³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ

Who We Are

For more than 100 years, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Vermont has protected birds, wildlife and their habitat through engaging people of all ages in education, conservation, stewardship and action.

Our programs include Bird and Bee Friendly Farms,  Healthy Forests, and the Green Mountain ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Center, a 255-acre Important Bird Area and education facility in Huntington, Vermont.

• We engage more than 6,000 people annually in conservation education programs.
• We work with more than 400 land owners, covering more than 300,000 acres.  
• Our efforts increase the populations of threatened species in Vermont, including the Common Tern, the Peregrine Falcon and the Bald Eagle.

History

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ has had a grassroots presence in Vermont since the founding of "The ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Society of Vermont" in 1901, and has grown to more than 10,000 members with 7 volunteer chapters throughout the state. Through the active engagement of volunteers at the grassroots level, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Vermont has played an important role in securing key environmental protections in Vermont. In a state that supports many environmental organizations, ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Vermont is unique in its multidisciplinary approach with site-based environmental education, science, and public policy initiatives.

Education

Our education team leads more than 6,000 people, mostly children, in a host of environmental education programs at the Green Mountain ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Center and at other locations in Vermont each year. More than 50 Vermont schools and childcare centers, preschool through high school, rely on ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Vermont for field experiences for their students that complement the learning that happens in the classroom. Thousands of additional children and adults receive outdoor environmental education through ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Vermont’s public programs, outreach efforts, and special events.

The Green Mountain ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Center’s five miles of hiking trails are free and open to the public year-round, allowing people of all ages and backgrounds the opportunity to connect with nature.  ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ chapters throughout the state conduct educational programs and events for their local communities. Across Vermont outstanding staff and dedicated volunteers offer programs year-round to guide Vermonters of all ages along the continuum from appreciation to understanding to stewardship of nature.

Conservation

³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Vermont's conservation programs work directly with landowners, foresters, and natural resource partners to support habitat management and policy that benefits birds in Vermont and along the Atlantic Flyway.  We provide:

• Technical assistance for public and private landowners
• Workshops and trainings
• Demonstration habitat management sites
• Promotion of public policies and programs that protect Vermont’s forests and wildlife

Science

Sound science forms the foundation of all we do at ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Vermont. Whether we are educating the next generation of conservationists at the Green Mountain ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ Center, managing the Common Terns on our sanctuaries on Lake Champlain or providing testimony to the state legislature on an environmental bill, we strive to use the best available science to protect our great natural heritage.

Effective Grassroots Advocacy for the Protection of Critical Habitat

Action is the natural outgrowth of our passion to conserve and protect our environment. Partnership is the best word to describe ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's approach to influencing public policy. Our success is based on our ability to leverage grassroots support through our chapters and members and build coalitions and alliances. We also work closely with the national public policy office of ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ to assure coordination of activities on key national issues. ³Ô¹ÏºÚÁÏ's grassroots network of activists and science-based, solution-oriented approach to resolving public policy issues have earned the organization a reputation as a thoughtful, reputable advocate for wildlife and habitat.