2014 Annual Report

A Note from the Founder

2014 was Vermont Family Forests’ twentieth year. In early 1995, we realized that forest conservation needed to put forest health first. Over the years we developed our Forest Health Conservation Checklist to conserve water quality, soil productivity, native bio-logical diversity, and carbon storage. We offered workshops and identified ways to address the economic constraints faced by family forest owners. We changed from using skidders to forwarders and from selling stumpage to adding value. This work continued in 2014.

But the world is continuing to change too rapidly for us to stand still. In 2014, Vermont Family Forests encountered and embraced new designs and new ways of thinking in the face of climate change. For example:

January: Sandy Wilmot, For-est Health Specialist & Cli-mate Change Coordinator with the Vermont Depart-ment of Forests, Parks, and Recreation, introduced us to an early draft of FPR’s Creating and Maintaining Resilient For-ests in Vermont: Adapting Forests to Climate Change. VFF pro-vided input, including the notion that it is more important to adapt the forestry than it is to adapt the forests! Key recom-mendations include managing for high forest carbon storage, preparing for extreme precipitation events, avoiding ditches, installing ample erosion control, carefully buffering riparian zones, and decommissioning non-essential access: SLOW WA-TER!

March: Vermont Family Forests helped arrange a four-stop tour for David Bollier, author of Think Like A Commoner: A

Short Introduction to Life in the Commons. This experience helped Vermont Family Forests focus on the premier forest product, which happens to be commonly held in Vermont: CLEAN WATER!

May: Another remarkable book, Hinduism and Ecology: The Intersection of Earth, Sky, and Water edited by Christopher Key Chapple and our friend Mary Evelyn Tucker of the Yale School of Forestry, added greatly to this exploration of the

water commons. The essay, “Sacred Grove” and Ecology: Ritu-al and Science by Frederique Ap-ffel-Margolin and Pramod Paraju-li, introduced the concept of eco-logical ethnicity, which centers on the notion that community members are bound to one an-other and to the place they in-habit by the particular ecology of that place. It’s a recognition that the health of the land is an essen-tial ingredient in their way of life and that they are vital to the con-servation of it: HOME CATCH-MENTS!

Vermont needs to move beyond the AMPs (Acceptable Manage-

ment Practices for Maintaining Water Quality On Logging Jobs in Vermont). It is high time to adopt and apply OCPs: Optimal Con-servation Practices for Controlling Flood Damage and Improving Water Quality in Vermont’s Forested Catchments. In 2014 Ver-mont Family Forests started that process. This annual report high-lights some examples.

Thank you for your continued support.

May the rainforest be with us!

SLOW WATER!

Rewilding Forests to Control Flood Damage & Conserve Water Quality

in our Home Catchments

In 2014, our programs aimed to

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celebrate

educate

build community

Tree planting at Lincoln Library to celebrate the life of Monique P. Anderson.

Co-sponsored the annual spring Beltane celebration and winter solstice celebration at TWC’s Waterworks Property.

Leading sponsor of Bristol Best Night (BBN) in 2014. A project of The Watershed Center, BBN gathers local performers to celebrate the Five Town Community on New Year’s Eve.

Organized exhibits of Lester Anderson’s remarkable photography at Mary’s At Baldwin Creek, Red Clover Family Dentistry, and the Walkover Gallery.

Hogback Community College courses, including Tree Identification in the Hogback Ecoregion, Four-Season Birding (both taught by Jim Andrews), and Stories in the Land (taught by John Elder and Don Mitchell).

Game of Logging chainsaw training, levels I, II, and III in spring and fall 2014, with more than 500 student hours “logged in.”

Geology field trip at the Waterworks Property, co-sponsored by VFF and The Watershed Center, with 50 participants.

Participated in VPR radio program on family-owned forests in Vermont.

Participated in a panel discussion on Protecting Our Water Commons at the Lewis Creek Association’s annual meeting (Full text at www.familyforests.org)

Featured in the August 2014 edition of New England Farm magazine.

Continued support for the Little Hogback Community Forest (shown left).

