THE MAD RIVER WATERSHED
CONSERVATION PARTNERSHIP

The Mad River Watershed Conservation Partnership was formed in 2001 to formalize nearly 25 years of collaboration between the Vermont Land Trust, the Mad River Valley Planning District, and the Friends of the Mad River.  As a result of this long-standing partnership and the vision of many landowners, town leaders and community members, over 9,000 acres of farmland, forestland, recreational trails, wildlife habitat and riparian land in the Mad River Valley have been permanently protected from future development.

Kingsbury Community Farm Initiative
The Kingsbury Community Farm Initiative has been an important focus of the Conservation Partnership's land conservation work in 2007.  In November, on behalf of the Conservation Partnership, the Town of Warren and the other community organizations such as Yestermorrow and the Mad River Valley Localvore Project, the Vermont Land Trust purchased the 20.2 acre Kingsbury farm to alleviate the risk of its development or conversion to non-agricultural use.  The Vermont Land Trust intends to hold the property for one year while working with the community to resell the conserved land to a future farm owner or community organization for the purposes of agriculture, recreation, and other community uses.

The Conservation Partnership is participating on a community advisory group which is soliciting public input to determine how the Kingsbury Farm will benefit the Mad River Valley for years to come.  More information about the Kingsbury Community Farm Initiative is available at www.Kingsburycommunityfarm.org, or by calling the Conservation Partnership at 496-3690.

Town Forestland Conservation
The Conservation Partnership has continued its work with the towns of Waitsfield and Moretown to permanently conserve municipal forestland for public recreation, education, sustainable forestry and to protect headwater streams, riparian areas and forestland providing wildlife habitat and maintaining water quality within the watershed.

Family Land Conservation
The Conservation Partnership continues to help private landowners interested in conserving their land in the Mad River Valley.  A year-end conservation easement donation by a private landowner in Fayston conserved 99.5 acres of forestland which provides habitat and travel corridors needed by wildlife.  This conservation easement donation, along with other past and future conservation projects, will help to ensure that growth and development in the Valley is well balanced with the protection of the land important for farming, recreation, forestry and the overall health and vitality of our community.

The Conservation Partnership welcomes your inquiries, suggestions or comments. Please contact us at 496-3690 for more information or stop by our office on the second floor of the General Wait House.

Liza Walker
Vermont Land Trust/ Mad River Watershed Conservation Partnership.