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For immediate release, June 6, 2006 | |||
People who work the land are critical to the future of farms and forestlands throughout the state. In particular, it is the young people who hold the key to the future viability of these industries. That is why the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) developed the Land Stewards’ Award – to recognize graduating high school seniors who have demonstrated a commitment to working and stewarding the land. It is these individuals who will preserve Vermont’s working landscape and unique character in the years to come. The Vermont Land Trust granted nine awards to outstanding high school seniors from around the state. Each will receive a Vermont Land Trust hat, a certificate, and a gift of $250 that is not restricted in anyway. “The Land Stewards’ Award provides VLT the opportunity to acknowledge the accomplishments of today’s students who are destined to become tomorrow’s stewards of our working landscape,” said Carl Powden, VLT Forest Projects Director. “The Vermont Land Trust works in cooperation with its many partners in order to conserve land, but without knowledgeable and committed people who will own and work that land in the future, our efforts will fall short of our aspirations.” The Land Stewards’ Award Fund was created in 2004 in memory of Kathleen O’Dell and her service as the Vice President of Community Relations at VLT. VLT intends to grow the fund and is accepting donations from those who share an interest in acknowledging student achievement and encouraging future land stewards. Donations to the Land Stewards’ Fund may be sent to the Vermont Land Trust, 8 Bailey Avenue, Montpelier, VT 05602. The following individuals are 2006 award recipients and represent the future of Vermont farming and forestry: Scott Ackerman is a second-year forestry student at the Green Mountain Technical Career Center in Hardwick. In addition to serving as the reporter for the local FFA chapter, Scott has been instrumental in the success of the school’s maple sugaring operation. Scott and his family own and operate a dairy farm in Cabot where they recently sold their Jersey herd to diversify into organic production. In addition, Scott is launching a maple operation on the farm, cutting sawlogs to build a sugarhouse and reclaiming a sugarbush his family currently leases to an adjoining maple producer. Ryan Barrows is graduating from Randolph Technical Career Center where he has participated in several land management and community service projects. He was an active member of his class that, under the direction of the County Forester, assumed responsibility for land management practices at the Randolph Town Forest. This work included inventorying forest assets, surveying, mapping, and conducting wildlife studies. Next year, Ryan will go on to study land management at the Vermont Technical College. Oliver Boyd from Brattleboro is graduating from the Windham Regional Career Center where he has been an outstanding member of the Natural Resources program. He participated in the installation of 1,000 feet of subsurface drainage at the Putney School to improve hay land. In addition, Oliver works with his father putting up 2500-3000 bales of hay each summer, and mowing over 200 acres of idle fields to keep them open. Upon graduation, he plans to use these skills to improve the management of his family’s woodlot. Eric Bushee, a senior at Southwest Vermont Career Development Center, plans to be an urban forester. He currently works on his cousin’s farm in West Shaftsbury raising replacement Guernsey heifers, sugaring, and producing bio-diesel. In addition he works the farm’s wood lot, producing firewood and hardwood timber. At the Southwest Vermont Career Development Center, Eric has studied agricultural science, horticulture, and forestry. He serves as the Vice President of the Bennington FFA chapter and as the Vermont Agriculture Ambassador for the Agency of Agriculture. Justin Girard of Jay is graduating from the North Country Career Center where he has been an outstanding member of the Center’s Natural Resources program. In addition to his studies, Justin launched a small land management business in hopes of earning enough money to attend a training program for hunting and fishing guides. Danielle Schneider is a graduating senior from Stafford Technical Center and plans to pursue a degree in Environmental Studies at Castleton State College next year. She has worked at the Keheo Conservation Camp at Lake Bomosseen for several summers teaching students about the outdoors. Her love of the land stems from her father, Dave Schneider, the Rutland City Forester. Danielle and her family actively manage their land for firewood, wildlife, recreation, and timber. Through her future work as an Environmental Educator, Danielle hopes to have a positive impact on Vermont’s youth, keeping the concept of stewardship alive. Tyler Staudter, a senior at the River Valley Technical Center works at Mooreland Farm, a dairy farm in Springfield. There he milks cows, feeds calves, and cleans stalls. Tyler has been a member of the Springfield High School Honor roll for the past two years and has served as an officer for the FFA chapter during the same time period. Next year, he will continue to work at Mooreland Farm, developing the skills to someday own and operate his own dairy farm. From Richford, Matt Weld is a graduating senior at the Cold Hollow Career Center with a passion for sugaring. Single handedly, Matt has developed his grandparents’ maple operation to include 3300 taps, utilizing health spouts. In fact, he spends most of his spare time developing his maple business, often coming home at 3:00 a.m. after boiling sap in the springtime. Next year, he plans to work for a manufacturer of sugaring equipment in Swanton, and manage his sugaring business on the side. Steven Whitney, a graduating senior at the Hannaford Career Center in Middlebury has been an active member and officer for the Middlebury FFA chapter for three years. He currently owns and operates Deere Valley Farm in Cornwall, managing a team of oxen, Holstein calves, and chickens. He is also employed by his family’s business, Whitney’s Custom Spreading, that performs custom plowing and manure spreading throughout Addison County and Eastern New York State. Next year, Steven will continue to farm, working to save up enough money to buy a small cattle farm of his own. The Vermont Land Trust is a nonprofit organization that works with individuals, communities, and in partnership with many 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 454,000 acres, or about 8% of the private, undeveloped land in the state. The conserved land includes roughly 650 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 us on the web at www.vlt.org.
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