Lois McGean Made History – Conservation and Housing in Vermont

One of UVLT’s most complex conservation transactions is also one of our earliest – a project that brought together farmland conservation and affordable housing development. The Farrell Farm project, begun in 1988, involved the purchase of conservation easements and land, innovative financing including a grant and loan from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, subdivisions, Vermont Act 250 permits, and strong leadership and vision from Norwich residents. In the middle of all of this was Lois McGean, then chair of the Norwich Conservation Commission. 

Ruth Shumway Made History with Farming and Conservation

When Ruth Shumway conserved her Hartland farm in 1990, she was a third-generation farmer who had been farming on her own for more than a decade. Born in 1933, Ruth attended North Hartland elementary schools and graduated from Hartford High School in 1951. She lived in New York state for four years before returning to North Hartland and joining her parents as a partner on the Green Acres dairy farm. 

Sweet Time in the Woods

Maples are some of our region’s most beloved trees. Living to 200 years or more, they line scenic dirt roads and follow stonewalls; they produce brilliant autumn color across our […]