Community Strategies 
       for Vermont’s 
     Forests and Wildlife
      A Guide for Local Action
                                                Community Strategies for 
                                        Vermont’s Forests and Wildlife: 
                                                 A Guide for Local Action
                                              Prepared by the Vermont Natural Resources Council
                                                  Funding or general support for this publication was provided by:
                                                                      Jessie B. Cox Charitable Trust
                                Northeastern States Research Cooperative (NSRC), a partnership of Northern Forest states 
                            (New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and New York), in coordination with the USDA Forest Service 
                                                             The Nature Conservancy – Vermont Chapter
                                                U.S. Forest Service, Northeastern Area State and Private Forestry
                                                       U.S. Forest Service, Green Mountain National Forest
                                                                 Vermont Agency of Natural Resources
              This guide was written primarily by Jamey Fidel and Kate McCarthy of the Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC)  
           and Sharon Murray of Front Porch Community Planning and Design, with assistance from Elizabeth McDonald,  
           Véronique Meyer, Brian Shupe, and Emma Zavez. Technical illustrations by Jeannie Sargent.
                                           VNRC would like to thank those who contributed to this document:
                                            Ginger Anderson, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation
                                                                    Elise Annes, Vermont Land Trust
                                                          John Austin, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
                                               Russ Barrett, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation
                                                 Joss Besse, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation
                                             Faith Ingulsrud, Department of Housing and Community Development
                                                           Jens Hilke, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
                                                         Seth Jensen, Lamoille County Planning Commission 
                                                   Chris Sargent, Two Rivers-Ottauquechee Regional Commission
                                               Steve Sinclair, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation
                                                        Eric Sorensen, Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department
                                            Keith Thompson, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation
                                               Kate Willard, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, and Recreation
                                          The Mad River Valley Forests, Wildlife and Communities Steering Committee
              The authors relied on material from other VNRC documents and reports, and information that was readily available from 
           the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources and other organizations to compile Community Strategies for Vermont’s Forests and 
           Wildlife: A Guide for Local Action.
                                                                  Cover photo: A. Blake Gardner
              Photo credits appear by each photo           Design: Tim Newcomb, Newcomb Studios                  This publication is available online at 
               in this publication. However, we          Printing: Stillwater Graphics, Williamstown, VT         http://vnrc.org/programs/forests-
              would like to extend a very special                     September 2013
               thanks to Vermont photographer                                                                    wildlife/guide/. It includes many web 
                Blake Gardner for his generous           © Vermont Natural Resources Council                     addresses, some of which will change 
              contributions – including the cover                                                                over time. Please check the online 
              photo – to this publication. Visit his                This institution is an 
                 website at ablakegardner.com.                 equal opportunity employer                        version for corrected information.
                                      Community Strategies for Vermont’s Forests and Wildlife: A Guide for Local Action
                                                                       Table of Contents
                           1. Introduction .................................................. 3
                           2. Status of Forestland in Vermont  ................................... 4
                                                       ests and Wildlife ...................................
                           3.Planning for For                                                                                                       7
                           Non-regulatory Tools
                           4.    Conservation Planning ........................................ 11
                                                    orking Forests
                           5.    Sustaining W                              .................................... 16 
                           6.   Current Use — Vermont’s Use Value Appraisal Program .............. 19
                           7.   Local Tax Stabilization for Forestland and Open Space ................ 22
                           8.    Conservation Easements ...................................... 25
                                     Landowner Case Studies  .................................... 28
                           9.   Conservation Funds and Town Forests ............................ 31
                           10.  Federal and State Assistance Programs ............................ 32
                           Regulatory Tools
                           11.  Writing Standards for Development Review ........................ 36
                           12.  Conservation Zoning Districts .................................. 41
                           13.  Forest Zoning Districts ....................................... 46
                           14.  Overlay Districts  ............................................ 50
                           15.  Subdivision Regulations ....................................... 54
                           16.  Clustering and Planned Unit Development ........................ 59
                           17.  Road and Trail Policies ........................................ 63
                           18.  Writing Clear Definitions ...................................... 68
                                     Case Studies – Examples of Development Review Standards .......... 73
                           Resources ..................................................... 78
                           Endnotes ..................................................... 82
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                        Community Strategies for Vermont’s Forests and Wildlife: A Guide for Local Action
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