HARDWICK – A presentation and discussion of a Hardwick Conservation Commission (HCC) proposal to create a town forest on Buffalo Mountain was the subject of a well-attended gathering, Sunday, January 24, in the Jeudevine Library’s Parker Ladd Community Room.
photo by Paul Fixx
Rachel Kane, one of the commission’s co-chairs, shared an overview of the project that would create a 329 acre Hardwick Town Forest that includes the summit of Buffalo Mountain and its flank facing the town.
The Davis family has given the town an option on the property and the Hardwick Select Board has given preliminary approval for the project and will ask voters to weigh in contributing $25,000 to the project via Australian ballot at town meeting, March 3.
The purchase involves collaboration between commission members, the Trust for Public Lands (TPL) and Northern Rivers Land Trust (NRLT), with public and private funds contributing roughly $700,000, that will include funding a town account with $25,000 to cover maintain of the property, essentially returning the $25,000 voters are being asked to commit.
This proposal is not an outright purchase by the town, but one in which grants, facilitated by the Trust for Public Land and the Northern Rivers Land Trust, will cover over 95% of the cost involved with purchasing the three Davis family parcels.
“It’s an extraordinary and rare opportunity for Hardwick,” said Kane.
After commission member Leesa Cathcart noted a few housekeeping items, and thanked member Peter Moskowitz for providing refreshments, Lucy Zendzian introduced speakers Hannah Redman with TPL Hardwick’s Paul Cillo, an NRLT founding member, and NRLT Board Chair Jack Travelstead of Wolcott. All of them were involved in creation of the successful Wolcott Town Forest, which now hosts five miles of multi-use trails. The steering committee in Wolcott is now looking for funding to address erosion issues in previously logged areas, Travelstead said later.
photo by Joe Nudell
Other HCC members Norma Wiesen, Kathy Hemmens and Joe Nudell were introduced before Redman explained how TPL works to provide project management, engaging landowners and helping to gather public input in the process that leads to town ownership.
“Local input leads to more robust benefits,” she said.
Purchase of this pretty will bring together 3 properties, preserving the mountain from future development and habitat fragmentation.
TPL will help guide a steering committee of local citizens now being formed to develop management plans with NRLT. That committee may continue to guide the town’s use of the property following its acquisition.
While conserved from outright development (for which it is largely unsuitable due to the terrain) there would be many possibilities for use of the forest once it is transferred to town ownership. The land contains significant ecosystems and species worthy of protection. Existing uses, such as snowmobile and ATV trails, will continue, as will hunting, if the town so wishes.
Joe Nudell led what he referred to as “A tour of the forest.” He pointed out a 2018 Town Forest Recreation Plan that “laid out a vision “ to include “pause places to look at a waterfall or a beautiful view,” “improve access to Buffalo Mountain,” “linking trail networks to town center,” and creating rugged multi-use paths on Buffalo Mountain,” all of which this proposal accomplishes.
Nudell’s virtual tour identified spots with views of Hardwick’s downtown, trails connecting the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail to the village via Atkins Field and the West End, with easy connections to Hardwick Elementary School, the Hazen Union School campus, Green Mountain Tech and Career Centers campus, Hardwick Trails, the Woodbury rail trail and VAST, VASA and bike trails to Woodbury Mountain.
“My favorite spots are the lookouts,” he said, sharing a photo of Hardwick Village framed by the branches of trees.
Questions from the audience about costs of the land and other fees were answered by a slide detailing the anticipated $530.000 purchase price and various fees for the acquisition with $471,000 of the funding coming from the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board, $100,000 for The Nature Conservancy Biodiversity Protection Fund, $25,000 coming from each of the town and local fundraising, with $189,000 being contributed from private foundations and individuals.
Once the land is under town ownership, activity and uses on the land would be directed and managed by the town itself.
Ideas already generated by HCC for use of the town forest include mountain biking, back country ski trails, educational nature trails for children, a picnic spot overlooking the village, rock climbing, and an accessible-trail so that everyone could enjoy some refreshing moments in a forest?
They ask if there could be overnight camping sites, to allow through-riders on the Lamoille Valley Rail Trail to spend a night and have dinner in town and some areas could be logged, or sugared, to create income.
Residents of Hardwick will be the ones to decide what happens there.said commission members. “In addition to the recreational enjoyment, conservation of the land will enhance flood resiliency and protect an important wildlife corridor and habitat.”
Ken Davis, who attended as a community member, but took the opportunity to chat with Redman afterward, said he’d made the investment in long-term ownership and is now looking to divest from the property offering tax benefits and cash out.
His concern for the future is primarily to maintain the property’s historical activities that include ATV and snowmobile uses, in addition to quieter activities.
He added that he’d posted to property so that its users needed to contact him for permission, which helped to identify users, and he installed a gate to prevent larger motorized vehicles to prevent the property from becoming an unauthorized dump.
The HCC meeting invitation said, “As Vermont faces increasing development pressure and forest lands are being splintered and broken up, preserving our own Buffalo Mountain for the public will be a permanent and priceless gift to the residents of Hardwick; something that future generations will be thankful for.”
Another public meeting about the proposal is planned for Thursday, Feb. 19, from 6 to 7:30 p.m., again in the Jeudevine Memorial Library’s Parker Ladd room..
Complete information about the Hardwick Town Forest proposal can be seen at the Town of Hardwick website, on the page for the Hardwick Conservation Commission hardwickvt.gov/government/committees–commissions/conservation–commission/
For further information, contact Rachel Kane, HCC Co-chair at (802) 472-5512.
Paul Fixx is editor of The Hardwick Gazette and lives in Hardwick.
