Past Programs

  • New Forest Carbon and Climate Adaptation Webinar April 12, 2023

    for Forest Landowners with Dr. Alexandra Kosiba

    Are you wondering what to do about forest carbon, carbon markets and making your forest more resilient to the effects of climate change on your woods in the northeast? Join Dr. Alexandra Kosiba, the University of Vermont’s Extension Forester on Wednesday April 12, 2023 from noon to 1:30 PM.  In this webinar, Dr. Kosiba will cover forests role in sequestering and storing carbon, what you can do to increase sequestration and storage in your forests and what your options are if you want to sell forest carbon in the carbon markets.  She will also cover steps landowners and their managers can take to increase forest resilience to climate change by encouraging management actions that adapt forests to the effects of our changing climate.  This webinar is designed specifically for forest landowners and sponsored by Securing Northeast Forest Carbon Program.

    Register in advance for this webinar (required):
    https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_VHJuPo4kQJaWCE_w7Xly6w
    After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.

    Alexandra (Ali) Kosiba, PhD, is a forest ecophysiologist and Extension Assistant Professor of Forestry at the University of Vermont. As the Extension Forester, she creates resources and conducts applied research to help woodland owners, foresters, and decision-makers better understand the impacts of climate change and other stressors on Vermont’s forests and management techniques to improve forest resilience. She is Vermont’s representative to the Securing Northeast Forest Carbon Program.  A licensed forester, Ali serves as a regional educator on forest carbon science and management and is the state lead on the Vermont Forest Carbon Inventory. She also works on various forest health topics, like planning and management for at-risk tree species, land planning for maintaining critical forest services, and forest monitoring. Before coming to UVM, she was the Climate Forester for the State of Vermont, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation – and the first climate forester in the nation.

  • Reserve Forestland

    Wednesday, February 1st @ 6:00 p.m. – Dummerston Community Center; 166 West St.; West Dummerston

    The event is being presented by The Dummerston Conservation Commission and the Windham Regional Woodland Association. 

    Sam Schneski, Windham County Forester, will explore the specifics of this new option  in the Use Value Appraisal (Current Use) program. This event is especially important for folks enrolled in the Current Use program or who are considering enrolling in the program, which requires a minimum of 27 acres. There are currently 200,000 acres of land in Windham County enrolled in the Current Use Program. Property owners in the program receive a reduction in property taxes for agreeing to manage the forests according to an approved forestry plan. Prior to the new option, there were only a few available exceptions to managing the forestland for timber production. The new rules now recognize the value of  old growth forests in maintaining biodiversity. The goal of the new option is to accelerate the development of “old growth forest” conditions, which are estimated to be less than 1% of Vermont’s forestland. Sam will explain the recently released guidelines from Vermont Dept. of Forests, Parks and Recreation covering the criteria for eligibility to use the new option. 

    Attendees are required to wear masks for the protection of everyone’s health.

  • Tour of Bestwood Sawmill

    Wednesday, October 5th – 5:00 p.m.

    The Windham Regional Woodlands Association (WRWA) will be visiting Best Wood Sawmill for a tour led by Jon Williams in Westminster West/Putney on Wednesday, October 5th at 5:00PM.  Jon saws a variety of species including some less commonly milled including European Larch, Black Locust, White Oak, Curly Maple (red), and Slippery Elm (live edge).  We will be under limited cover so dress appropriately for the weather, including proper outdoor footwear. More info on Bestwood Sawmill can be found at http://www.bestwoodvt.com


    Directions:
    From the south, Follow Westminster West Road from the Putney General Store North for almost 3.5 miles until you pass McKinnon Rd. on your right.  The road up to the mill will be the next unmarked dirt road/driveway on your left.   There will be an event sign at the turn.

     
     From the North, Follow Westminster West Road from the Westminster West Public Library South for almost 3.0 miles until you pass McKinnon Rd. on your left.  The road up to the mill will be the 3rd dirt road/driveway on your right.  There will be an event sign at the turn.  

