Women Tree Wardens Virtual Gathering

Wednesday, April 30, 2025
5:30 pm-6:30 pm
Online via Zoom. 
Register for the Virtual Gathering

Ask all of your questions about the many roles of municipal tree wardens in this one-hour women-centered discussion. Learn more at the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program Event Page at vtcommunityforestry.org.

Restoring Crooked Creek with Women and Our Woods

Wednesday, May 21, 2025
10:00 am - 12:00 pm
Colchester, VT
Register: https://vlt.org/events/restoring-crooked-creek-with-women-and-our-woods-vt/

What is a healthy stream supposed to look like? Join Women and Our Woods Vermont and other women landowners, land managers and individuals interested in learning more about what constitutes a healthy stream and how we can restore stream function and processes to existing watersheds. VLT Ecologist Allaire Diamond and VLT Forester Caitlin Cusack will take us on a tour of the watershed restoration work in the Crooked Creek headwater drainage on the Button Farm in Colchester two and a half years after a dam has been removed. The work began in 2021 and includes instream wood addition, dam removal, wetland restoration, ‘Stage Zero’ stream restoration, plantings, and control of introduced weeds in the context of a working farm and rapidly developing community.  Allaire and Caitlin will share details on each of the restoration activities, how they complement each other, and how private and public landowners can initiate this work on their own land.

Event Leaders:
Allaire Diamond, Ecologist – Vermont Land Trust
Caitlin Cusack, Forester – Vermont Land Trust

The rain date will be Wednesday May 28th at 10AM.

Women and Our Woods: Beginner Chainsaw Use and Safety

Saturday, May 31, 2025
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
NorthWoods Stewardship Center, East Charleston

Women Owning Woods Vermont invites you to learn to be safe with a chainsaw!  This course is designed to introduce the safe handling of a chainsaw, as well as boost the confidence level of anyone who has very little or no experience with a saw. Topics covered: parts of a chainsaw, safety, bucking (cutting an already felled tree), and basic maintenance. Participants should bring a helmet with a face shield, eye and ear protection, or chaps if they have them. Otherwise, these will be provided during the class. Also bring lunch, water, and snacks for the day. This is a hands-on full-day course and is an excellent foundation for someone who may go on to attend the Game of Logging Levels 1 through 4 training. Class size is limited to 10. 

The cost for this class is $200 for WOW participants thanks to support from a Landscape Scale Restoration Grant. Space is limited. Contact VT Coverts for the registration link by emailing lisa@vtcoverts.org or call 802-877-2777. 

Birds and Brunch at Pratt Refuge with Women and Our Woods

Friday, June 13, 2025
7:30 am - 10:00 am
Duxbury, VT
Register: https://vlt.org/events/birds-and-brunch-at-pratt-refuge-with-women-and-our-woods/

Are you curious about what bird sings out “teacher, teacher, teacher!” from the forest? Want to know which species sounds like it’s saying “pleased, pleased, pleased to meet cha!” If so, then this program is for you! Join Women and Our Woods-VT, Vermont Land Trust, Mad Birders, and Audubon Vermont for an inclusive, women-focused bird walk at the Vermont Land Trust’s Pratt Refuge in Duxbury. We’ll look and listen for forest birds on a leisurely walk through the woods and gain a better understanding of the habitat those species are keying in on. At the conclusion of the walk, we’ll convene at the Refuge’s cabin for a light brunch, beverages, and conversation.

Event Leaders:
Caitlin Cusack, Vermont Land Trust
Steve Hagenbuch, Audubon Vermont
Jeanne Elias, Mad Birders
Ali Wagner, Mad Birders

Please note the rain date of Friday, June 20th.

Women and Our Woods: Game of Logging Level I

Saturday, July 12, 2025
8:00 am – 4:00 pm
Danville, VT

Women Owning Woods Vermont is hosting Game of Logging Level I to help you develop chainsaw skills. This class is the first in the series and focuses on introducing the participant to open face felling and the development of techniques to safely use it. Topics covered include personal protective equipment, chainsaw safety features, chainsaw reactive forces, bore cutting, pre-planning the fell, and understanding hinge wood strength. Each person in the class will cut down a tree. Participants must bring a safety helmet with a face shield, eye and ear protection, chaps, as well as lunch, water, and snacks for the day. If you do not have the appropriate equipment, please reach out to the us, as it should not stop you from attending. Bringing a chainsaw is recommended but not required.

Class size is limited to 10 participants. The cost for this class is $200 for WOW participants thanks to support from a Landscape Scale Restoration Grant. Contact VT Coverts for the registration link by emailing lisa@vtcoverts.org or call 802-877-2777. 

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A Sweet Occupation: Women In Maple 

Written by Steve Hagenbush, WOW-VT Steering Committee Member