Conservation Science

The work of the NorthWoods Conservation Science department began in 1998 with the Ecosystem Management Project based on the 1500-acre land base now owned and managed by NorthWoods. Since then, the program has expanded, fielding multiple off-site crews, completing projects in the watersheds of Northern Vermont throughout the field season. The goal of the ConSci program is to implement projects and promote partnerships that support ecological health, habitat enhancement, water quality, and other outcomes which have been shown to exemplify quality environmental stewardship through good science.

  • Morgan Larson

    Morgan Larson (they/them) is another Southerner who has found their way to Abenaki territory! Originally from Anadarkos-Caddo territory (so called Dallas, Texas) Morgan grew up loving the magic of the Blackland Prairie and Cross Timbers [Read More...]

  • Our Seeds go to Svalbard!

    Some of these adorable baby trees are now chilling, perhaps for 100 years or more, in a drawer in Norway! Last fall the Riparian Lands crew teamed up with the Statewide Seed Coordinator [Read More...]

  • Jessica Colby

    Jessica Colby knew from a young age that she wanted to work in conservation. She grew up enjoying time spent out in the woods behind her house, discovering all the different plants and animals that [Read More...]

NorthWoods’ Conservation Science Program works to provide the scientific information needed to identify and address the priority conservation needs of our region.

Our projects often involve collaborations with non-profit, state, and federal project partners and a cadre of dedicated citizen scientist volunteers. The findings of our work lead to conservation actions through a number of channels. Many results are summarized in project reports and contribute to watershed or forest management planning. Others are used to identify and prioritize projects, such as riparian buffer tree plantings, for the NorthWoods Conservation Corps or volunteer groups.

Our ecological monitoring data are provided to state, federal, and private research entities to be incorporated into powerful regional or long-term datasets to answer broader research questions and for conservation planning.

Conservation Partners