The Campaign to Protect Goulet Farm
The Goulet Farm, located in the Keeler Bay watershed, is where Guy and Lori Goulet have grown a vibrant hay business and market garden. They sell their produce as well as baked goods and many other local products at the busy farmstand right in the heart of the village of Keeler Bay. South Hero Land Trust is working with the Goulet and Swanson families to protect 195 acres of land with a conservation easement, securing a critical landbase for the Goulet Farm long into the future, as well as supporting our local food system, and our community. Read more about the farm from our recent newsletter article here>>
We are currently in the middle of raising funds to complete the project, including bringing in federal and state farmland conservation grants. A few local donors have also helped move this project forward, including one generous donor which has offered to match gifts of $20,000 and above!
As of June, we are currently working to raise the final $50,000 needed to successfully complete the project by the end of August.
And, we are thrilled to announce that local artist Roy Newton has generously donated 10 original works of art to support the project! All gifts $500 and above are eligible to receive one of these stunning landscapes via a raffle held at the end of the campaign.
2025 Youth Summer Camps
Now in our 5th year, the SHLT summer camp program is back! Join us in 2025 with week-long camps for grades 1-8. Based at Folsom School and the South Hero Recreation Park, we will also explore nearby parks, farms, and trails. Camps are geared towards cultivating children’s’ connection with the land, celebrating the beauty of nature, appreciating local food and farms, and building lifelong skills. Our camps are led by our experienced team of SHLT staff, plus our summer interns via the UVM Rubenstein School Perennial Internship Program.
All camps will be from 8:30 - 3:30. More information about each camp in the link below:
The Latest News
Goulet Farm in South Hero, our newest conservation project
A Labor of Love: Neighbors Work Together to Protect the Goulet Farm
Four Generations of Farming
Guy Goulet’s grandfather emigrated to Vermont from Quebec in the 1940s. His family, including a 3 year old son who became Guy’s father, came with him. After short stints in Lincoln and Jericho, the family purchased a farm in South Hero and set down roots.
Guy always knew he wanted to be a farmer. “My heart was always here,” he says. He met his wife Lori in 2013, at the Ford dealership where she worked and he had his pickup trucks serviced. They have six grown children between them, including Guy’s stepson Brad Isham, who works the farm with them.
Brad will be the next generation to steward this land, and he quotes the adage, “if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life,” to explain how it just feels right to him. READ MORE HERE>>
Emily Alger (left) and Guy Maguire (right)
Changing Seasons and Transitions at South Hero Land Trust
After leading South Hero Land Trust for 9 growth-filled years, Emily Alger will step down from her position of Executive Director at the end of 2024. We are thrilled to announce that Guy Maguire, our Director of Programs, will be stepping into this leadership role. We will miss Emily as a daily part of South Hero Land Trust, are grateful for all she has done for the land trust and our community, and wish her all the best in her new adventures with her family. At the same time, the South Hero Land Trust Board and staff are excited about new opportunities for the land trust under Guy’s leadership.
Emily has worked at South Hero Land Trust for over 15 years. After serving as Director of Programs for 6 years, she was appointed Executive Director in 2015. She’s had a hand in everything we do during her time here, including land conservation projects, trail development, environmental education, and farm viability programs. She oversaw the conservation of Tracy Woods and opening of the Tracy Woods Community Trail, expanded the Guide to Agriculture into the interactive website and print map it is today, inspired us to prioritize accessibility in current and future trail projects, and more. Her love of the land and commitment to nurturing the relationships we each have with the land have been guideposts for our growth over the last several years. READ MORE HERE>>
Parker and Jenna collecting accessibility data along a trail route
A New Trails Partnership: Making South Hero More Accessible and Inclusive
Approximately 1 in 4 people in the US live with disabilities, and historically, many outdoor spaces haven’t been designed to include them. Over the past few years, SHLT has increasingly been focusing on this injustice: it’s one of the main drivers behind projects like our inclusive paddles, the rebuilding of the wheelchair accessible boardwalk in the Rec Park, and design plans for the Islandacres Trail, our next major trail project.
We’re grateful to have a strong local partner and mentor in Cathy Webster, Northeast Disabled Athletic Association’s Kayak Program Manager. Earlier this year, we paired with Cathy to design a new project that will deepen our involvement in making our community’s trails and outdoor spaces more accessible for people with disabilities. We’re excited to share… READ MORE>>
From left: Bernadette, Bob & Don during a recent volunteer work day at the boardwalk
A New Life for a South Hero Gem: Boardwalk Rebuild at Rec Park Will Improve Access
The first official workday on the boardwalk rebuild at the South Hero Recreation Park was particularly special. It was a sunny September afternoon, just after school got out at Folsom Educational and Community Center. At the entrance of the Park, South Hero Land Trust Director of Programs, Guy Maguire, circled up with our first volunteer crew. Along with five middle schoolers and SHLT board member Bob Buermann, Don Pierson joined us to begin dismantling the existing boardwalk... READ MORE>>
Adaptive paddlers checking out the wildlife at Lake Iroquois
Connecting on the Water
South Hero resident Cathy Webster has been helping people with physical disabilities get out on the water for the last 8 years. Inspired by one of her physical therapy clients, who dreamt of finding a way to return to paddling, Cathy created an Adaptive Kayaking Program that is now one of the programs of the Northeast Disabled Athletic Association (NDAA).
South Hero Land Trust and Cathy share the belief that nature is for everyone, which is foundational to the new partnership between SHLT, North Branch Nature Center (NBNC), and NDAA. Starting this year, we piloted a series of 4 naturalist-guided inclusive kayaking events, during which SHLT and NBNC staff joined kayakers to explore and learn about the plants, birds, turtles, and… (READ MORE>>)