February 3, 2021
Late winter in Vermont can feel a little long, but the Fish and Wildlife Department is here to help with great opportunities that are not only fun, but also educational. Education Manager Ali Thomas says the department has something for everyone: “Whether you are inclined to snuggle up by a warm fire, or pile on the winter clothes and make a trek outdoors, we have something for you.”
February 2, 2021 – The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) recently released the Vermont Clean Water Initiative 2020 Performance Report. The Report summarizes how the state’s $194 million investment in water quality over the past five years is paying off by improving water quality in Vermont’s rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
January 20, 2021. – The Vermont Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) issued a $5,250 penalty to a landowner and their hired contractor after the landowner directed their contractor to remove over 4,800 square feet of vegetation within 25 feet of the shoreline of Lake Sadawga, violating Vermont’s Shoreland Protection Act. As part of the penalty, DEC required the landowner and contractor to reestablish the vegetation that was removed.
January 19, 2021 -- As winter sets in, many Vermonters are preparing for one of the most popular cold weather pastimes in the state – ice fishing. Anglers spend more than 400,000 days each winter ice fishing in Vermont, and the state’s Fish and Wildlife Department is encouraging more people to give it a try.
Department fisheries biologist Shawn Good says ice fishing is a fun, social, family-oriented activity, and that there are many great reasons for Vermonters new to the sport to try it this year.
January 4, 2021 – The Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department has developed a new initiative to acquire and restore wetlands in response to funding from the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Lake Champlain Basin Program.
“As Vermont Fish and Wildlife is the largest owner of wetlands in the state, this is a natural fit to expand and build upon some of our marquis Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), such as Dead Creek WMA, and it will enable us to strategically enhance other WMAs,” said Fish and Wildlife’s Public Land Section Chief Jane Lazorchak.
January 4, 2021 – The Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) invites the public to join them for a monthly virtual series highlighting efforts to protect and restore water quality in Vermont. Efforts to improve water quality provide many additional benefits- protecting public health and safety, increasing flood resiliency, supporting outdoor recreation, and enhancing wildlife habitat.
December 30,2020 – Final deer harvest numbers will not be available for a few more weeks, but the Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department says the final tally will be around 18,000 deer, the second highest total since 2000. Those deer will provide approximately 3.6 million servings of local, nutritious venison.
December 29, 2020. - Start the new year on the right foot with a hike in a Vermont state park. On January 1, 2021, Vermont State Parks is inviting everyone to celebrate the New Year by heading out on the trails at one of Vermont’s 55 state parks. Park entry is free on New Year’s Day (and all winter long), and this is a great opportunity to discover a whole new world outdoors in winter.
12/4/2020 - Agency of Natural Resources (ANR) Secretary Julie Moore invites the public to join her on Wednesday, December 9 from 4:00 to 5:00 pm to discuss a variety of environmental topics. The meeting will start with a conversation about fish health in Lake Memphremagog where Agency scientists will provide an update on the Brown Bullhead lesion investigation.
December 3, 2020 - Want to treat someone to a full season of outdoor fun? Whether they like taking a swim after work, enjoying a weekend camping getaway, sitting by a waterfall, discovering a new trail, trying out a paddleboard or kayak, or simply having an impromptu picnic, Vermont State Parks has something for everyone. You can give these experiences and more by purchasing a gift certificate or gift card from Vermont State Parks.
