DRAFT ACFC

[Image credit:  UVM Field Naturalist program]

The Andrews Community Forest (ACF) is owned by the Town of Richmond, with the Richmond Selectboard ultimately responsible for the Forest’s management and stewardship. The Selectboard has delegated much of this responsibility to the nine-member, advisory Andrews Community Forest Committee. It meets monthly at the Town Center , usually on the fourth Monday. For dates, start times, materials and Zoom links of upcoming meetings, please see the list below, Front Porch Forum announcements or the Town Calendar.

As with all Town boards and committees, the ACFC encourages interested members of the public to take part in its meetings and activities, and to apply for open seats on the Committee as they come up. Or use the Contact link below to share an idea or ask us a question. 

• Committee bylaws
• Committee Town Report 2024-2025

Contact the Committee

richmondtownforest@ gmail.com

Access upcoming meeting documents by clicking on the meeting. 

The ACFC manages the Forest according to a comprehensive plan based on extensive public input and designed to protect and even enhance the Forest’s many natural, recreational and educational resources. 

The Plan is periodically updated to incorporate new knowledge about the Forest, its ecological functions, community wishes and stewardship priorities. Maps and appendices provide important background information about the goals and actions found throughout the Plan. The Plan’s provisions are based on requirements and guidelines spelled out in the Conservation Easement, Richmond Town Plan and Richmond Zoning Regulations. 

• ACF Management Plan (2018)
  • Maps and appendices 

Guiding Documents

• Vermont Land Trust - Baseline Documentation Report
• Audubon Vermont - Forest Bird Habitat Assessment
• Conservation Easement 

In May of 2021, consultants commissioned by the ACFC proposed a trail plan that significantly differed from the trail concept map included in the Management Plan. Those differences required a full revision of the Plan.

The ACFC used this opportunity to update the entire Management Plan with new information about the Forest, best management practices and community inputs not available for the original draft. For example, the new Plan acknowledges our Town’s responsibilities to the Forest’s original stewards, the Western Abenaki people. The entire document was  reformatted to make it easier to find needed information.

Current draft of Revised Management Plan (May 2025)

Guiding Documents

• Vermont Land Trust Baseline Documentation Report
• Audubon Vermont Forest Bird Habitat Assessment
• Conservation Easement
• Richmond Zoning Regulations (ACF-Relevant Sections)
• UVM Field Naturalists Report (January 2019) [*link]
• Ecological Trail Planning Report (Arrowwood Environmental June 2021) [*link]
• Consultants’ Expanded Additional Responses to ACF Committee (February 2022)
• Detailed Field Assessment  (Arrowwood Environmental November 2022)
• 2026 Richmond Town Plan
• Full list of references and further reading

Public Input

• Community feedback to March 2022 revised trail proposal, and Committee response (June 2022)
• Melissa Levy Report (May 2023)
• Other public comments and background information

The 2019 ACF Forestry Management Plan builds on the principles of “ecological forestry,” which uses practices such as the careful harvesting of trees to emulate the natural disturbances that foster greater biodiversity and forest resilience, as well as repairing damage resulting from prior practices such as clear-cutting. It also addresses the ACF’s role and contributions to its 70,000-acre forest block – one of the state’s highest-priority blocks – as well as wildlife habitat, water management, recreation, invasive species control and other topics. It describes the Forest’s division into three zones, each with its own management approach. 

Since the Forestry Management Plan was adopted, several acres have been harvested. Some of the wood was sold, with proceeds going to the Forest’s management fund. Other wood was milled and stored on site, for use in picnic tables, information kiosks and other infrastructure. Firewood was donated to a local non-profit that makes it available for little or no cost to disadvantaged families and individuals. Younger, more diverse growth is taking hold and new, broader range of bird life can already be observed.

ACF Forestry Management Plan (2019)

LINK TO COMMUNITY PAGE