The How and Why of Land Conservation at Vermont Fish & Wildlife
There’s a seldom used back road off Route 100, a few minutes north from Weston. If you don’t catch the yellow and green sign, you might never realize where that woods road leads. It’s the gateway to the 440-acre Awasos Wildlife Management Area (WMA), protected by Vermont Fish & Wildlife last year as the linchpin connecting thousands of acres of conservation land to the north and south.
Like all our WMAs, we steward Awasos for the species who call it home: black bears, brook trout, blackburnian warblers and more. And like all our WMAs, we steward Awasos so Vermonters have places to experience those species and their habitats. Fish & Wildlife lands are open to the public for low-impact recreation. Outdoorspeople of all stripes, from hunters, anglers and trappers, to hikers, skiers and wildlife watchers, are welcome on our more than 130,000 acres spread across more than 100 WMAs and Streambank Management Areas (SMAs).
Land conservation is central to what we do, but we can’t do it alone. Federal funds from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Environmental Protection Agency as well as grants from partners like the Nature Conservancy and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board are essential. Just as important is support from individuals, whether through the purchase of a Vermont Habitat Stamp or in the form of a major gift from a donor concerned about Vermont’s wild places.
With these resources, the department has seen some remarkable land conservation successes in the past few years. At Pond Woods WMA in Benson and Orwell, we acquired the timber rights to over 1,400 acres of classic big woods. Along the John’s River in Derby and Newport, we added 50 acres of SMA to protect wild trout and salmon spawning waters. At the Lemon Fair WMA in Cornwall and Bridport, we acquired 110 acres of grasslands that are home to the threatened Eastern meadowlark. And of course, we protected Awasos.
If you’re a conservation-minded landowner thinking about the future of your woods or farm, or if you know someone who fits that description, we hope you’ll reach out. Especially for parcels 50 acers or more, or that share a boundary with an existing WMA or SMA, passing your land on to the wildlife and people of Vermont through donation or sale can be a fulfilling legacy. You can reach Will Duane, our Land Acquisition Coordinator, at (802) 272-7672 or [email protected] to start the conversation.
