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For Immediate Release: February 26, 2007 | |||
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Boissoneault Brothers Conserve 400 Acres in Essex Essex, VT – Most people probably don’t associate Essex with farming. But for brothers Jeff and Jason Boissoneault, their Essex land is vital to their dairy farm business. They own over 400 acres along Brown’s River and they recently protected it from future development by selling a conservation easement to the Vermont Land Trust (VLT), the Vermont Land Trust announced today. Funding was provided by the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. Jeff and Jason manage over 1,000 cows and they farm land in five towns. Their milking facility is in St. Albans and as other land is being lost to development, they have to go further afield to find good land to support their herd. Jeff Boissoneault said, “We wish this land was closer to the main barn but and it’s getting harder to find big tracks of good farmland. Conserving this land with the Vermont Land Trust prevents further subdivision so now it’s more likely to stay in farming.” Allen Karnatz, the VLT Champlain Valley Co-Director, added, “The Land Trust also has an option to purchase the property at its agricultural value so if Jeff and Jason decide to sell, the land will remain affordable to another farmer.” This is the largest farmland conservation project ever completed in Essex. Geoff Glaspie, the chair of the Essex Conservation Commission said, “We're very excited and pleased that VLT and VHCB approved the Boissoneault project. It is precedent-setting and represents a significant step towards ensuring the long term viability of the town's rural character. This project conserves a vitally important area of prime farmland, scenic resource, and a regional greenway.” The parcel contains 285 acres of excellent tillage and the 120 acres of woods is a statewide significant wetland. To maintain good wildlife habitat, the Land Trust restrictions prevent clear cutting of this area. The Vermont Land Trust helped these landowners conserve their land through the use of a conservation easement. An easement helps landowners voluntarily limit development on productive farmland and forestland, and other meaningful natural and community places. Landowners continue to own, manage, and pay taxes on the land and can sell their land; however, the conservation easement permanently remains on the property. The Vermont Land Trust is a nonprofit
organization that works with individuals, organizations, and communities
to conserve land for the future of Vermont. In the past 29 years, VLT
has helped conserve more than 1,300 parcels of land covering over
455,000 acres, or about 8% of the private, undeveloped land in the
state. The conserved land includes more than 600 working farms, hundreds
of thousands of acres of productive forestland, and numerous parcels of
community lands. This conservation work changes the lives of families,
invigorates farms, launches new businesses, maintains scenic vistas,
encourages recreational opportunity, and fosters a renewed sense of
community. For more information, call (802) 223-5234 or visit VLT on the
web at www.vlt.org.
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