The Warren Conservation Commission and Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR) announce the conservation of 52 acres of ecologically significant forestland in Warren, as an addition to Roxbury State Forest.
The property was permanently protected through a collaborative effort between FPR, the town of Warren, and landowners Wrenn Compere, Steve Flemer Jr., and Ben Flemer. Originally purchased by their father in the 1960s, the land will now be permanently conserved for the public, protecting wildlife and water quality and supporting outdoor recreation.
“My brothers and I are very pleased to be a part of conserving this magnificent piece of land,” said Compere. “Our contribution is offered in honor of our parents, Stevenson and Leslie Flemer, who raised us to be responsible, to share, and to take good care of fragile and important things.”
The parcel features frontage on Roxbury Mountain Road and lies at the northwestern boundary of Roxbury State Forest. It includes steep terrain with headwater streams feeding the Dog River, and it supports a range of critical ecological values:
- · A known bear and wildlife corridor, identified in Warren’s ecological inventory.
- · Priority riparian areas.
- · Part of a high-priority interior forest and connectivity block, as identified by Vermont Conservation Design.
The Flemer family is donating 85% of the property’s appraised value to the state with the sale. The remaining portion was provided by the Warren Conservation Reserve Fund.
“The full value of the property will be used as part of the required 25% match to a $2.3M federal Forest Legacy grant for the Hazen’s Notch project, further leveraging this generous donation from the family and the town of Warren,” said Kate Wanner, conservation director for the Trust for Public Lands for Vermont and New Hampshire.“
The Forest Legacy funds secured for the Hazen’s Notch project by FPR and Trust for Public Land will conserve an additional 2,000 acres of strategic forestland in the Northern Green Mountains. Both of these forestland protection efforts will make progress towards the state’s goal of protecting 30% of Vermont’s landscape by 2030 set forth in the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act of 2023,” Wanner said.
“We are deeply grateful to the Flemer family for their generous contribution to Vermont’s state lands,” said Danielle Fitzko, commissioner of FPR. “Their gift ensures the long-term protection of a critical forest and wildlife corridor in the Northfield Range.”
The Warren Conservation Commission played a key role in championing the project, consistent with its long-standing focus on protecting biodiversity, maintaining wildlife connectivity and ecological resilience in Warren and across the Mad River Valley.
“This parcel links significant forest blocks and helps protect an important wildlife crossing along Roxbury Mountain Road,” said Jito Coleman, chair of the Commission. “We’re proud to see town resources leveraged for such a meaningful conservation outcome.”
“This project exemplifies the kind of partnership that makes conservation in Vermont so successful,” said Gunnar Nurme, land acquisition coordinator for FPR. “Landowners, local communities, and conservation partners like FPR working together for the benefit of all Vermonters.”
The land was added to Roxbury State Forest on July 29, and will be managed in perpetuity for public benefit – preserving wildlife habitat, maintaining forest health, supporting sustainable forest management, and providing opportunities for hiking, hunting, and other outdoor recreation.
