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In this issue: Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, Wild forests and Vermont’s Use Value Program, New CHEP research in long-term forest change, Woodwinds, UVM forestry summer camp, and more.

Bringing Wild Forests to UVA

For the past two years, Vermont Family Forests’ Executive Director has been part of a coalition of Vermont forest ecologists, conservationists, and forest managers exploring ways to expand wild forests in Vermont. Their efforts have largely focused on amending the state’s Use Value Appraisal Program.

Read David’s update >

VFF Loves VYCC

Vermont Family Forests hosted a crew from the Vermont Youth Conservation Corps for a week in July. With hand tools, skill, and enthusiasm, they helped slow, spread, and sink storm flow at our Abraham’s Knees land in Lincoln, and beyond. It was mutually beneficial relationship at its best, flavored with earth-oven pizza.

Read all about it >

Newest CHEP Study Tracks Forest Change

This summer, we established permanent monitoring plots on three VFF forests to track changes in forest vegetation over time. Part of the Colby Hill Ecological Project longterm monitoring, these plots will help us see how local forests are responding to climate change.

Learn about the project >

West Barn Comes Down

The dramatic first step in the renovation of the West Barn at VFF’s Anderson Wells Farm took place in June and July, as the barn was disassembled from roofing to sills. Next up: the raising!

Story, photos, and video >

Sharing the Bounty

This summer, to prepare for the West Barn renovation at VFF’s Anderson Wells Farm, we found great new homes for some of beautiful farm equipment.

See the photo gallery

Woodwinds Near the Middle Barn

With major construction of the West Barn underway, and the Middle Barn chock-full of construction materials, our 10th Annual Woodwinds in the Middle Barn took place a stone’s throw away on a beautiful July afternoon.

Tune in to the gathering >

UVM Forestry School Summer Camp. In June, David Brynn and University of Vermont Forestry students spent a day exploring forest conservation practices at The Lands of the Watershed Center in Bristol. One of the sites they visited was a former white pine plantation near Norton Brook Reservoir where VFF hosted many Game of Logging chainsaw training sessions over the past 20 years (above). Left to decay on the forest floor, the felled pines have been building soil health and making space for the hardwoods that would naturally thrive on this site.

During this moist summer, coarse woody debris like these pine logs has been feeding an incredible bounty of mushrooms. Have you been seeing all the fungi in the forest?

What a difference a day makes in the world of fungi. This summer’s rains have brought a magnificent array of mushrooms to local forests. Check out our favorite summer read below, in which fungi play a starring role.

Our Favorite Summer Read

Wow. Run, don’t walk, to your library or favorite local book store for forest ecologist Suzanne Simard’s new book. How can a book focused on the mysteries of fungal mycelium and its essential connection to forest health be a gripping page-turner? Find out!

Summer Chainsaw Training at Little Hogback Community Forest

In July, we partnered with the Little Hogback Community Forest shareholders in Monkton to offer Game of Logging Levels 1 & 2 on a July weekend. LHFC shareholder John McNerney prepared the site, marked trees, and greeted participants. Reflecting on the weekend, John said, “I was impressed by the difference in people’s confidence and smoothness just between the first and second day.”

The Game of Logging courses are downright great, which is why we’ve hosted them for the past 20 years. Our fall classes are pretty well filled (one spot left in Level 2!), but keep an eye out for our spring 2022 offerings.

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