  • Roaring Brook Falls Walk

    Saturday, June 4th @ 10:00 a.m. – Vernon

    The Windham Regional Woodlands Association (WRWA) will host a walk to the Roaring Brook Falls in Vernon, VT on June 4th (rain date June 11th) starting at 10 am from the Vernon Town Forest Parking lot off Basin Road. Led by Bob Spencer and State Forester Aaron Hurst, this moderate hike will explore the 2-1/2-mile path to the Falls, a stop for lunch there (bring your own) and then return 2 1/2 miles to the parking lot. Because of its remote location, these falls are seldom seen by the public. This WRWA event is open to the public as well as our members. It is anticipated that the walk will take a couple of hours each way. This is tick and insect season, so repellant is highly recommended.

    Roaring Brook Falls is located in the Roaring Brook Wildlife Management Area and is part of the Vermont Forest and Parks system. More information on Roaring Brook WMA

  • Woodland Walk at Whitman’s

    Saturday, April 30th – 10:00 am to 3:30 pm – Readsboro, VT

    Join John Whitman (WRWA member, VWA member and Coverts Cooperator) and wife Virginia for a show and tell walk on their 340-acre property.  John will share the history of the property and his stewardship goals – both economic and environmental. He will provide information on their VLT conservation easement, decision to enroll most of the property in UVA, forest management activities over 37 years of ownership, and experience with a VAST trail on their property.  You will see old and recent oak plantings, patch cuts, road improvements and more.  Activities will be outside.  Bring a bag lunch.  Drinks will be provided.  To register and get directions e-mail John at 

    Property Address 1011 Potter Hill Rd., Readsboro, Vt

    Whitman Property – Readsboro Vermont

  • Forest Management Workshop/Tour

    Saturday, March 26th -9:00 A.M.

    Join Forester George Weir and landowner, Munson Hicks on March 26th at 9 am for a tour of the
    Hicks woodland in Vernon to see the results of a recent harvest, completed in October 2021. The
    Hicks family has owned and managed the woodland through 8 decades. Our president Munson’s
    father Halsey Hicks was one of the founders of WRWA

    The history of management has consisted of several stages. Early work included pre-commercial
    thinnings to release young white pine and hardwoods for growth. In the middle years periodic
    commercial thinnings harvested poorer quality trees to grow those with better sawtimber
    characteristics. Recent harvests in 2006 and 2021 promoted pine regeneration as well thinned
    areas of sawtimber. The work ahead includes pre-commercial thinning of 20 year old pine
    saplings, releasing groups of younger pine saplings from overstory competition, harvesting to
    establish additional regeneration, all balanced with thinning areas of high quality sawtimber.

    Join us at 870 Tyler Hill Road in Vernon, VT observe the effects of 80 years forest management
    and to discuss future management. Please rsvp to if you plan to attend.

  • Annual Meeting 2021

    Saturday, August 21, 2021 – 9:00 AM to 2:30 PM

    As a member of the Windham Regional Woodlands Association, you are invited to join the Board of Trustees and other members like you, at our Annual Meeting to be held at the Scott Farm in Dummerston, Vt on Saturday August 21, 2021. Members and their families and friends are invited 

    This will be our first “in person” meeting since the covid epidemic began. The meeting itself will take place in a large, well ventilated function room at the farm. All other events will take place out of doors, weather permitting.

    Here is the schedule of events. (All times are approximate)

    9AM- 10:30 AM

                A tour of the Scott Farm woodlot on Black Mountain Road. (not at the farm) hosted by Sam Schneski, our County Forester, and Ian Martin, forester for The Scott Farm. (Please note, if you plan to attend this portion of the day, please rsvp me at  so we may know how many will need coffee and donuts. If you are not planning to come to this portion, there is no need to reply).

    11:00 AM-12:30 Our annual meeting.

                Welcome to the farm with a short presentation by the Executive Director about The Landmark Trust USA and The Scott Farm. This will be followed by our annual meeting with board elections, budget presentations, etc.

    12:30 PM-1:00 PM

                Lunch break. Due to covid concerns we have decided to forgo our normal potluck lunch and ask that you BYO if you would like a luncheon.

    1:00 PM-2:30 PM (approx) a guide tour of the wonderful Stone Trust installations at the Scott Farm, led by Brian Post of The Stone Trust

    2:30 PM -whenever People are invited to sit around and catch up with friends. (Also are invited to take down the chairs and tables!)

    *~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*

    Directions to the Woodlot Tour

    From Brattleboro.

