Webinar

Six of Vermont's nine bat species are now listed as threatened or endangered. Increasing development pressure, climate change, and diseases such as White-nose syndrome call for close species monitoring, education, and statewide outreach. Bat habitat and roost sites such as caves, forests, and houses must be considered when planning land use year-round. Last year’s discovery that an unusually large Indiana Bat colony was still using conserved land in Hinesburg gives hope for the resiliency of this species in the Northeast and highlights Vermont’s unique role in conserving bats within and outside our state boundaries. Join the VT Fish & Wildlife Small Mammal Biologist, Alyssa Bennett, and the Community Wildlife Program to learn about the unique ecological role that bats play and what towns are doing to protect these threatened and endangered species.

Presenters:

• Alyssa Bennett, Small Mammal Biologist, VT Fish and Wildlife Department
• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

Repeat sessions of this webinar will be offered on the following two dates: 

• Session 1: Thursday, October 19, 2023, 10:00a.m. - 11:00a.m.   REGISTER
• Session 2: Wednesday, November 29, 2023, 1:00p.m. - 2:00p.m. REGISTER

In order to make real change in your town it is not enough to just understand the science behind land use planning. Real and substantial change occurs when community members rise as leaders and set visionary goals in order to adapt for a changing future. Leaders are people who guide communities to complete tasks that no one individual could have achieved alone. Join the Community Wildlife Program and (partner) to explore what it means to be an environmental leader in your town. We will dive into a variety of leadership styles, phases of group development, and ways to effectively collaborate with diverse groups of stakeholders. In the words of the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, "When the best leader's work is done the people say, We did it ourselves."

Presenters:

• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

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In order to make real change in your town it is not enough to just understand the science behind land use planning. Real and substantial change occurs when community members rise as leaders and set visionary goals in order to adapt for a changing future. Leaders are people who guide communities to complete tasks that no one individual could have achieved alone. Join the Community Wildlife Program and (partner) to explore what it means to be an environmental leader in your town. We will dive into a variety of leadership styles, phases of group development, and ways to effectively collaborate with diverse groups of stakeholders. In the words of the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, "When the best leader's work is done the people say, We did it ourselves."

Presenters:

• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

Repeat sessions of this webinar will be offered on the following two dates: 

• Session 1: Friday, September 22, 2023 10:00am-11:00am.   REGISTER
• Session 2: Tuesday, October 31, 2023, 1:00p.m. - 2:00p.m.   REGISTER

Some of Vermont’s most visible community trees and forests are those within the 27,000 acres of municipal right-of-way vegetation lining our scenic backroads. Beyond their often pleasing aesthetics, these plants, trees, and forests play an essential role in storm water management, invasive species monitoring, forest connectivity, and wildlife movement. To better inform the management of roadside vegetation, the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program conducted a roadside assessment along 200 miles of rural roads in 10 case study municipalities. In 2020, the findings of this project were published in, “Resilient Right-of-Ways: A guide to community stewardship of Vermont backroads”, providing town planners, tree boards, conservation commissions and highway crews with best management practices to maximize the ecological and economic benefits of their roadside vegetation. The VT Fish & Wildlife Department Community Wildlife Program is excited to partner with Joanne Garton of the VT Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation and VT Urban & Community Forestry for a deeper look at the opportunities and challenges of roadside tree and forest stewardship.

Presenters:

• Joanne Garton, Technical Assistance Coordinator, Urban & Community Forestry Program, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

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Some of Vermont’s most visible community trees and forests are those within the 27,000 acres of municipal right-of-way vegetation lining our scenic backroads. Beyond their often pleasing aesthetics, these plants, trees, and forests play an essential role in storm water management, invasive species monitoring, forest connectivity, and wildlife movement. To better inform the management of roadside vegetation, the Vermont Urban & Community Forestry Program conducted a roadside assessment along 200 miles of rural roads in 10 case study municipalities. In 2020, the findings of this project were published in, “Resilient Right-of-Ways: A guide to community stewardship of Vermont backroads”, providing town planners, tree boards, conservation commissions and highway crews with best management practices to maximize the ecological and economic benefits of their roadside vegetation. The VT Fish & Wildlife Department Community Wildlife Program is excited to partner with Joanne Garton of the VT Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation and VT Urban & Community Forestry for a deeper look at the opportunities and challenges of roadside tree and forest stewardship.

