
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
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.


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.

Firewood Assistance in NH
Last month, UVLT took steps to duplicate the Woodshed’s program and bring similar firewood assistance opportunities to NH. Due to strict exterior firewood quarantine guidelines in the state, the UVLT team headed to Up on the Hill in Charlestown, NH, to begin harvesting trees for the new program, hoping to officially launch and deliver to recipients in Fall 2023 (once harvested wood has dried sufficiently).

Host Don’t Post During Hunting Season
In New Hampshire and Vermont, deer hunting is a ritual shared by a declining population of hunters. Yet, this activity is really the only way to control the population of a species that can have devastating impacts on forest health.

Harvest Roundup at Food Pantry Gardens
Fall is officially here, and with its arrival comes the impending final harvest, and wrap up of our 2022 Food Pantry Garden season. Each year we are grateful for the many volunteers who commit their time, energy, and skill, to help prepare, plant, and harvest food for our neighbors in need.

Introducing Our Newest Trustees
UVLT is proud to announce two new Trustees to its Board, Christie Hedges (Orford, NH), and Gordon Richardson (Hartland, VT).

Treating Emerald Ash Borer at Up on the Hill
Earlier this month twelve Emerald Black Ash trees at Up On the…

A Part of the Whole at Bear Pond Natural Area
Len Reitsma has donated a 7.5-acre inholding sandwiched between the Bear Pond Natural Area and the Mascoma State Forest in Canaan – over 1100 acres in total.