Vermont Land Trust Press Release - Underhill Couple Fulfills Long-Term Conservation Goal

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 20, 2006
For more information, please contact:

*	Elise Annes, Vermont Land Trust Vice President of Community Relations at 802/223-5234
*	Bob Linck, Regional Co-Director of the Champlain Valley Office at 802/434-3079
*	Livy Strong of the Jericho Underhill Land Trust at 802/568-9196.

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Underhill Couple Fulfills Long-Term Conservation Goal

Underhill, VT – Long time Underhill residents, Bob and Julia Northrop, donated a conservation easement to protect 280 acres from commercial or residential development, the Vermont Land Trust (VLT) announced today. The land, which has been actively managed for long-term forest health and wildlife habitat, is located on both sides of Irish Settlement Road. The project was made possible by support of the Freeman Foundation and the Jericho Underhill Land Trust.

The Northrops began considering conservation in 1980s after attending VLT’s Annual Meeting in southern Vermont. As a first step, they conserved and sold their 46-acre sheep farm with assistance from the American Farmland Trust. This farm, now owned by David and Donna Martin, still supports a sheep operation.

One of the Northrops’ sons, Chas, is a forester and logger who has managed the family land for years, both for the timber resource and wildlife habitat. For example, he has worked successfully to “release” wild apples to support deer and other wildlife habitat.

Both Bob and Julia are former school teachers and active volunteers. Julia served as a member of Underhill’s first Conservation Commission, and Bob as a board member of the Mount Mansfield Union School for nineteen years. In addition, Bob served as Secretary of Vermont Public Radio and as President of the Vermont Electric Cooperative for many years.

In his spare time, Bob has fostered a long love affair with the Long Trail. He has hiked it seven times: as a teenager in 1937 and 1938, then later as an adult in 1971, 1981, 1991, 1996, and 2001 – the last to coincide with his 80th birthday. Since 1991, he has been active in raising funds to protect the Long Trail.

“Despite the incredibly full and busy lives they’ve been leading, Bob and Julia stuck with the idea that their land should be protected for future generations,” notes Bob Linck, Co-Director of VLT’s Champlain Valley Office.

The Vermont Land Trust helped the Northrops conserve their land through the use of a conservation easement. An easement helps landowners and groups 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. Since 1977, 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.