Vermont Woodlands Association Kicks Off New Program for Forest Landowners in 2025
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 3, 2025
Vermont Woodlands Association
College Hall
36 College Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
Contact: Kate Forrer, Executive Director | (802) 214-4848 | director@vermontwoodlands.org
Montpelier, VT – The Vermont Woodlands Association announced that it will be opening a physical office in Montpelier, Vermont as of January 2025. The office is located at 36 College Street in the former Vermont College of Fine Arts building, a location that has become a hub for like-minded nonprofits in the area.
Vermont Woodlands Association is a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization whose mission is to educate and advocate for the practices of productive stewardship, use, and enjoyment of Vermont’s woodlands. It is a member centered organization that delivers programs for landowners, the public, and policy makers that support forest health, forest economy, wildlife habitat, recreation, and enjoyment of forests for today and for generations to come.
The organization has long roots as an influential voice for woodland property owners. The Vermont Timberland Owners Association (VTOA), founded in 1915, served many of the same mission-related functions. In 1993, the VTOA merged with another organization, the Vermont Woodland Resources Association, and became the Vermont Woodlands Association in 1996. During this time, the organization operated through remote home-based offices. The Montpelier-based office will be the organization’s first physical presence and begins a new chapter for the growing organization.
New Year, New Space, and a Legacy Planning Course
“This is an exciting time for the organization,” says Executive Director Kate Forrer, “The needs and interests of forest landowners and stakeholders are continuing to expand as new challenges and pressures affect Vermont’s forests. We’re thrilled to provide high quality educational and technical resources for our members and support their management and stewardship efforts to ensure healthy forests into the future.”
Vermont Woodlands Association is kicking off the new year in a new space with an updated version of its popular legacy planning course, Taking Stock! The course includes a combination of live webinar-based learning and online resources, including a comprehensive legacy planning organizer geared towards woodland property owners interested in intergenerational estate planning for their forests.
“The course will be conducted from February 6th through April 3rd every other Thursday,” says Eliza Orne, VWA’s Landowner Outreach Specialist, who manages the program, “Spots are limited, so we encourage those interested to sign up soon.”
Registration is available here:
Welcoming New Operations Manager Susan Culp
In addition to opening the office in Montpelier, Vermont Woodlands Association has hired an Operations Manager to support day-to-day operations, member services and communication, and administrative work. Susan Culp of Newbury, Vermont was brought on board for this role, bringing over twenty years of nonprofit management and administrative experience. Before moving to Vermont in 2019, Susan worked for many natural resource, recreation and conservation-focused nonprofit organizations in the western U.S. Since coming to Vermont, she has gotten involved in forest management issues, including founding a nonprofit, Friends of Tucker Mountain, to support Newbury’s town forest, and she has been involved in a host of volunteer efforts for local organizations.
“We are thrilled to welcome Susan to the VWA team. Her depth of experience in nonprofit management and passion for Vermont’s forests make her a great fit for this role. As Operations Manager, Susan will provide essential support to our staff, board, and members, allowing us to focus more deeply on our mission of stewardship and education. We are excited to have her on board to help ensure that VWA continues to serve Vermont’s woodland community.”