Start-Up Whiteout Solutions Piloting Forest Inventory and Mapping Technology in Northeast Kingdom By Christine McGowan, Forest Products Program Director at Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Vermont’s first sawmill opened in 1738, nearly a century before the first chainsaw was invented, not to mention cars or telephones. And it was at least 150 years before that sawmill
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On Friday, June 26, 2020, the Senate and house passed S. 351 to provide financial assistance to the agricultural community and included appropriations to the Forestry sector. The house amendment included appropriating $5,000,000 for the Forest Economy Stabilization Grant Program. Under this legislation, a Forest Product business that can demonstrate economic harm related to COVID-19
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The Vermont Almanac is an annual 224-page book – our first volume will be mailed in December 2020. We’ll share content throughout the year on our website and social media channels, as well as via a regular e-newsletter. The Almanac will be organized by month, and will provide a year’s worth of stories, data, illustrations
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Planting woody plant species alongside crops could double the number of insect pollinators helping farmers produce food, new research has demonstrated for the first time. The study, led by the University of Reading and published in the journal Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, provides the first observed evidence that agroforestry increases wild insect pollinator numbers and
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USDA Forest Service Chief Vicki Christiansen announced today the appointment of Gina Owens as Regional Forester for the Forest Service’s Eastern Region. As Regional Forester, Owens will oversee management of more than 12 million acres of the National Forest System spread across 17 national forests and one national tallgrass prairie in the Northeast and Midwest.
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This month’s weather started off cold and wet, with snowfall occurring in most parts of the state through mid-May. Compared to last year, this month was warmer and dryer than May of 2019. Statewide temperatures averaged 52.9°F, which was 2 degrees warmer than May of last year. Statewide, precipitation averaged 2.93 inches, which is 2.73
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The Working Lands Enterprise Board (WLEB) plans to award a total of $180,000 in COVID-19 Response Business Development Grants within the sectors of agriculture and forestry. These funds are designed to complement business’s ability to maintain operations while increasing capacity to rebuild and/or recover during this unprecedented time of need. Approximately 20% of Vermont’s working
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Vermonters faced a short and mild winter of 2019-2020, compared to years past. From December 1 to February 29, statewide temperatures averaged 23°F, which was four degrees warmer than the winter of 2018– 2019. Average precipitation across the state was 9.47 inches, which averaged 2.04 inches less than last year’s average. Click here to
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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 NH (Plainfield and Langdon) create infested areas that extend into Vermont. The mapped area in Vermont to which “Slow-the-Spread” recommendations apply now includes new areas in Washington, Windsor, and Windham counties. Towns
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The 2019 Forest Insect & Disease Conditions in Vermont has been posted HERE. This is our detailed report with maps showing results of aerial detection and invasive pest surveys, ground survey data summaries, and a comprehensive list of tree health problems that were reported to us last year. A printed version will also be available in the
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