Presenters:

• Joanne Garton, Technical Assistance Coordinator, Urban & Community Forestry Program, Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation

• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

Repeat sessions of this webinar will be offered on the following two dates: 

• Session 1: Tuesday, October 24, 2023, 1:00p.m. - 2:00p.m.    REGISTER
• Session 2: Tuesday, November 14 2023, 10:00a.m. - 11:00a.m.   REGISTER

Vermont’s increasing demand for housing and love of our forests is an opportunity to rethink the relationship between development and conservation. Providing housing for those who need it most while maintaining a connected, intact, and diverse ecosystem requires strategic land use planning at the town and regional level. Zoning can steer development into downtown, village, and growth centers and prevent forest fragmentation in rural areas. Towns that have redrawn their zoning lines and adapted development standards have successfully conserved large forest blocks and maintained wildlife connectivity across boundaries. Regional Planning Commissions offer technical assistance and funding opportunities to all member municipalities interested in protecting their valued natural resources. The VT Fish & Wildlife’s Community Wildlife Program has partnered with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s Senior Planner, Darren Schibler, for a deeper understanding of zoning in our state’s fastest growing county.

Presenters:

• Darren Schibler, Senior Planner, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

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Vermont’s increasing demand for housing and love of our forests is an opportunity to rethink the relationship between development and conservation. Providing housing for those who need it most while maintaining a connected, intact, and diverse ecosystem requires strategic land use planning at the town and regional level. Zoning can steer development into downtown, village, and growth centers and prevent forest fragmentation in rural areas. Towns that have redrawn their zoning lines and adapted development standards have successfully conserved large forest blocks and maintained wildlife connectivity across boundaries. Regional Planning Commissions offer technical assistance and funding opportunities to all member municipalities interested in protecting their valued natural resources. The VT Fish & Wildlife’s Community Wildlife Program has partnered with the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission’s Senior Planner, Darren Schibler, for a deeper understanding of zoning in our state’s fastest growing county.

Presenters:

• Darren Schibler, Senior Planner, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

Repeat sessions of this webinar will be offered on the following two dates: 

• Session 1: Tuesday, October 3, 2023, 2:00p.m. - 3:00p.m.  REGISTER
• Session 2: Thursday, November 9, 2023, 10:00a.m. - 11:00a.m. REGISTER

Vermont Conservation Design was first released in 2016 and has been used by towns across the state to identify landscape patterns of connected forests and waters as well as community and species hotspots. Vermont Conservation Design certainly does show these areas of current biological diversity but also speaks to climate resilience into the future. Join Community Wildlife Program staff to learn how these concepts come together and how you can use Vermont Conservation Design on the BioFinder website to better plan for your town’s climate future.

Presenters: 

• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 
• Lincoln Frasca, Conservation Planning Specialist, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

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Are you interested in protecting your town's natural resources? Do you have conservation goals in mind and are ready to take action? Maybe you are new to municipal planning and looking for ways to get involved?. Whether you are a town planner, landowner, or renter you can help define conservation planning options. There are many examples of successful regulatory and nonregulatory approaches to land use planning across the state. Choosing the right tools at the right time is essential to meeting your conservation goals and balancing the needs of your town. Join the Vermont Fish and Wildlife's Community Wildlife Program staff and see how you can protect your community's ecology and economy in a changing world.

Presenters: 

• Lincoln Frasca, Conservation Planning Specialist, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 
• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

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Did you know that Vermont is home to eleven species of grassland birds? Did you know that five of these are listed as Threatened or Endangered and the other six are listed as Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN)? That means that many towns across the state need to understand more about these species and their habitats and how to plan land use in a way that works for these species. Join Fish & Wildlife Department Bird Project Leader Doug Morin to learn more about this important topic and what towns can do to protect this piece of natural heritage.

Presenters: 

• Doug Morin, Bird Project Leader, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 
• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

Register Now