the warm yellows and purplish leaf tones in early fall. Ash is an important street tree in neighborhoods where it was planted for its sturdy form and pleasing foliage. “Although EAB has not been detected in Vermont, we encourage forest landowners

to plan ahead now for the future poten-tial infestation” said State Forester Steve Sinclair. “We hope this new publication will help foresters and landowners manage forests with ash.”

VT FPR is supporting EAB detection programs with partners including the VT Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, the USDA, and the University of Vermont. Through Vermont’s new Forest Pest First Detector program, volunteers are working in communities to look for EAB and other pests.

** NEW ** Vermont Woodlands Association offers Technical Bulletins

Written by landowners

for landowners!!

visit www.vermont-woodlands.org

Woodpecker strikes and insect damage


Put Blodgett


Visit our website at www.vermont woodlands.org for information on the Tree Farm program, workshop oppor-tunities, forestry related programs for students and teachers, and much more.

JON

GIL

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Part of VWA’s Mission Statement is “rep-resent our membership before govern-mental bodies” and VWA expanded its

efforts this year.

The Vermont Council on Rural Development conducted extensive surveys of Vermonters and discovered that an extremely high value was placed on the working landscape of forests and farms, both of which face economic challenges. To promote forestry and agriculture, H.496, an act relating to preserving Vermont’s working landscape was drawn up, a small council to ad-vocate for it was formed and VWA, along with other council members, each contributed $5000 and the time of its Executive Director to make the council effective.

Paul Costello, Executive Director of the Ver-mont Council on Rural Development, cam-paigned tirelessly statewide in support of H. 496 and House Agriculture Committee Chair Carolyn Partridge of Windham and committee member Will Stevens of Shoreham did like-wise in the House and before the Senate. They should be commended. Your president and executive director also testified in support.

In the wee hours of Thursday morning of the last week of this legislative session, the House-Senate Conference Committee agreed on the Working Lands Enterprise Investment Bill, as H.496 is formally known, which allocated a compromise fund of $1.175 million, cre-ated a fifteen-member board to administer the fund and two positions in the Department of Agriculture to do the work of advancing entrepreneurism, business development and job creation in forestry and agriculture.

A House Committee Chair told me that for-estry had received more notice in this session than any he could remember.

There are some of us who feel that forestry should also be formally joined to both cham-bers’ Agriculture Committees. We have the working landscape and current use in common and many farmers own forestland.

But speaking of current use, things did not go well this year in the Legislature.

In the final throes of the 2009 session, the

Legislature wanted a $1.6 million savings in the current use program to help balance the budget. Several organizations met over the summer and came up with suggestions that resulted in H.485, a bill that was quickly passed by the House in 2010 and later by the Senate, both with substantial majorities, but later was Governor Douglas’ only veto of the session.

There was a division of opinion about support-ing H.485 among those affected by current use. Consequently, VWA resurrected the Current Use Tax Coalition, which was active in the early days of current use when advocacy for annual appropriations was necessary.

Meeting almost monthly, through cooperation and compromise, CUTC came up with propos-als that were incorporated into H.237 which again passed the House, but not soon enough to be considered in the Senate in the closing days of the 2011 session.

On February 21, 2012 four VWA members and others testified before the Senate Finance Committee in support of H.237. A problem of current use is the perceived problem of “parking” land in current use for the tax sav-ings by developers. One of the compromises in the CUTC was that the longer a property had been in current use, the lower the Land Use Change Tax would be. The thinking being that developers would not have an advantage in the short term, but that long-term enrollees that needed to turn some property into cash in their old age could do so without a punitive penalty. Senator Mark MacDonald of Orange County objected strongly stating that it gave a break to long-term enrollees.

The bill sat in Senate Finance until Wednesday morning of the last week of the Legislature when it was suddenly brought up. Senator MacDonald again objected and proposed an amendment that was not accepted. There is also some opposition in the Senate Agriculture Committee. An effort was made to incorporate H.237 into H.782, the Miscellaneous Tax Bill, but time ran out and H.237 failed.

The Current Use Tax Coalition will meet again on June 7 to discuss the situation.