Served on the State Lands Resiliency Project Team (SLRPT) assisting Kristen Underwood, Principle Investigator. SLRPT will make recommendations to the VT ANR Land Stewardship Team to attenuate flood flows, improving water quality and reducing downstream flood damage.

VFF landowner Kevin Brennan stands by a newly installed culvert on his forest access road.

Participants in an Access Construction Workshop ponder topographic maps to help locate a “line of grace” for a new trail at the Lost Pond Forest.

Students in UVM Professor Cecilia Danks’ Community Forestry course split firewood for a local family as part of a service learning project at Little Hogback Community Forest, Monkton.

Two local community builders, Lester C. Anderson and Richard Wyatt, meet at Lester’s first public photography exhibit in the Red Barn at Mary’s At Baldwin Creek.

rewild Completed a forest conservation plan for The Watershed Center’s (TWC) newly

acquired Lost Pond Forest in Bristol and New Haven.

Completed conservation plans and maps on six privately held parcels and worked on three commercial timber sales, identifying excellent logging operators who used forwarders to minimize soil disturbance.

Continued work on the Lewis Creek Association’s Pond Brook Valley Project, including installation of 4,000 feet of trail in full compliance with VT AMPs.

Helped set up a 2,400-tap sugaring lease at TWC’s Waterworks Property in Bristol.

Merchandise Sales ($1,705)

Financial Statement October 1, 2013 - September 30, 2014

Project Partners

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We’re delighted to welcome Katherine Stutzman to Vermont Family Forests. Born and raised in Albany, NY, Kathleen moved to Vermont to attend UVM and received a B.S. in Forestry. Vermont’s beauty hooked her and she’s made it her home, working for VFF part-time since February, 2014.

In her role as conservation forester, Kathleen inventories forests, writes management plans, paints boundaries, and helps out wherever possible. She’s a talented and enthusiastic addition to our team.

Income ($105,864 total)

Donations ($47,568)

Grants ($14,953)

Office Rental ($1,000)

Interest ($64)

Expenses ($103,484)

Colby Hill Ecological Project

Under Dr. Marc Lapin’s direction, CHEP research associates Jim Andrews, Chris

Gray, Greg Bora, Warren and Barry King , and Sandra Murphy continued their

work on forest flora phenology, amphibians and reptiles, small mammals,

breeding birds, and forest rewilding. Kristen Underwood of South Mountain

Research & Consulting joined the team this year to focus on water quality

monitoring.

VFF completed a comprehensive forest conservation plan for the Anderson

Family Trust’s Wells Property in Lincoln. The conservation easement for the

Wells property has been held by the Northeast Wilderness Trust (NWT) since

2003. It was NWT’s very first parcel!

Welcome to our new Conservation Forester

Payroll ($49,302)

Administration and Overhead ($20,779)

Contracted Services ($32,059)

Bristol Conservation Commission

Forest Guild

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum

Lewis Creek Association

Lincoln Library

Little Hogback Community Forest

Middlebury College

Northeast Wilderness Trust

Shoreham Carpentry Company

South Mountain Research and Hydrology

The University of Vermont

The Watershed Center

Vermont Reptile and Amphibian Atlas Project

Vermont Dept of Forests, Parks, and Recreation

Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife

Vermont Land Trust

Admin. Services ($2,194) Education

Programs ($12,070)

Ecoforestry Programs ($17,745)

Property Stewardship ($8,565)

Cost of Goods Sold ($1,344)

Caitlin Cusack (VFF Conservation Forester) and Matt Davis spread the word about VFF as they take a honeymoon trek on the 160-km Tour du Mont Blanc.

Thank You to Our Friends~

Individuals & Landowners

Staff & Associates

Board of Directors

Printed on 100% post-consumer

waste, chlorine-free, recycled paper,

manufactured with biogas energy.

