Together UVLT and Orford Conservation Commission Conserve Frontage on UpperBaker Pond

The ‘Windfall’ property has been in the Bischoff family for more than 40 years and now a portion of it will be protected for years to come!  The conserved land spans both sides of Upper Baker Pond Road in Orford, and comprises the northwestern shoreline of the Pond; in total, 15.87 acres are now protected with a conservation easement granted to UVLT.  Read more about this project on our website!

Mother Nature's Child

 ~ A Free Movie Screening ~

Thursday, September 22, 6pm

UVLT, in partnership with AVA Gallery, is pleased to share a free screening ofMother Nature’s Child, a documentary that explores nature’s powerful role in children’s health and development.  The film gives viewers a look at the experiences of toddlers, children in middle childhood, and adolescents as they interact with nature.  The filmmakers interviewed and recorded adults and children from Vermont/New Hampshire to Washington D.C.!

‘The film marks a moment in time when a living generation can still recall childhoods of free play outdoors; this will not be true for most children growing up today. The effects of “nature deficit disorder” are now being noted across the country in epidemics of child obesity, attention disorders, and depression.’  ~ from the movie website

Light refreshments will be available and please come early to enjoy the open Gallery!

The film was generously provided by the Bradford Conservation Commission. 

Email Anna Slack to register for this free showing.

Join the Discussion: Healthy People, Healthy Planet Course Available in the Upper Valley!

UVLT’s Programs Coordinator, Anna Slack, is serving on a local steering committee for a Northwest Earth Institute (NWEI) reading and discussion group called:  A World of Health: Connecting People, Place, and Planet. It is one of eight discussion courses compiled and published by NWEI and it provides people with an opportunity to learn about the places where our personal health intersects with the environment – our food, our living spaces, our communities and ultimately, our planet. 

The committee has changed the program title to Healthy People, Healthy Planet, to reflect the overall connection that the readings and conversations will explore.   The course topics include: preventative and precautionary medicine; eating well; household toxins; healthy communities; consumer culture and health; and the relationships between healthy eco-systems and human health.  

This is not the first NWEI discussion that has occurred in the Upper Valley.  This past winter the Catamount Earth Institute and six co-sponsors, including UVLT, helped organize discussion groups about food and agriculture called Menu for the Future.  Twenty four community groups formed, showing the Upper Valley’s interest in topics and discussions such as these.  UVLT hosted a group last year and is happy to offer space again.  This year hopes to be even more successful than last year! 

So please consider gathering 8-12 friends, neighbors, or colleagues together for these valuable and fun conversations!  Groups can start in the fall, winter or spring. The readers are $15, thanks to a gift from the Byrne Foundation. This is the only charge for the program.  

To learn more and seek assistance contact Anna at anna.slack@uvlt.org or Barbara Duncan at catamount@valley.net.  You may also view the NWEI description of the course online or view a sample of the discussion course by clicking on the image above.

UVLT Explores New Technology to Combat Invasives

Last month UVLT partnered with The Nature Conservancy to hold a workshop introducing the iMapInvasives program to UVLT staff, volunteers, and conservation commission members.  This new online invasive species mapping tool is designed to help landowners, organizations, and policy makers in the region understand the scope of the invasives problem, and devise effective strategies to combat their spread.  The program is relatively new and Vermont is one of only six states that are beginning to utilize the program and input data.  UVLT’s stewardship staff hosted 9 participants for this workshop which included classroom and field time as well as hands-on training in how to complete an assessment of the various populations and proper input techniques.  UVLT is still contemplating  incorporating this work into our existing monitoring work and/or management of UVLT owned properties.  For more information seewww.imapinvasives.org.

The staff and trustees of UVLT have been saddened by the devastation Irene brought to the Upper Valley.  It has touched our members, friends, neighbors, and families but we have also been inspired by the resilience and spirit of togetherness this event has created within our communities.  Our thoughts are with you all as we work together to repair and restore this special place.

19 Buck Road | Hanover, NH 03755 US