Victory Basin WMA and State Forest in autumn. Photo courtesy of Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept.
The Vermont departments of Fish & Wildlife, and Forests, Parks, & Recreation are holding an additional public meeting to discuss future management and use of a group of conserved lands in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. The comment period has also been extended to provide the public with additional opportunities to comment.
The meeting will discuss the proposed long-range management plan for Victory Basin Wildlife Management Area, Victory State Forest, and Darling State Park. The meeting will take place on Tuesday, January 10 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Burke Mountain Room at Lyndon State College. This is a routine update of the management plan for these lands.
The draft plan calls for the continued management of these lands for a variety of recreational uses, habitat for plants and animals, and sustainable forest management. The plan calls for more intensive timber harvest in the wildlife management area to promote regeneration of spruce-fir forests for species such as deer, moose, gray jays, rusty blackbirds, and marten. There are no changes proposed to the lease agreement with Burke Mountain Resort.
“The Victory Basin region is a unique treasure in Vermont, with vast stretches of boreal forest and untamed lands that are reminiscent of areas usually found much farther north,” said Doug Morin, a biologist for the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department. “Large areas of interconnected conserved lands with healthy forests and waters such as these are essential in Vermont. They form the foundation of the state’s working landscape, providing areas for outdoor recreation, tourism, and sustainable forestry practices.”
The meeting will provide an opportunity for members of the public to review the highlights of the draft long-range management plan and ask questions. For more information about the meeting or the planning process, or to comment on the draft plan before February 1, please contact Doug Morin at . The draft plan is available atvtfishandwildlife.com.
Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities are available upon request. Please include a description of the accommodation you will need. Individuals making such requests must include their contact information. Please send an e-mail to: or call the office staff at 802-828-1000 (voice), 1-800-253-0191 (TTY).
