Forest Stewardship Institute

Our FSI program is dedicated to advancing the practice of sustainable land management in the Northern Forest. We do this through a combination of science, demonstration forestry, education, and consulting services. Our audience is primarily landowners in northern Vermont, but also includes forestry professionals, students, teachers, and partnering organizations.

The program builds upon nearly two decades of science, forestry, and education work completed by the NorthWoods Stewardship Center in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Initial funding for FSI was provided by the Canaday Family Charitable Trust. Ongoing funding comes from private donations, from fee-for-service consulting, grants, federal forestry incentive programs, and a modest income from sustainable timber harvests in our demonstration forest.

Forestry Internship

Get hands-on forestry experience.

Spitzer Demonstration Forest

Explore our demonstration forest plots

Landowner Services

Hire us to to help you with your land management.

FSI Resources and Activities

  • Lydia Spitzer Demonstration Forest: Providing a dynamic first-hand example of applied stewardship practices on a diverse 1,500 acre parcel surrounding the NorthWoods Stewardship Center’s facility.  Accessible to the public through 4-season trails and interpretive signage.
  • Educational Workshops:  Engaging and informative learning opportunities for students, teachers, landowners, forestry professionals, and anyone interested in land stewardship.
  • Consulting and Technical Assistance: Providing forestry and ecological services that prioritize long-term forest health and that are customized to address landowner needs and goals.
  • Partnerships:  Joining forces with a variety of conservation organizations, academic institutions, and forest practitioners to strengthen a culture of informed stewardship.
  • Science: Gaining insights through research and monitoring to improve stewardship practices in our demonstration forest and throughout the region.

How You Can Get Involved

  1. Come visit our forest! Guided tours are available for a small fee for groups.  Self-guided trails are also available all seasons. Call or e-mail NorthWoods for more info.
  2. Bring a friend and volunteer a few hours or a day working on access trails, signage, or other forest projects
  3. Attend one of our workshops!  Deepen your understanding of the fascinating flora and fauna of northern Vermont and of the latest in sustainable forest management practices.
  4. Check out our web-resources.  These include some great links for more detailed information, as well as content from our past workshops, and other great information that you really can’t live without.
  5. Let us to help you one-on-one to better understand and manage your own property.  (FSI consulting services information)
  6. Support our work with a donation – individual donations are critical to keeping our demonstration and educational efforts alive and well.
  7. Be creative!  If you have ideas, suggestions, or resources to contribute, please contact us.  We’d love to hear your thoughts.