Monkton Establishes Its First Town Forest with 450-Acre Purchase
Monkton, Vermont—In a significant conservation effort, the town of Monkton has purchased a 450-acre area of forested land, marking its first-ever town forest. The acquisition, facilitated by a partnership with the Vermont Land Trust, ensures the area will remain open for public use and protected from development indefinitely.
Bob Heiser from Vermont Land Trust highlighted the site’s ideal features for a town forest, including gentle terrain, beaver wetlands, ponds, and diverse wildlife habitats. The land also features rugged terrains and rich biodiversity, home to various vernal pools and uncommon forest types in Vermont. It is adjacent to an additional 1,000 acres conserved by the Watershed Center in Bristol, further enhancing opportunities for outdoor recreation.
The property was purchased for $1.1 million from A. Johnson Company, a Bristol-based lumber business. Historically, the land was a site for small sheep farms and kaolin clay mining, contributing iron ore crucial in the Battle of Lake Champlain during the War of 1812.
The initiative had been outlined in Monkton’s town plan since 2014, and it took over two years to identify this particular parcel. Town Forest Committee Chair Callie Brynn noted that the town actively engaged residents through surveys to determine management preferences for the new forest, balancing community recreation needs with conservation efforts.
The committee is set to draft a management plan based on public feedback, which will undergo further community review before being presented for a vote in late March. Brynn emphasized the importance of respecting the land’s biodiversity while creating recreational opportunities. Future engagement sessions will allow residents to voice their perspectives on permissible activities in the new town forest.
Source
Photo credit www.vermontpublic.org
