At a reception held at Smuggler’s Notch State Park on August 23, 2007, Governor Jim Douglas officially appointed the Vermont State Park Task Force which will be chaired by Sugarbush Ski Area Owner Win Smith with VYCC President Thomas Hark. Read the coverage by VPR (PDF) and the Burlington Free Press (PDF) to learn more!

The Governor and Secretary of the Agency of Natural Resources have charged the twenty-member task force with taking a hard look at Vermont’s State Parks and determining what direction the parks should go in the future. The task force will develop concrete strategies and proposals for moving forward which include youth, education, and making parks the hub of their local communities. It is expected that the work of this Task Force will create a blue print for the future of the Vermont State Parks!

The VYCC and the Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation have enjoyed a 22 year partnership, and the VYCC currently manages four state parks- Allis, Elmore, Lowell Lake and North Hero. Corps Members and Crew Leaders engage in significant conservation and community leadership opportunities in their responsibilities for all park operations, and we look forward to continuing and potentially expanding this valuable partnership to engage youth in improving Vermont’s park system.

In the early summer, a VYCC Wilderness Crew embarked on a project to enhance the West River Trail between Ball Mountain Dam and the Winhall campground in Jamaica, VT. The crew built bridges and rock crossings over several streams, relocated the trail in several areas, and installed trail structures, including cribbing, stone steps, and culverts. These structures will enhance public safety and enjoyment of the trail in all seasons and conditions. When completed, this project will provide an important link on the Upper Section of the West River Trail.

The VYCC has been working in partnership with the Vermont Agency of Transportation to improve the West River Trail since 2000, highlighted by the construction of a switchback trail over Ball Mountain Dam, which was completed in 2003. To learn more about how nine years of VYCC crews have contributed to the enhancement of the West River Trail, contact John Leddy at john@vycc.org or view photos of this incredible project!

For four new Instructors on the VYCC Agriculture and Natural Resources team, it’s back-to-school time! For two of them, their summer crews wrapped up just in time to dive into the school year planning. VYCC veteran Sarah Hays will use her experience from leading several VYCC crews in the past year in her new role as the Agriculture and Natural Resources Instructor. She will work closely with Instructor Zach Gilhooley on the Mt. Mansfield Union High School program that is based at the Leadership, Education & Training Center. Students at Lamoille Union High School will be led by Instructors Rebecca Francisco, a summer 2007 VYCC Crew Leader, and Calley Hastings.

Student-interns from both Agriculture and Natural Resources programs will complete community-based projects rooted in the landscape and traditions of Vermont while simultaneously immersed in a dynamic curriculum that ties the work projects to learning.

Partnerships with Mount Mansfield Union High School, Lamoille Union High School, Smokey House Project, and the University of Vermont Extension Office and funding from the legislature currently provide this opportunity to 10 students from each partner high school.

If your school would like to host one of these year round programs please contact Harry Frank, Leadership & Education Director at harry@vycc.org.

In 2005, the VYCC joined the Green Mountain Club in the effort to relocate a section of the Appalachian Trail near Thundering Falls in Killington, Vermont.

The goal of the project was to reroute a half mile of the trail through a more remote area rather than having it coincide with a public road. Eight VYCC crews worked on the project over a three year span, building spectacular rock staircases, breaking new trail, building boardwalks, and making an overlook to the Falls accessible to those with disabilities. A few finishing touches will be made next summer in order to make the entire section accessible for all. A special thanks to all of the alumni from those crews that worked so hard on this project!

Read more about this project in the September-October 2007 issue of A.T. Journeys, which features an article about the Thundering Fall reroute. For more information on how to sponsor a VYCC crew contact John Leddy at john@vycc.org or visit our Projects webpage.

The Farm and Nursery A* VISTA position has been created to design and implement a plan for the West Monitor Barn property in support of all programs at the VYCC. The goals for the position are to establish vegetable and native plant production, incorporate the work and learning from the farm and nursery into the experience of all corps members and collaborate with internal and external partners. This position is part of the Agriculture and Natural Resources Program which currently runs crews at three area high schools with plans to expand the reach of the program state-wide. The VYCC farm and nursery will serve as a model for program expansion. The Farm and Nursery A*VISTA will report to the Agriculture and Natural Resources Program Manager and work closely with the Instructors and Director of that program.

VYCC HQ Positions