Eden Forest ‘made whole’ with successful conservation of high priority 344-acre centerpiece
Fifteen years ago, the 5,720-acre Eden Forest was successfully conserved by Trust for Public Land and Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation. The protection of this broad and diverse forest was hailed as a significant victory for wildlife and working forests, with the exception of a 344-acre chunk at the center which remained threatened.
This week, that centerpiece was permanently protected, reconnecting a fragmented working forest and completing “Phase II” of the conservation effort.
A collaborative effort between Trust for Public Land, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation (FPR), the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board (VHCB), the private landowner Greatwoods LLC, and the federal Forest Legacy Program, the completed 6,064-acre forest conservation project prevents forest fragmentation, strengthens flood resiliency and water quality for downstream communities, supports wildlife habitat and connectivity, and ensures continued sustainable forest management along with dispersed public access.
“The Northern Green Mountains are a gem of Vermont’s landscape, but remain one of the least protected in northeastern North America. The opportunities to maintain large and connected blocks of forest don’t come along very often, which makes them a huge priority when they do,” said Shelby Semmes, New England region Vice President for Trust for Public Land.
As a whole, Eden Forest flanks a four-mile section of the Long Trail, providing a natural buffer to the state’s premier hiking experience. The land is also part of a block of 70,524 acres of conserved public and private land, which includes the Long Trail State Forest, Babcock Nature Preserve, Avery’s Gore Wildlife Management Area, and Green River Reservoir State Park.
The property will remain privately owned and managed by the landowner, Greatwoods LLC, whose management goals are centered around sustainable forest management, designed and implemented to support wildlife habitat and recreation and avoid adverse ecological impacts, while producing high-quality sawtimber and maple syrup that contribute to Vermont’s forest-based economy. The Phase II parcel is conserved through a “working forest” conservation easement co-held by FPR and VHCB. FPR also holds the surrounding 5,720-acre conservation easement, acquired through the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Legacy Program.
“Conserving working forests is central to FPR’s mission,” said FPR Commissioner Danielle Fitzko. “This acquisition strengthens the integrity of our forested landscape, advances Vermont’s 30×30 goals, and preserves the connections that wildlife, communities, and local economies rely on. We’re grateful to the landowner for ensuring this forest will remain cared for and conserved for generations.”
“When we protect forests like Eden, we’re protecting what makes Vermont work, so Vermonters can keep living, working, and thriving in the places they love,” said Gus Seelig, Executive Director of Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. “This means clean water for our communities, good jobs in the woods, and outdoor spaces where families make memories. Healthy forests, healthy communities, that’s a Vermont that works for everyone.”
Located west of Eden Mills and north of Butternut Mountain, the protected Eden Forest will support regional landscape connectivity within the Northern Green Mountains to Canada Wildlife Linkage, an internationally significant 722,000-acre wildlife corridor connecting the mountains of northern Vermont to southern Québec. The property is home to moose, bobcat, and 12 rare and uncommon plant species, as well as two uncommon species of dragonflies.
In addition to supporting the natural movement of wildlife in a changing climate, the newly conserved 344-acre centerpiece includes 125 acres of riparian areas, 51 acres of wetlands, and 2.6 miles of headwater streams including Wild Brook, a tributary to the Lamoille River that flows through the property for 1.2 miles. According to the Audubon Society, Eden Forest is also located within an Important Bird Area of Continental Significance—an expanse of mountainous protected land that is pivotal for breeding forest birds in a changing climate.
The conservation easement will also secure permanent public access for hiking, hunting, fishing and cross-country skiing. Expanding protection to this parcel within the larger Eden Forest easement will enhance access across the entire 6,000+ acre forest.
The investment in this Phase II project, funded largely by VHCB through their Working Forest Grant Program, will serve as part of the required 25% match to $2.26 million of federal Forest Legacy funds secured by TPL and FPR for the protection of 1,959-acre Hazen’s Notch project, located in the nearby towns of Montgomery, Westfield and Lowell.
In addition to funding secured from the Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, the project received generous support from a number of foundations and individuals including The Conservation Alliance, William P. Wharton Trust, Fieldstone Foundation, Davis Conservation Foundation, Green Mountain Fund of the Vermont Community Foundation, and Cold Hollow to Canada.
About Trust for Public Land
Trust for Public Land (TPL) is a national nonprofit that works to connect everyone to the benefits and joys of the outdoors. As a leader in equitable access to the outdoors, TPL works with communities to create parks and protect public land where they are needed most. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 4 million acres of land, created more than 5,504 parks, trails, schoolyards, and iconic outdoor places, raised $112 billion in public funding for parks and public lands, and connected nearly 10 million people to the outdoors. To learn more, visit tpl.org.
About Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation
The mission of the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) is to practice and encourage high quality stewardship of Vermont’s environment by monitoring and maintaining the health, integrity and diversity of important species, natural communities, and ecological processes; managing forests for sustainable use; providing and promoting opportunities for compatible outdoor recreation; and furnishing related information, education, and service.