                Rte 5 North to Middle Road (left) to Dutton Farm Road (left) 

                Dutton Farm Road to Black Mountain Road (right) 

                1/4 miles to a log landing on Right side of the road 

                Parking is along the road.

    Directions to The Scott Farm

    From Brattleboro

                Putney Road (Rte 5) to Black Mountain Road on the left

                Black Mountain Road to Kipling Road (straight- Black Mountain Road veers left)

                Straight on to The Scott Farm (parking usually in the field below the farm)

    We hope for a large turnout for this interesting day.

    The WRWA Board of Trustees

  • Mapping Tools For Landowners

    Tuesday, June 1st   7 PM – 8 PM

    Sponsored by the Southeast Vermont CISMA (Cooperative Invasive Species Management Association)

    To Register (required) for this free program:  https://tinyurl.com/9fxauufe  Once you register, you will receive an email with the link to join the meeting.

    The iconic Casio calculator watch was an amazing piece of wearable technology, but the technology we carry with us every day now has only gotten more powerful. You can use your smartphone to map invasive species on your property, plan a tree planting project or map a new trail. These tools can make managing your land easier.

    Consulting forester Andrew Morrison will provide you with the basic skills you need to make a custom map of your property, or anywhere else in Vermont, and send it to your smartphone so that you can use it navigate, mark important locations, make a track of your travels and much more. This presentation will walk you through the process of creating a map using Vermont’s free online Web Mapping Portal and then transferring it to the Avenza PDF map application tool on an iPhone or Android smartphone. Attendees will have the chance to see these tools in action and ask questions.

    If you have questions you would like to share ahead of time, or if you need help registering, please email Windham Conservation District Manager Cory Ross at 

  • Mapping Your Land -Modern Tech

    Wednesday, May 19th – 7:30 p.m. Via Zoom

    The Windham Regional Woodlands Association announces that it will present a program on mapping your land. presentaed by consulting forester Andrew Morrison

    The iconic Casio calculator watch was an amazing piece of wearable technology, but the technology we carry with us every day has only gotten more powerful. This presentation will provide you with the basic skills you need to make a custom map of your property, or anywhere else in Vermont, and send it to your smartphone so that you can use it to navigate, mark important locations, make a track of your travels and much more. The live Zoom demonstration walks you through the process of creating a map using Vermont’s free online Web Mapping Portal and then transferring it to the Avenza PDF map application on an iPhone or Android brand smart phone.  You will get a chance to see these tools in action and ask questions.  

    ZOOM Sign In Information

    Topic: WRWA  Mapping Seminar
    Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/3542101297

    Meeting ID: 354 210 1297

    One tap mobile:
    +19292056099,,3542101297# US (New York)
    +13017158592,,3542101297# US (Washington DC)

    Dial by your location:
            +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
            +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
            +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)
            +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
            +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
            +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)

    Meeting ID: 354 210 1297

    Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/k9899I3Wd

  • Game of Logging -level 3 & 4

    Taught by Northeast Woodland Training

    Level 3b: Saturday, September 12, 2020
    Level 4: Sunday, September 13, 2020

    WRWA is pleased to be able to co-sponsor along with Glenna Young these two advanced levels of the popular Game of Logging (GOL) training. Completion of the first two levels of GOL is a prerequisite for taking these two advanced courses. Level 3b covers basic limbing and bucking and level 4 addresses storm clean-up, for trees under extreme compression/tension or damaged by weather events. The courses will be offered over two days with Level 3b on Saturday and Level 4 following on Sunday.

    Space in the classes is limited to 6-9 participants.  The instructor will be John Adler, Senior Instructor, New England Woodlands Training.  The cost is $190 per participant per day of training. WRWA will provide a $50 rebate per course to WRWA members who successfully complete each course.

    Please bring your own lunch and water. Appropriate clothing is required which consists of long pants and boots, and be prepared for being outside all day in any kind of weather. You are expected to provide your own hard hat, ear/eye protection, safety chaps and a chainsaw with new chain. Click on link for Covid-19 Policy guidelines and what to bring.

    To register, or for more information, contact .

    To confirm your place in the classes, you will be asked to send a check.  Directions to the site will be sent to registered participants.

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