VT Land Conservation Achievements for 2001

Montpelier, VT: Today, the Vermont field office of the Trust for Public Land (TPL), a national nonprofit organization, announced its conservation achievements in the year 2001: the protection of nearly 8,000 acres in Vermont. Highlights include:

Stanley Tool Company Lands, Chittenden, Pittsfield and Killington
TPL helped protect more than 7,500 acres, including six mountain peaks and several popular hiking trails, as an addition to the Green Mountain National Forest. The majority of the property, some 6,500 acres, is located in Chittenden, with roughly 900 acres in Pittsfield, and just over 100 acres in Killington. Owned for many years by the Stanley Tool Company, the property once supplied timber for the manufacture of handles for hammers, axes, and other hand tools. Thanks to the leadership of Senator Patrick Leahy and the Vermont Congressional delegation, last year Congress appropriated roughly $3.3 million last year for this purchase from the Land and Water Conservation Fund.

Blueberry Lake, Warren
The Green Mountain National Forest acquired approximately 370 acres, including almost the entire shoreline of Blueberry Lake. The land was purchased from TPL, which bought the property in January 2001 to protect it from development until it could be added to the National Forest last September. A mix of forestland, wetlands, and open meadow, the Blueberry Lake property provides outstanding opportunities for recreation-including swimming, fishing, hiking, ice-skating and cross-country skiing. It also includes important habitat for songbirds, black bear, and other wildlife. Thanks to the leadership of Senator Patrick Leahy and the Vermont Congressional delegation, last year Congress appropriated $1.085 million from the Land and Water Conservation Fund for this acquisition.

200th Project Celebration, Boston MA
On September 5, more than 150 guests gathered in Boston to help TPL celebrate the completion of 200 projects in New England. Boston Mayor Thomas Menino and TPL president Will Rogers welcomed guests for an evening of festivities, remembrances, and thanks. Other speakers included TPL regional director Whitney Hatch, Boston Parks Commissioner JustineLiff, TPL Board Members Jamie Hoyte and George Denny, New England advisory board member Kathy Bachman, Jim Robbins of Searsmont, Maine, and David Ogilvy of Greenwich, Connecticut. Speakers highlighted a number of landmark TPL projects throughout the region, including Walden Pond in Massachusetts, the Stanely Tools Company lands in Vermont, and the Treetops Estate in Connecticut.

The Trust for Public Land is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving land for people to enjoy as parks and open space. Since 1972, TPL has protected more than 1.4 million acres nationwide, including 25,000 acres in Vermont. The Wall Street Journal’s Smart Money Magazine recently named TPL the nation’s most efficient large conservation charity for the second year in a row, based on the percentage of funds dedicated to programs.