The Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund will support the conservation of 2,163 acres across the state, protecting critical habitat and expanding public access to our lands and waters
Vermont Business Magazine The Nature Conservancy (TNC) in Vermont is thrilled to announce that four organizations have received funding for conservation projects through the Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund (VBPF). In this third round of VBPF grants, TNC Vermont awarded $387,250, leveraging over $3 million in funding from other sources and protecting 2,163 acres in Athens, Marlboro, Fairfield, Fletcher, Bakersfield, and Thetford. These projects were chosen for their habitat connectivity, biodiversity value, freshwater benefits, and community importance. The grants build upon the first two rounds of VBPF, bringing the total awarded to nearly $1.4 million. All of the conserved land will be open to the public.
Biodiversity is the web of life that sustains our food systems, economies, and even medical research. The habitats that loons, bobcats, and brook trout depend on are the very same habitats that make our lives possible. We are working alongside conservation partners to create connected pathways for wildlife and plants to move northward and upward in response to climate change, protecting the richness and diversity of life across our region. The Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund supports conservation projects in key areas, creating permanent refuges for wildlife and plants while providing clean water and air, flood protection, and recreation for communities.
The four projects that were awarded funding this spring are:
Houghton Hill Natural Area (Upper Valley Land Trust) – Thetford, VT – This 120-acre project will permanently protect the beloved Houghton Hill summit and surrounding area. Hosting a vernal pool, headwater stream, and critical wildlife crossing, this rolling parcel of land adds to a major connectivity corridor between the Southern Green Mountains and White Mountains. Two trails lead to the top of Houghton Hill, an open summit with beautiful, sweeping views. The trails are part of a larger community trail system maintained by area volunteers and used by hikers, skiers, and snowshoers. Upper Valley Land Trust will own and manage the land.
Winter Wren Nature Preserve (Green Mountain Conservancy) – Marlboro, VT – Long owned by the Ames family, the Ames children wanted to conserve this 531-acre parcel of land in memory of their father, Del Ames. This land acts as the headwaters to the Green River and its tributaries, with abundant wetlands that provide ecosystem benefits such as local climate regulation, flood control, and water purification. It hosts denning habitat for bear, bobcats, and porcupines, evidence of moose and snowshoe hare, and provides critical habitat for wood turtles. This important linkage to the Green Mountain National Forest will provide public access for outdoor education and recreation, including snowshoeing, backcountry skiing, and hunting. Green Mountain Conservancy will own and manage the land, with the Vermont Land Trust and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board co-holding an easement.
Athens Community Forest Expansion (Bull Creek Common Lands) – Athens, VT – This 15-acre parcel is in the critical Southern Green Mountains to White Mountains connectivity corridor. Once protected, the land will be managed by Bull Creek Common Lands to maintain and enhance ecological features and processes such as forest health, water quality, and flood resilience. Public access to a maintained trail and parking area will be provided for locals, visitors, and school groups. The Vermont Land Trust and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board will co-hold a conservation easement on the property.
Wintergreen Forest (Trust for Public Land) – Fairfield, Fletcher, Bakersfield, VT – This expansive 1,490-acre tract of land is owned by Forecastle Timber Vermont, LLC, with the Trust for Public Land facilitating a conservation easement to be co-held by the Department of Forest, Parks and Recreation and Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. This working forest will continue to contribute to the Northeast’s working forest economy, increasing the amount of locally and sustainably harvested wood available in New England. Conserving Wintergreen Forest will ensure permanent public access to this land.
Prior to this project, only 3% of the land in these three towns was open to public access; the conservation of Wintergreen Forest will protect public access for hiking, skiing, snowshoeing, hunting and fishing in perpetuity. The parcel hosts 70 acres of wetlands, and nearly 5 miles of streams. The headwater streams of Wintergreen Forest contribute to the drinking water of surrounding communities and flow eventually to Lake Champlain. The upland forests of the property soak up stormwater and mitigate flooding while filtering water.
Phil Blake, Partner at Forecastle Timber Vermont, LLC, applauds the Wintergreen Forest Conservation Project: "We're glad that this beautiful land will remain managed forest land! We appreciate the support of The Nature Conservancy, the Trust for Public Land, and the State of Vermont."
“Having support from TNC’s Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund is critical to acquiring this small but wildly diverse addition to the Athens Community Forest,” said Bull Creek Common Lands Board Chair Hannah Regier. “The parcel will provide the public with a new, more accessible, entry point to enjoy the Bull Creek and community trails.”
“The Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund will play a critical role in the success of the Houghton Hill project by helping to leverage several other funding sources,” said Upper Valley Land Trust Vice President Peg Merrens. “As we work to protect this special place, our ability to speak to the ecological value of the land is bolstered by TNC science and data.”
“Conservation is not just for the plants and animals that depend on wild places, but also for all the benefits Vermont’s lands and waters provide to our human communities: clean air, safe drinking water, lower flood risk, local jobs, and improved health,” said TNC Vermont State Director Eve Frankel. “Through the Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund we are able to support projects that have the very highest value for both nature and people.”
The next round of VBPF funding will open to applicants in Fall 2026. Land trusts, municipalities, and state agencies are eligible to apply. For more information on the Vermont Biodiversity Protection Fund visit:
https://www.nature.org/en-us/about-us/where-we-work/united-states/vermont/stories-in-vermont/vermont-biodiversity-fund/
The Nature Conservancy is a global conservation organization dedicated to conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends. Guided by science, we create innovative, on-the-ground solutions to our world’s toughest challenges so that nature and people can thrive together. We work in all 50 states and in over 65 countries. In Vermont, we have helped conserve over 300,000 acres of land, 2,000 miles of shoreline, and we own and manage 53 natural areas. To learn more and support our important work, please visit: www.nature.org/vermont