President’s ColumnThe 2012 Legislature and Forest Issues………

continued on pg 9



If you talk with anyone who’s aware of invasive plants, they’re sure to tell you about a place that they know of where

invasives started popping up and quickly took over. Usually, eyebrows start to fur-row and heart rates start to quicken as they launch into their lament: “This used to be a beautiful hardwood forest….and then some _____ (fill in the blank - garlic mustard, honeysuckle, barberry, burning bush, etc.) got in here and it’s all changed! That was only 5 or 10 or 15 years ago!” Worse yet is when they confess that they were the cause of the infestation! I’ve heard it all: garlic mustard seeds brought in on dirty equip-ment before the forester truly believed invasives were a problem, barberry escaped from a few plants by the house and got into the sugarbush and were promptly ignored, and honeysuckle and buckthorn that started to pop up in an abandoned field and went nuts while the landowner turned her back. Sound familiar? I listen with the eyes of a trained invasives therapist and offer moral support and hopefully useful advice.

While we can’t turn back the clocks and prevent existing infestations from taking root, we can learn from our past. No matter where you live in Vermont – the more heav-ily infested Champlain Valley, Bennington or Windham Counties, or the lesser infested Northeast Kingdom where some of us would like to stay and regain our innocence –landowners will do well to heed the best practices of Early Detection and Rapid Response (EDRR) the best, cheapest, most effective tool when dealing with invasives.

Any landowner can practice EDRR. In simple terms it means noticing small populations of invasive plants and remov-ing them before they become widespread. Unfortunately, most landowners don’t start to deal with invasives until the problem is completely overwhelming. Most landown-

ers already have a laundry list of tasks to do every year; even if they are aware that inva-sives are on their property, it’s easy to look at 5 or 10 plants and say, “ahh, they aren’t that bad yet… I’ll get to that someday.” Someday never comes and suddenly five years goes by and the problem has become much more difficult and expensive to deal with. Sound familiar?

What can you do as a landowner? Here are a few key tips. 1. Understand what EDRR is.2. Learn what species are considered EDRR in your region and in the state and what treatment options exist for each one. 3. Scout for new infestations annually. 4. Include a survey for invasive plants in forest inventory work. 5. Develop a plan for managing invasives and preventing their spread.

There is no magic wand for invasives. The good thing is, in Vermont many of our woodlands are still in pretty good shape and something can still be done. But the clock is ticking and we each need to do our part and act quickly while EDRR is an option. For more detail on invasives, EDRR species, and other management tools, check out the Prevention and Management section under Plants at www.vtinvasives.org and get your-self a copy of the Best Management Practices for the Prevention and Treatment of Terrestrial Invasive Plants in Vermont Woodlands. You can start mapping invasives today by using iMapInvasives – go to www.vtinvasives.org/plants/report-it/volunteer for free on-line trainings.

News from The Nature ConservancyEarly Detection Rapid Response Demands Vigilanceby Sharon Plumb, Invasive Species Coordinator



years of inaction prior to his ownership.

Our 2012 foray into legislative affairs also included membership in the Working Lands Coalition and some very regular activity in the Statehouse in support of the Working Lands Enterprise Bill (H.496). Paul Costello from VT Council on Rural Development gave us an overview of the drivers that led to the formation of the Coalition, the introduction of the new bill (H.496), and the benefits to farm and forest landowners should it be passed. Regardless of the outcome, it’s been a banner year for forestry in terms of aware-ness building. We truly did hear working landscape defined as “farm and forest” as never before.

Following a delicious buffet lunch (albeit a bit short on dessert), a brief member-ship meeting was held during which the minutes from 2011, financial summary, and slate of directors was accepted. Execu-tive Director Kathleen Wanner provided a year-in-review of all our successes, includ-ing continued membership growth, new

educational programs, grants, advocacy, and other initiatives.

On to Tree Farm business, we were pleased to welcome Kathy Beland as the new Tree Farm co-chair (be careful when you don’t show up for board meetings) and

Annual Meeting, cont. from cover

hear about the activities that she will spear-head, including formation of a new commit-tee, an upcoming forester field day, and new inspector incentives. For the first time in sev-eral years, we recognized Rose Beatty, Luke Hardt, and Paul Harwood for their service to the program in enrolling new properties and completing reinspections. Three 25-year Tree Farmers (Alden Blodgett, Bob Pulaski, and John Meyer) were presented with silver signs and 2012 Vermont Tree Farmers of the Year

Allen and Kathleen Yale were announced. Allen gave an excellent presentation about the history, his work, educational programs, and advocacy and invited all to the TFOY tour on Saturday, September 15 in Derby, VT.

