Webinar

Vermont’s Climate Action Plan calls for an all hands approach and identifies a wide range of actions that municipalities can lead on, especially with respect to our pattern of land use and how that affects both mitigation and adaptation. It can be overwhelming to understand where to begin and what tools might be most helpful. In this session, participants will learn about a range of land use planning tools that can be used to address climate change and some examples of how they’ve been employed.

Presenters: 

• Ann Janda, Senior Energy Project Manager, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

Register Now

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 

Register Now

Our trainings are in-depth, collaborative online courses. Participants must attend all three sessions as well as complete additional brief online coursework. These courses are designed for Vermonters serving on municipal boards or who work as conservation volunteers and want to learn more about the science and concepts involved in Vermont land use planning and land management.

This training (formerly known as NR 2) will help you choose locally appropriate land use planning strategies for conserving natural resources and explore how leaders can best work with groups to move ideas forward in a municipal context. It uses case studies and exercises to show how taking action can work in real life. The overall goal is to build an understanding of what you can do, how to work with different people in your community, how to choose strategies to protect natural resources, and how to make it all happen. Completion of Unit 1 is not a pre-requisite but is recommended, especially for participants without a background in natural resources.

Instructors: 

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

Note: This is a 3-session training course. You must sign up for all three sessions if you wish to take this class and receive the certificate.

Session 1: November 21st,  7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Online)
Session 2: November 28th, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Online)
Session 3: December 5th, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Online)

Register for ELT Unit 2

The concept of maintaining intact forest in Vermont is not new and is something that town planning and conservation commissions have been implementing for years. But as rural sprawl has increased forest fragmentation and the VT Legislature passed Vermont's Forest Integrity law (often referred to as Act 171), the topic is receiving increased interest. The Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation and the Fish & Wildlife Department has worked with partners to put together a video series highlighting this important topic. The video series pulls together interviews from a diversity of professionals in the field; from foresters, biologists to planners and volunteers working at the local level. Please join us for this exciting session.

Presenters: 

• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department
• Keith Thompson, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation
• Jim Duncan, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation
• Jamey Fidel, Vermont Natural Resources Council
• Clare Rock, Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission
• Jen Mojo, Agency of Natural Resources
• Brian Voigt, Waitsfield Planning Commission
• Linda Hecker, Guilford Conservation Commission
• Kevin Geiger, Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission
• Charlie Hancock, Cold Hollow to Canada
• Jon Kart, Science to Action Steering Committee (Richmond)
• Alex Weinhagen, Hinesburg Planning & Zoning
• Deb Shelby, Bolton Planning Commission

Register Now

Vermont’s Climate Action Plan calls for an all hands approach and identifies a wide range of actions that municipalities can lead on, especially with respect to our pattern of land use and how that affects both mitigation and adaptation. It can be overwhelming to understand where to begin and what tools might be most helpful. In this session, participants will learn about a range of land use planning tools that can be used to address climate change and some examples of how they’ve been employed.

Presenters: 

• Ann Janda, Senior Energy Project Manager, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

Register Now

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

Our trainings are in-depth, collaborative online courses. Participants must attend all three sessions as well as complete additional brief online coursework. These courses are designed for Vermonters serving on municipal boards or who work as conservation volunteers and want to learn more about the science and concepts involved in Vermont land use planning and land management.

This training (formerly known as NR 1) will introduce participants to important scientific concepts involved in planning for natural resources and focus on skills leaders need to operate effectively. Participants will explore the full suite of issues at play in natural resources planning, from forests and wildlife to floodplains and climate change. Presentations on context, ecological scale, and planning for whole Communities are interspersed with interactive hands-on activities that make this an intensive and exciting training.

Instructors: 

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

Note: This is a 3-session training course. You must sign up for all three sessions if you wish to take this class and receive the certificate.

Session 1: October 24th, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.  (Online)
Session 2: October 31st, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Online)
Session 3 November 7th, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. (Online)

Register for ELT Unit 1

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 

Register Now

The concept of maintaining intact forest in Vermont is not new and is something that town planning and conservation commissions have been implementing for years. But as rural sprawl has increased forest fragmentation and the VT Legislature passed Vermont's Forest Integrity law (often referred to as Act 171), the topic is receiving increased interest. The Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation and the Fish & Wildlife Department has worked with partners to put together a video series highlighting this important topic. The video series pulls together interviews from a diversity of professionals in the field; from foresters, biologists to planners and volunteers working at the local level. Please join us for this exciting session.

Presenters: 

• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department
• Keith Thompson, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation
• Jim Duncan, Vermont Department of Forests, Parks, & Recreation
• Jamey Fidel, Vermont Natural Resources Council
• Clare Rock, Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission
• Jen Mojo, Agency of Natural Resources
• Brian Voigt, Waitsfield Planning Commission
• Linda Hecker, Guilford Conservation Commission
• Kevin Geiger, Two Rivers Ottauquechee Regional Commission
• Charlie Hancock, Cold Hollow to Canada
• Jon Kart, Science to Action Steering Committee (Richmond)
• Alex Weinhagen, Hinesburg Planning & Zoning
• Deb Shelby, Bolton Planning Commission

Register Now

Vermont’s Climate Action Plan calls for an all hands approach and identifies a wide range of actions that municipalities can lead on, especially with respect to our pattern of land use and how that affects both mitigation and adaptation. It can be overwhelming to understand where to begin and what tools might be most helpful. In this session, participants will learn about a range of land use planning tools that can be used to address climate change and some examples of how they’ve been employed.

Presenters: 

• Ann Janda, Senior Energy Project Manager, Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission
• Jens Hilke, Conservation Planner, VT Fish and Wildlife Department 

Register Now