Jim Andrews, Research & Teaching Associate

David Brynn, Executive Director & Conservation Forester

E. Callie Brynn, Conservation Mapping Specialist

Caitlin Cusack, Conservation Forester Marc Lapin, Research Associate Sandra Murphy, Rewilding Project

Associate Kathleen Stutzman, Conservation Forester

Deb Brighton

David Brynn

Jonathan Corcoran, President

John Elder

Christopher McGrory-Klyza

Paul Ralston

Vermont Family Forests

P.O. Box 254 • Bristol, VT 05443

802-453-7728 • info@familyforests.org

www.familyforests.org

Corporate Sponsors

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Foundation & Public Agency Donors

Vermont Family Forests

is a nonprofit education

organization whose

mission is to conserve

the health of the forest

community and, when

appropriate, to promote

the careful cultivation of

local family forests for

community benefit.

Randall Blanchard and Barbara Adkins Lester Anderson Jim and Chris Andrews Laura A. Asermily Jason and Nina Bacon Ruth and Will Beecher Bruce Beeken Mark and Nancy Benz Robert Bernstein Gregory Borah Dick Nessen and Susan Borg Elissa Close and Christopher Brady Deborah Brighton E. Callie Brynn Louise and David Brynn Eugenie Doyle and Sam Burr Jeff Pratt and Kim Callahan Peter Carothers Paul and Sandal Cate Bruce and Holly Catlin Allen and Claudia Clark John McNerney and Kim A. Clark Cassandra and Jonathan Corcoran Emile and Diane Cote Alan & Bonnie Coulter Trish Hanson and Luke Curtis Matt Davis and Caitlin Cusack Richard Czaplinski Judi and Fred Danforth Bunny Daubner Don and Marty Dewees Ellen Spring and Louis Dupont Stephen Murphy Rita and John Elder Betsy Brigham and Brett Engstrom Steve M. and Catherine Eustis Ann Bove and Richard Faesy Abbott T. Fenn Marianne Jorgensen & David Foster

Bill Roper and Barbara Ganley Amanda Bodell and Jeff Glassberg Gerry and Betsy Gossens Peter and Margi Gregory Mr. and Mrs. Paul Growald Larry and Linda Hamilton Scott and Kelly Hamshaw Dan and Kathy Howell Terry Dinnan and Martha Illick Steve Ingber Lynn Littler and William Jesdale Carol Boyd and Chris Johnson Linda O. Johnson Bill Leeson and Heather Karlson Warren and Barry King Christopher and Sheila McGrory- Klyza Judy and Kyle Kowalczyk Mark Krawcyzk Sarah Laird Laura Basili and Marc Lapin Gale Lawrence David and Clare Walker Leslie Enrique Pedero and Bill Lippert Suki Fredericks and James Maroney Dorothy Allard and G. William Martin Ethan Mitchell and Susannah McCandless Ron and Karen McEachen Ed and Mary McGuire Bill McKibben John McNerney Don and Cheryl Mitchell Andrea Morgante William and Lynn Osborn James F. Palmer Shelly McSweeney and Eric Palola Hilarie Gade and John Peters

Michael and Katharine Quinn John Quinney Deborah Gwinn and Paul Ralston Katie Reilley Deborah Robinson Barbara Ganley and Bill Roper Jim and Chris Runcie Ian and Margery Rutherford Len Schmidt Donna L. and William J. Scott, Jr. John B. Seibert Cynthia and Michael Seligmann Alissa Shethar Susan Smiley Katie Manaras and Oakley Smith Eric Sorenson Jim Converse and Cindy Sprague Jim and Lyn Taylor Stephen Trombulak Jackie and Stephanie Tuxill Kristen Underwood Jean M. Wagner Bob Wahl Tom and Carol Wells Roy and Roberta Whitmore Heidi Willis Megan Gadd and Nathan Wilson Scott Zolkos Helen Young

Green Mountain Electromagnetic Kimball Office Services, Inc. M E Illick Consulting Many anonymous donors Northeast Woodland Training Wells Mountain, LLC

Supporters

Coca-Cola Matching Gifts International Business Machines United Way of Addison County Colby Hill Fund Growald Community Fund Lintilhac Foundation Northeastern States Research Cooperative South Lake Champlain Fund Spirit in Nature Vermont Community Foundation