VERMONT LAND TRUST INC

CONSERVATIONTHE VERMONT LAND TRUST IS A MEMBER-SUPPORTED LAND CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION THAT HAS WORKED WITH FAMILIES, COMMUNITIES, FARMERS, AND FORESTLAND OWNERS SINCE 1977 TO CONSERVE OVER 2,000 PARCELS OF LAND IMPORTANT TO VERMONTERS. VLT HAS PERMANENTLY CONSERVED MORE THAN 650,000 ACRES. THIS LAND INCLUDES MORE THAN 1,100 WORKING FARMS, MORE THAN 410,000 ACRES OF PRODUCTIVE FORESTLAND, AND NUMEROUS PARCELS OF COMMUNITY LANDS. OUR STAFF CHOOSES INITIATIVES AND WEIGHS INVESTMENTS OF RESOURCES IN OUR EFFORT TO BEST SERVE CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS AND VISITORS TO VERMONT. OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS INCLUDE: PROTECTING AND STEWARDING FARMS, FORESTS, COMMUNITY LANDS, AND ASSOCIATED IMPORTANT NATURAL AREAS. PROTECTING AND STEWARDING LAND THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE CULTURAL, ECONOMIC, AND ECOLOGICAL VITALITY OF LOCAL COMMUNITIES. PROTECTING AND STEWARDING LAND THAT IS ACCESSIBLE TO THE PUBLIC, AND THAT IS BOTH AFFORDABLE AND AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO WISH TO USE IT. IMPROVING THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES BY INVIGORATING FARMS, LAUNCHING NEW BUSINESSES, MAINTAINING SCENIC VISTAS, PROVIDING LOCAL FOOD, ENCOURAGING RECREATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES, AND FOSTERING A RENEWED SENSE OF COMMUNITY.

STEWARDSHIPTHE VERMONT LAND TRUST ACCEPTS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO SAFEGUARD AND UPHOLD, FOR THE BENEFIT OF ALL VERMONTERS, THE LEGAL AGREEMENT SIGNED VOLUNTARILY BY THE LANDOWNER. WE CALL THIS WORK STEWARDSHIP. OUR STEWARDSHIP ROLE MEANS THAT WE MONITOR ALL OUR CONSERVED PROPERTIES ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND MEET WITH ALMOST 90% OF THE OWNERS OF CONSERVED LAND. THESE EXPERIENCES, VISITING THE LAND AND CREATING RELATIONSHIPS WITH LANDOWNERS, ARE CORE TO CREATING BALANCED CARE FOR THE ECOLOGICAL INTEGRITY, CULTURAL HERITAGE, AND ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY OF CONSERVED PROPERTIES.