VT Backyard Woods Online Course offered free of charge for May and June

Have some extra time to explore your backyard woods? VT Urban and Community Forestry Program, a partnership between Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation and UVM Extension, is hosting the Backyard Woods Course free of charge for participants from May 1 - June 30, 2020. This course is designed for homeowners with less than 25 acres who want to learn more about the woods in their backyard: what’s in it, who (wildlife) uses it, and how they can become better caretakers of it.

Tell us Your Woods Story!

Everyone has a connection to Vermont's woodlands. We want to hear about yours!

We all have some sort of connection to woodlands and we want to hear yours. Call and share a story or a reflection about your land, a tree in your yard, or a special piece of woods.  Then, listen for it on Heartwood, a new podcast about our woodlands and the people who care for it. The podcast is hosted by Vermont Coverts, Vermont Urban and Community Forestry Program, and UVM's Center for Research on Vermont launching soon.

New detections of EAB in Vermont

New detections of the emerald ash borer (EAB) in Plainfield, VT have expanded the current infested area in Central Vermont.  In addition, two new detections in Sullivan County New Hampshire (Plainfield, NH & Langdon, NH) create infested areas that extend into Vermont.

Updates from FPR on the Impact of Governor Scott's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" Order for Forest Businesses

Dear Vermonters,

I hope this finds you and your families safe and healthy in such challenging and uncertain times. In addition to the many benefits, forests provide to us all, the forest economy supply chain in both Vermont and the United States produces countless critical products that are needed to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Outdoor Recreation in Vermont: Healthy Options During COVID-19

During the current COVID-19 public health crisis, getting outdoors close to home and connecting with nature is an excellent way to help maintain our mental and physical health.  Engaging in our favorite outdoor recreation activity – hiking, camping, fishing, biking, hunting or walking in nature – does wonders for our health and well-being. No matter how you enjoy the outdoors, we urge you to practice effective “social distancing” and other measures to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and keep you, your family and your community safe.