Keynote speakers Byron Kidder and David Mann, both licensed surveyors in Vermont and New Hampshire, offered a spirited presentation on the history of surveying in Vermont and some of the quirky laws and practices that surround the profession.

Many thanks to our presenters, partners who set up displays, and members who supported our annual meeting with their attendance. Hope to see you all next year on Saturday, April 6, 2013! Yes, we’re already scheduled for Judd Hall at VTC so mark your calendars now.

25-year Tree Farmers accepting signs

VWA & Partner table displays


Membership NewsletterMarch 2004

Vermont Woodlands Association


Sam Miller, current board member and outgoing treasurer, has been the

keeper of the funds for … well, a long time, providing careful oversight of the operating funds and also our long-term investments. He retired from this position in April and we are very grateful for his many years of dedicated service. His tenure on the board goes back to the early 1980s, which adds up to nearly thirty years of keeping a keen eye on our mission and accomplishments. It is this type of long-term commitment that gives Vermont Woodlands its strong founda-tion.

As sole proprietor of Sam Miller Insur-ance, Sam is licensed to sell life, health, and accident insurance in Vermont, Maine, and Florida. He entered the insurance field in 1990 as a Trust Specialist with the John Deere Life Insurance Company but when Deere gave up the insurance business, he be-came an independent agent. He specializes in senior products including fixed annuities, life insurance, Medicare supplements and long-term care insurance. He is also active with business groups for life, health, and retirement plans.

Prior to the insurance business, Sam spent almost three decades in public relations and publishing, including 13 years at Lane Press. He also served as the executive director of the Vermont Democratic Party from 1959 through 1962. He received his BA from the University of Portland (OR) and MA from the University of Vermont.

In his teen years, Sam moved to Weston, Vermont where he graduated from Burr and Burton in Manchester. Except for college and his service in the US Army, Vermont has been his home ever since. In 1964, Sam and his wife Mary purchased a woodlot in Waterbury, and what was supposed to be

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50 acres turned out to be 100. After selling the open land, they retained a 55-acre wood-lot, which was enrolled as Tree Farm #575 in 1980. Sam’s interest in forestry began in high school when he was twitching logs for Basketville of Brattleboro. That, plus what he saw of German forestry during his Army stint fur-ther sparked his interest. While in college, he worked two summers for the USFS on the Mount Baker National Forest in northern Washington.

Sam has always enjoyed skiing, hunting, and fishing, activities he still pursues but perhaps with less intensity than in his youth. Poli-tics and public policy have been life-long interests. He is a member of the VFW and the Post Service Officer for the American Legion in Waterbury where he and his wife Mary live. They have three grown sons.

IN MEMORIAM

VWA has been very fortunate to be named the charitable gift recipient in memory of

loved ones who have been outstanding land stewards. We would like to recognize and

thank the families and the donors who have made memorial contributions to the

following memorial funds:

Richard Bizzozero Memorial Fund

Jim Billings Memorial Fund

Stanley Brzoza Memorial Fund

Meet your Board of Directors: Sam Miller

Sam MIller, Board Member

The Vermont Tree Farm Program in 2012 and 2013


Membership Newsletter March 2004



The American Tree Farm System continues to evolve and improve, and there will be a lot to observe,

participate in, and discuss over the next two years. First, a little review of the past years is helpful.

The ATFS came out with their first set of standards in 2004, which were used until 2010 when the standards were revised and strengthened. The first standards were easy to meet and anyone with an active Vermont Current Use Plan met those ATFS standards. Vermont underwent its first PEFC third party inspection under our international certifying system in 2009 and did very well. By 2012 the entire ATFS had undergone their similar PEFC inspections and had also participated in the annual required or statisti-cal checks of Tree Farms.

The revised 2010-2015 Certification Stan-dards were more detailed and demanding of evidence that the Tree Farmer is managing sustainably and has done “due diligence” in understanding the natural community, physi-cal aspects, and forest health of the property. While many of Vermont’s Tree Farm Forest-ers were routinely producing Current Use Management Plans that meet the new stan-dards before 2010, the additional required detail meant that many existing Current Use Plans didn’t meet the new standard and need-ed minor revision. ATFS and your Vermont Committee recognized this and in 2011 sent a letter to both our Tree Farmers and our foresters asking them to tell us if their old plans met the new standard, and if not, when the revisions would be made. An addendum was also included in the letter which, if filled out and attached to the old plan, automati-cally updated the owner’s old plan to the new standard.

