Healthy Woods Checkups for Consulting Foresters

Healthy Woods Checkups is a new Vermont Woodlands Association initiative that connects consulting foresters with woodland owners to provide guidance on forest health, stewardship, and management planning. Participating consulting foresters receive a $300 stipend to conduct a woods visit, discuss landowner goals and concerns, and provide recommendations tailored to the property to update forest management plans (or develop a new plan). 

Healthy Woods Checkups at a Glance

✔ 2–4 hour woods visit with a landowner

✔ $300 stipend per completed checkup

✔ Existing or newly connected landowners

✔ Recommendations provided to the landowner

✔ Supports updates to forest management plans 

✔ VWA assists with outreach and referrals

Why Participate?

Healthy Woods Checkups provide an opportunity to connect with landowners at a critical point in their stewardship journey.

Participating foresters can:

• Build relationships with new woodland owners
• Strengthen relationships with existing clients
• Help landowners address forest health concerns and stewardship challenges
• Identify opportunities for forest management plan updates and implementation 
• Encourage proactive management that supports healthy, resilient forests
• Contribute to a statewide effort to help woodland owners care for their woods in changing conditions

What Is a Healthy Woods Checkup?

A Healthy Woods Checkup is a 2–4 hour field visit between a landowner and a licensed consulting forester.

During the visit, foresters may:

• Discuss landowner goals and concerns
• Complete a provided assessment looking at climate vulnerabilities and resilience opportunities.
• Identify forest health issues and opportunities
• Discuss invasive species, wildlife impacts, and changing conditions
• Review an existing forest management plan
• Identify practical next steps for the future of the property

Following the visit, the consulting forester provides a completed assessment, with recommendations tailored to the landowner's goals and property conditions.

Compensation and Deliverables

Participating consulting foresters receive a $300 stipend for:

• Conducting a 2–4 hour woods visit
• Completing an assessment and recommendations
• Submitting recommendations to landowner and VWA, with guidance on incorporating recommendations into an updated Use Value Appraisal (UVA) forest management plan

How the Program Works

1. Consulting foresters submit an interest form.
2. VWA recruits interested landowners and connects them with participating foresters based on geography, existing relationships, and availability.
3. The forester conducts a Healthy Woods Checkup visit.
4. Assessment is completed in the field with landowner.  The forester develops broad recommendations based on assessment and submits completed assessment form to landowner and VWA.
5. VWA processes stipend payments.

Who Can Participate?

We are seeking Vermont licensed consulting foresters who:

• Work directly with private woodland owners
• Are interested in helping landowners address forest health and stewardship concerns
• Support active forest management and long-term stewardship
• Are interested in management plan implementation and updates
• Have capacity to conduct Healthy Woods Checkups within their service area

Interested in Participating?

Healthy Woods Checkups are designed to strengthen connections between woodland owners and consulting foresters while helping landowners make informed decisions about the future of their woods. Complete a short interest form and we'll follow up with additional information about the program, expectations, and next steps.

Tell Us You're Interested

Questions? Contact Vermont Woodlands Association at stephen@vermontwoodlands.org.

This program is supported by the USDA Forest Service State and Private Forestry Program.