A PSA made for the Vermont Woodlands Association. VWA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation whose mission is to advocate for the management, sustainability, perpetuation, and enjoyment of forests through the practice of excellent forestry that employs highly integrated management practices that protect and enhance both the tangible and intangible values of forests – including clean
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Woods Whys: New Book by Forests, Parks and Recreation Commissioner Explores the Hows and Whys of Forests and Forestry MONTPELIER, VT – Have you ever wondered how trees “come back to life” in spring? Why paper birches are so white? Or which trees make the best firewood? A new book by Vermont’s Commissioner of Forests,
Read More...New cap on capital gains exclusion The existing 40% exclusion for capital gains will be capped at $350,000 under Act 71, Sec. 1, effective July 1, 2019. This means that any gain above $875,000 will be taxed at standard income tax rates. Taxpayers who are considering a sales of a large capital asset may want
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New safety program to help loggers and reduce workers’ comp Governor Phil Scott today announced a new initiative to address the high cost of workers’ compensation insurance for logging contractors in Vermont’s forest economy. The Vermont Logger Safety and Workers’ Compensation Insurance Program—developed collaboratively by the Departments of Financial Regulation, Labor and Forests, Parks and
Read More...A Charitable Idea and Tax Savings Like many other VWA members, I turned 70 ½ in 2018 and was faced with my first annual mandatory Individual Retirement Account (IRA) distribution. And as 2018 draws to a close, I first must determine if I will itemize or not when deciding on charitable donations in 2018. Fortunately,
Read More...The Care and Maintenance of Wild Apple Trees in Vermont In 1900, Vermont was about 75% open farm land and only about 25% forest. Since then, the percentages have reversed and Vermont is now about 75% forest land. During that transition period, thousands of acres of open farm land reverted, through a process known
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The Month of May Remained Wet and Relatively Chilly Vermont had some cool, wet episodes this month (or maybe just one long one?), including a May nor’easter that brought four inches of snow to parts of the state on May 13-14. Much of the Northeast continues to deal with unseasonably cold weather and above normal
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Protecting Vermont’s Woodlands from Invasive Pests Background: Vermont’s forests and woodlands are under attack from invasive (non-native) forest pests – plants, insects, and diseases. These pests impact forests at a massive scale nationwide, destroying hundreds of thousands of acres of United States forests and woodlands each year. Invasive pests often enter the United States through
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Public Policy Issue Brief: Renewable Wood Energy from Vermont Forests Background: Private forests have great potential to contribute to the next generation of Vermont energy use, through the increased utilization of wood as a component of a renewable energy portfolio. Vermont has a long tradition of burning wood for heat in the form of firewood.
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Vermont Woodlands Board || February 16, 2018 Public Policy Issue Brief: Protecting Woodland Owner’s Right to Practice Forestry Background Because of the Use Value Appraisal (UVA) program, which provides fair taxation of forest and agricultural lands, and Vermont’s well-developed professional forestry community, Vermont has millions of acres of forestland that are managed according to sound
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