We have received a mixed response to the letters. Of our roughly 450 Tree Farms, only about 75 have responded. Many of you told

us that the plans would be updated on the update anniversary of your current use plan, which is quite satisfactory. Several enclosed the addendums, filled out, which should have been attached to your current manage-ment plan. But over 80% of Vermont Tree Farmers did not respond at all...Finding out the status of your plan is critical to both your Vermont Committee and the ATFS because the second PEFC inspection is coming up in 2013, a year ahead of the originally sched-uled date. If the inspectors conducting that inspection note the lack of updated manage-ment plan it will likely result in the state fail-ing the third party certification inspection.

This year we will again send out letters and addendums to our Tree Farmers and

News from American Tree Farm SystemThe Vermont Tree Farm Program in 2012 and 2013by Alan Robertson, Vermont Tree Farm Program Co-Chair

continued on pg 10



The "Local Wood, Local Good" sticker was formed by a collaborative effort. A Vermont woodworker came up with

the slogan at a Vermont Wood Manufacturers

Association meeting and the Vermont Wood-lands Association designed and purchased the stickers to help promote the idea of buying wood & wood products locally. Because it is not state specific, the idea is that the sticker’s message is widely applicable throughout the Northeast and beyond! Stickers are available for purchase online at http://www.vermontwoodlands.org/shop.asp for $1 each or 6 for $5 (includes shipping) or by calling 802-747-7900.

Other products like VWA branded hats, coasters, cutting boards, and posters are also available online.

New VWA sticker for sale

VWA Office Moves to Downtown Rutland

Ghostwriters Communications (GWC) moved their office in January from it's old location on

Spellman Terrace to a new downtown Rutland location on Center Street. GWC prominently placed the Vermont Woodlands and Vermont Wood Manufacturers Association logos in their office window. We have VWA brochures, Tree ID posters, and branded product on display within our office for people to view and take.

If you are in Rutland and would like to stop by, our office entrance is located at 110 Mer-chants Row, or you can tap on the window pictured below and Erin will let you in at our Center street door.


Membership Newsletter March 2004June 2012 Membership Newsletter


Growing Tomorrow's Forests Today®

www.aboutsfi.org

In Vermont, call William Driscoll,SFI Coordinator, at Associated Industries of Vermont, 802-223-3441.

This newsletter is printed on Accent Opaque brand paper produced at International Paper’s Ticonderoga mill from working Ver-mont and Adirondack forests, managed responsibly in accordance with the principles of the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, http://www.ippaper.com/accent_home.html

Last year at the close of the session, Senator Richard Westman of Lamoille, in an effort to address the parking problem, added an amend-ment to the Miscellaneous Tax Bill that would subject enrolled property to the Land Use Change Tax if it had a wastewater permit from the state or a subdivision permit from the mu-nicipality. The first problem was determining the effective date, the second problem was that there was no way the state could determine the various municipalities’ permits and the third problem was that many farms and produce stands had toilet facilities for their help or pa-trons and would be kicked out of current use.

The Westman amendment was changed at the end of this session to eliminate the munici-pality subdivision permit and grandfathered wastewater permits prior to July 1, 2011, but unfortunately created a bureaucratic night-mare for the Commissioner of FPR who must determine if wastewater permits after July 1, 2011 are valid for farmers or are the start of development. He may also consult with the Secretary of Agriculture and may develop standards.

S.202—An act relating to regulation of flood hazard areas, river corridors and stream altera-tions. Originally, a bill was introduced in the House to regulate forestry activities below the high water mark. But it was worrisome as there was no definition of high water—1927, 1936, Irene? Ultimately, the House adopted S.202 that applies only to towns that adopt by-laws to comply with the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) if they wish to be

insured for floods. Previously, ag and forestry were exempt, but in towns that adopt NFIP the Agency of Natural Resources will develop rules for flood plain activities. VWA needs to be alert when this happens.

Put Blodgett, VWA President

Tree Farmer of the Year Nominations Being Accepted

The VT Tree Farm Program is currently ac-cepting nominations for the 2013 Vermont Tree Farmer of the Year. Nomination forms are available on the Vermont Tree Farm web-site at www.vermonttreefarm.org under "For Inspectors" and are due by September 1, 2012. Congratulations to 2012 Vermont Tree Farm-ers of the Year Allen and Kathleen Yale of Derby, VT. Please mark your calendar for their Tree Farm Tour on September 15, 2012.

