The soon-to-be Jim Jeffords State Forest in Shrewsbury, Vermont. (Photos courtesy of the Trust for Public Land)
The Trust for Public Land and Vermont officials recently announced plans to create a new 1,346-acre state forest.
The Jim Jeffords State Forest will be named after the former senator from Shrewsbury, Vermont, where the state forest will be located. Less than a mile from the Long Trail and the Appalachian Trail, the forest features verdant northern hardwoods, meadows and wetlands, and it’s a haven for outdoor recreationists where opportunities to hike, cross-country ski, snowmobile, fish, and hunt are plentiful.
The land is also a crucial link between Coolidge State Forest and Aitken State Forest, resulting in an 188,000-acre block of conserved land. In addition to recreation for local residents and visitors, the property is used by black bears moving between Aitken State Forest – a key fall feeding area – east to Parker’s Gore and the Green Mountain Bear Corridor. Conservation of this land will also protect wetlands and riparian areas along Mendon Brook and the Cold River, which will enhance flood resiliency upstream of Rutland, heavily damaged by Tropical Storm Irene in 2011.
Jeffords, who passed away last August 18, was a resident of Shrewsbury, a member of the U.S. House from 1975-89, and a member of the U.S. Senate from 1989-2007. Originally elected as a Republican, he later became an Independent.
The process of transferring ownership of the land for the state forest should be completed by this fall.
Read about Vermont’s new Jim Jeffords State Forest.
