Green Mountain Conservancy

The mission of the Green Mountain Conservancy is to acquire, conserve, and advocate for the protection of forest lands in southern Vermont:

• To ensure their natural character, and their aesthetic and inspirational value;
• To protect wildlife corridors and watersheds;
• To promote carbon sequestration and biodiversity;
• To undertake related initiatives that educate people in the understanding, appreciation and stewardship of these lands;
• To improve the quality of life in southern Vermont by providing appropriate access to these lands

History and Achievements

The Green Mountain Conservancy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that was founded in 2008 and reorganized in 2018 under the leadership of Ed Anthes, Sam Farwell, Mary Ellen Copeland, and Michael Pletcher to conserve the highest priority forest block in Dummerston, Brookline, and Newfane, called the Deer Run Nature Preserve. To date, achievements include:

• Purchase and conservation of the 287-acre Wilson parcel, the 626-acre Mercede parcel, and the 30-acre Phase III property, bringing the total Deer Run Nature Preserve to 943 acres
• Conservation of Canoe Brook Nature Preserve, 115 acres in Dummerston
• Activation of a strong neighborhood and community conservation coalition
• Completion of the 2.2-mile low gradient Deer Run trail to the Monument, the 0.4-mile Shoulder Trail, the Ravine Trail, and the North Trail
• Worked with and supported two contiguous landowners in conserving over 150 acres of land with the Vermont Land Trust
• Developed working partnerships with the Vermont Land Trust, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board, Dummerston Conservation Commission, Bonnyvale Environmental Education Center, Putney Mountain Association, Windmill Hill Pinnacle Association, Bull Creek Common Lands, Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department, Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Southeastern Vermont Watershed Council, Connecticut River Conservancy, Conservation Alliance, and Nature Conservancy
• Studied wild areas and wildlife travel corridors in Windham County and identified migration corridors out of the Green Mountain National Forest and into surrounding areas as a top conservation priority to maintain biodiversity in the face of global warming and development pressure
• Completed a biodiversity inventory of the Deer Run Nature Preserve