Presidents Column, continued from pg 3

Jayson Benoit, Tree Farm Forester (l)

& Allen Yale, TFOY (r)


Membership NewsletterMarch 2004


CALL NOW!

BEFORE YOU CUT,

NOT AFTERA Guide to Public

Resources for Woodland Owners in

Vermont

Take advantage of free services available through the Vermont County Foresters before selling timber from your woodlands. Call Now! Before you cut...not after.

To download the Call Before You Cut brochure or to find your County For-ester, or a VWA consult-ing forester, visit www.vermontwoodlands.org.


A federal quarantine restricts the move-ment of firewood, ash logs, chips and nursery stock from EAB regulated areas to our west. Moving firewood is a primary human-caused activity that increases the rate of spread of this and other invasive insects, and has led to restrictions on all hardwood firewood movement out of quarantine areas. Campers are urged to leave firewood at home to avoid spreading pests to campgrounds.

Symptoms of EAB infestation include sudden and intense woodpecker activity on trees, dead branches near the top of a tree, and very small D-shaped holes on tree bark of the tree trunk.

Although there are currently no practical control options for EAB in forest set-tings there are several strategies to slow the insect. Research is being conducted to test possible options including bio-control and to understand why a few trees have survived EAB attacks. Vermont foresters have already collected ash seeds to con-serve ash genes in the future. Experiences in other states show that widespread ash tree removal will not eliminate EAB, and may encourage it to move further to find suitable host trees.

If you think you may have seen signs of EAB, report it. Call the EAB hotline at 1-866-322-4512. Learn more about how to become a First Detector at www.vtinvasives.org.

For Further Information please contact:Ginger Anderson at 802-583-7507 or email to [email protected].

New EAB Publication, continued from pg 2

foresters reminding them to tell us what their schedule is for updating their management plan. The addendum is also available on the Vermont Tree Farm Program web site (see the link: www.vermonttreefarm.org/Inspec-torsPage.asp). For those electing to wait for the update to their current use plan we will place your Tree Farm in the Pioneer status temporarily until you tell us that your plan has been updated. This will not hurt your property or require any action on your part but will protect the Tree Farm System from losing the progress we have made in recent years in establishing a high reputation for certified, sustainably managed forests.

VWA will also assist those Tree Farms selected by the PEFC in 2013 to complete their addendums if we haven’t heard from you by then.

The ATFS has also listened to the complaints of many Tree Farmers with respect to the more detailed plans that, while the certifica-tion process is a good direction to be headed, the additional time and expense involved are not worth the effort at this time. This, unfor-tunately, is true in many states, as only a few industries have mandated the purchase of certified wood so far. In response, the ATFS may roll out in 2014 (after our PEFC inspec-tion) some fundamental changes to the levels of participation in the program that will allow a landowner, if so desired, a graduated movement to become a fully, third-party-certified property. The hopes are that the ad-dition of intermediate levels of participation will attract landowners not in any program at present, allow a progression up the system as their interest and understanding develop, and position many traditional Tree Farm-ers for recertification as social and market conditions dictate. Those wishing to maintain the highest standard of certification will also have that option.

We value your participation in the Tree Farm Program! Please feel free to call or write myself or VWA if you have questions or comments concerning the program.

Tree Farm 2012 & 2013, continued from pg 7



DATES TO REMEMBER

June 9, 2012Walk in the Woods:

Softwood Management in Vermont

Downer State ForestSharon, VT

July 28th, 2012 Forestry School:

Next Generation Forest Landowners WorkshopNorth Clarendon, VT

August 25, 2012Walk in the Woods:

Tree Farm TourPfalzerwald Tree Farm

Sheffield, VT

September 15, 2012Tree Farmer of the Year Tour

Allen Yale's Tree FarmDerby, VT

September 29-30, 2012 Forestry School

Seyon Lodge State ParkGroton, VT

September 29-30, 2012 Walk in the Woods &

Forest FestivalMarsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historical Park

Woodstock, VT

Visit www.vermontwood-lands.org for full calendar

of events.

A workshop designed by women and for women – that was the inaugural launch of Women and

Their Woods on April 27-29 held at Riv-erledge Farm in Grafton. VWA’s planning team had been hard at work for almost a year putting the program together and the weekend workshop delivered everything we had hoped for.

