In 1974, ̽̽ Board of Trustees established ̽̽ Natural Areas System, designating ten university-owned land parcels as protected natural areas. These properties encompass 2,400 acres of diverse ecosystems, including the summit ridgeline of Mount Mansfield, Shelburne Pond, Pease Mountain, and Centennial Woods.
̽̽ is responsible for the protection and management of these lands, striving to preserve their natural character, while utilizing them for educational and scientific purposes. The ten unique areas span a variety of ecosystems, ranging from mountainous alpine biomes to lower altitude wetlands and lakeshores, offering ̽̽ students and faculty invaluable resources for environmental study and research, as well as providing the public an opportunity to walk trail systems and view natural communities and landscape features.
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the natural areas, a symposium will be held on November 20th from 1-5 PM at ̽̽’s Grand Maple Ballroom. This event is free and open to the public, with a particular focus on classes engaged with the natural areas. You can register for the event here.
Josh Benes, the Associate Director of Research Facilities and Networks, says that "land stewardship, field research, and conservation has been at the heart of ̽̽ for over a century. In 1859, ̽̽ purchased the summit ridgeline at the top of Mount Mansfield for conservation and research. Given how early this was, it positioned ̽̽ as a pioneer in the land conservation movement. Today, ̽̽ identifies, manages, and protects thousands of acres of natural areas throughout the state, from Shelburne Pond in the Champlain Valley to Concord Woods in the Northeast Kingdom. This event will celebrate these sites and history, and look toward the future for how we can use research to better steward these natural communities into the future".
The Natural Areas 50th Anniversary Symposium will include talks on the history and academic applications of these areas, as well as presentations on new initiatives aimed at enhancing engagement with these “living laboratories” for conservation, stewardship, and ̽̽’s planetary health efforts.
̽̽ President, Patricia Prelock, and Director of the Natural Areas, Brendan Fisher, will open the event, followed by Hon. Robert Mello and Dr. Sarah Helms Cahan, who will share insights into the history and engagement of the natural areas. The program will also feature Dr. Walt Poleman, Dr. Noelia Barrios-Garcia, and Dr. Peter Newman, who will explore how these areas can be better utilized as “living laboratories” for Planetary Health.
The keynote speaker, Ethan Tapper, author of “How to Love a Forest” and a graduate of the Rubenstein School's Forestry program, will discuss how to foster a love for ̽̽’s Natural Areas and use them for ecosystem restoration and management.
The day will conclude with remarks from Dr. Kirk Dombrowski, Vice President for Research, and Joshua Benes, announcing new initiatives for the Field Research/Instruction and Land Stewardship Core at ̽̽, sparking an exciting new chapter for the ̽̽ Natural Areas.