VFF Landowners Celebrate Forests and Community

Last weekend, Vermont Family Forests’ annual landowner gathering celebrated the forest landowners we’re fortunate enough to work with, and the diverse, beautiful forest communities they live in and care for. More than 20 landowners gathered at VFF’s Anderson Wells Farm in Lincoln for lively conversation and wood-fired pizza.

Woman talking with group of people, gathered inside a barn. — Middlebury College student, Hannah Redmon, tells VFF landowners about a project she is working on related to Abenaki access to private land.

We had much to talk together about, including plans for inoculating ash trees against emerald ash borer next spring and details of our upcoming Commons Conservation Congress. Middlebury College student Hannah Redmon shared the work she and fellow students are currently undertaking to explore the potential of facilitating mutually beneficial access to private forestlands for Abenaki tribal members.

Each VFF landowner received a metal Vermont Family Forests “Forest Friend” sign, which celebrates their commitment to forest conservation.

People gathered around wood-fired pizza oven, talking. — Landowners brought their favorite locally harvested pizza toppings, which made some dynamite pizzas!

VFF works with more than 180 landowners who collectively care for more than 19,000 acres of private forestland. Our conservation foresters help landowners develop forest conservation plans and maps for Vermont’s Current Use program, as well as a variety of other forest-related work.