Some might ask why we restricted this to women and that’s a valid question. Across the nation, the landowner demographic is changing. Women are finding themselves as sole landowners by both circumstance and choice. And while not everyone be-lieves that women learn differently than men, I can tell you that they relate to each other differently, especially if it is a group of strictly women. The twenty women who attended the workshop built the foun-dation of ongoing relationships that will foster critical networking. Plans are already underway for a listserv, blog, photo gallery, and woodland tour – spearheaded by at-tendees rather than workshop planners.

The weekend was a wonderful mix of indoor presentations, outdoor hikes, fabulous food, and great conversation. The weather could not have been more cooperative. Although a bit cool, there was enough wind to keep the bugs at bay and enough sunshine to keep us all smil-ing. Saturday and Sunday each began with early morning hikes for wildflowers and birds followed by a full breakfast feast. VWA’s planning team composed of Ginger Anderson, Lynn Levine, and Kathy Beland identified the topics of importance and helped to recruit additional expertise. Other presenters included Caitlin Cusack, Katie Manaras, Jeanne Giddings, and Addi-son Kasmarek. Topics covered throughout the weekend were woods’ safety, tools for

making your way in the woods (map and compass estate planning, invasives and First Detector, Current Use and manage-ment plans, tree identification, harvesting aesthetics, the “knock on the door,” and habitat with birds in mind.

If VWA learned anything from this week-end, it was that Women and Their Woods is here to stay. We are actually not alone in reaching this conclusion. Our neighbors in Pennsylvania have hosted a similar program for several years; Oregon has a Women Owning Woodlands Network; and the US Forest Service has been working on the launch of a new Women and Woodlands website for sharing information nation-wide.

We owe a debt of thanks to everyone who participated as a planner, presenter, or attendee as all contributed to our suc-cess. Special thanks to Sidney Craven and Director Susan Hindinger, our hosts at the Riverledge Farm. The facility and hospital-ity were exceptional.

After more than a year in development, a new website for women woodland own-ers, was launched on May 15. Visit www.womenowningwoodlands.net to read about VWA's Women & Their Woods.

Inaugural launch of Women and Their Woodsby Kathleen Wanner, Executive Director

Women and Their Woods participants

New Member Application and/or Donation Form

Natural resource professionalsa Individuals........................................................... $50a Firms and crews................................................. $100Wood products companies & equipment suppliers a Individuals........................................................... $50a Firms and crews................................................. $250

a VWA Certified Consulting Foresters ........ $160 (Subject to VWA acceptance. Call for details.)

Name _______________________________________________________________________________Address _____________________________________________________________________________Town _____________________________________State _________________Zip _________________Telephone _____________________FAX_________________Email ___________________________Woodland town(s) __________________________________County(ies) _______________________Woodland acres _______ Tree Farm member? _____ Enrolled in the Value Appraisal Program? _____Forester____________________________________________________________________________Please make checks payable to Vermont Woodlands Association and mail with the completed form to:VWA Treasurer, PO Box 6004, Rutland, VT 05702-6004.

Vermont Woodlands Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to advocate for the management, sustainability, perpetuation, and enjoyment of forests through the practice of excel-lent forestry that employs highly integrated management practices that protect and enhance both the tangible and intangible values of forests–including clean air and water, forest products, wildlife habi-tat, biodiversity, recreation, scenic beauty, and other resources–for this and future generations.

Vermont Woodlands Association Page 12110 Merchants Row, Suite 101PO Box 6004Rutland, VT 05702-6004

Annual dues investment (check one) Landowners

a 0 -100 acres.......................................................... $40a 101-200 acres....................................................... $50a 201-500 acres....................................................... $60a 501-1,000 acres.................................................... $70a 1,001-5000 acres............................................ $100a Over 5,000 acres................................................. $250a Friend/Supporter.............................................. $40

As a benefit of member-ship, the Vermont Wood-lands Association offers a free subscription to Northern Woodlands, a quarterly magazine that offers readers a “new way of looking at the forest.” Northern Woodlands mission is to encourage a culture of forest stewardship in the Northeast by increasing understand-ing of and appreciation for the natural wonders, economic productivity, and ecological integrity of the region’s forests. Members also receive the VWA newsletter published quarterly and E-News, offering articles of interest and educa-tional opportunities for woodland owners. 06/12

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDRUTLAND, VT 05702

PERMIT NO.144

Documents

Membership Newsletter - Vermont Woodlands … · Membership Newsletter Vermont Woodlands ... Annual Meeting attendees listen to Steve Sinclair present. ... CUTC came up with propos-