WOLCOTT, VT — At the start of National Public Lands Day month, U.S. Senator Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Member of the Senate Agriculture Subcommittee on Conservation, Forestry, Natural Resources, and Biotechnology, joined local stakeholders to discuss the importance of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Community Forest and Open Space program for preserving permanent public access for hiking, nature observation, and outdoor activities. Following the discussion, Senator Welch joined Wolcott Elementary School students for a walk through the Wolcott Town Forest, which is located directly adjacent to the school.
“It was great to visit Wolcott Community Forest and see firsthand how 735 acres—located within the heart of town and directly adjacent to the Wolcott Elementary School—are creating new opportunities for Vermonters to hike, bike, ski, learn, and connect with the outdoors,” said Senator Welch. “As we celebrate National Public Lands Day this month, Wolcott is a powerful reminder of what communities can accomplish when we invest in the places that make Vermont special. Thanks to The Trust for Public Land and the many local partners who helped make this community vision a reality.”
View photos of the event below:
Senator Welch has been a leading voice in protecting the Green Mountain State’s forests and public lands. In both the 118th and 119th Congresses, the Senator called on the Senate Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee to increase appropriations for the USDA’s Community Forest and Open Space Conservation Program. Senator Welch was also a cosponsor of the Great American Outdoors Act, which provided permanent funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund.
###
View a digital version of this release.