Celebrating Women’s History Month: Linny Levin

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March is Women’s History Month — and at UVLT, that means it’s time to recognize the many women in conservation who have helped preserve and share the wild spaces in our community.  This week, we’re highlighting Linny Levin, a remarkable teacher and naturalist who introduced countless Upper Valley children to the magic of the outdoors — and who we remember through the Linny Levin Trail in Thetford’s Zebedee Wetland. 

The Right Thing to Do

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Mark Hooper wrote to the Cornish Conservation Commission late last fall explaining that he’d decided to conserve his land “simply because it seemed like the right thing to do.” Mark’s grandmother’s family (the Hildreths) had been granted about 300 acres in the late 1700’s — land that stretched from the Connecticut River to Blow-Me-Down Brook in the northwest corner of Cornish.
Photo by J. SCOTT ALTENBACH

Paradee Property is Conserved

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On June 14, 2023, the Paradee property, located in Orford, NH, was graciously conserved by Linda Paradee who donated a conservation easement. This parcel, situated on the banks of the Connecticut River has been in Linda's family since the 1800s.
Photo by J. SCOTT ALTENBACH

Building a Legacy: Amber’s Story

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August is National Make-A-Will Month, a perfect opportunity to create your own will and express your vision and values. Amber Porter did. UVLT offers access to FreeWill, an online estate planning tool that can help you get started. This tool doesn’t replace the expert advice of your personal attorney -- you can use it to create a draft for review and discussion with your attorney, or if you prefer, write a simple will to execute as Amber did. August is a great time to begin!

The Stories That Connect Us

When friends and supporters of UVLT gather at Poverty Lane Orchard for our annual celebration on May 31, we will be joined by Rebecca Rule, a writer and storyteller who hosts Our Hometown on New Hampshire PBS.

Seeding the Future Forest

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Last spring, with the guidance of foresters Jeff Snitkin, Eric Radlof, and Ehrhard Frost of Full Circle Forestry, LLC (FCF, LLC), UVLT began a project designed to seed a future forest at our Up On the Hill Conservation Area in Charlestown. The forestry team evaluated an area that was harvested several decades ago, which involved removing the majority of the valuable trees. The remaining trees lacked timber quality and vigor: trees were defective, primarily small in diameter, and lacking in sufficient crown area. The FCF foresters recommended seeding the future forest by using several regeneration methods.

Lois McGean Made History – Conservation and Housing in Vermont

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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

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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

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Maples are some of our region’s most beloved trees. Living…
Photo by J. SCOTT ALTENBACH

A Suitable Habitat for Endangered Northern Long Eared Bats

Effective March 31, 2023, the Northern Long-Eared Bat (myotis-septentrionalis) will officially move from threatened (first designated in 2015) to endangered under the Endangered Species Act.