The Northern Green Mountains Wildland stretches from the Winooski River Valley to the Canadian border and includes the parallel Worcester and Lowell Ranges. It is a geologically unique region within the Northern Forest, providing richer soils than other mountainous areas as well as a number of unusual bedrock-determined communities, including at least two serpentine sites.

  The Northern Greens also hold the best examples of many high elevation and boreal communities found in Vermont.

High mountains, cold winters and short growing seasons have kept the Northern Green Mountains one of the least populated areas in the state. Large blocks of unroaded forests remain intact and are rarely visited. Unlike other Wildlands however, the Northern Greens do not consist of large ownerships.

Approximate Acreage: 325,000 acres

Mount Mansfield

Location: The spine of the northern Green Mountains from the Winooski River Valley to the Canadian border, including the Worcester and Lowell Ranges.

Lakes:
• Green River Reservoir
• Lake Elmore
• Worcester Ponds
• Lake Eden

Rivers & Watersheds:
• Lamoille River

Mountains:
• Bolton Mountain
• Mount Mansfield
• Mount Hunger
• Belvidere Mountain
• Jay Peak

Plant Communities:  
• Diverse plant types ranging from alpine tundra to lowland bogs
• Rare plant communities including serpentine sandwort, purple mountain saxifrage, white adder’s-mouth and southern twayblade orchids, swamp birch, alpine bilberry, and highland rush

Habitat and Animal Life:
• Habitat for high elevation species such as Bicknell’s thrush and gray jay Actual or potential habitat for bobcat, lynx, cougar, black bear, fisher and pine marten

Outstanding Recreation:
• Over 85 miles of the Long Trail
• Over 100 miles of the Catamount Trail
• Overnight paddling at Green River Reservoir

Protected Lands:
• Green River Reservoir State Park
• Over 3,000 acres protected by the Green Mountain Club in fee and over 11,000 acres through conservation easement
• Almost 20,000 acres conserved through the Atlas Timber Partnership
• Mount Mansfield State Forest
• Putnam State Forest, Long Trail State Forest, and Jay Peak State Forest

Existing Development:
• Limited development in lower-elevation areas and the highway corridors

Current Threats:
• Large areas of relatively undeveloped forest land run a high risk of development due to the area’s accessibility, scenic and recreational benefits, and existing infrastructure.
• Second-home development and increasing sprawl in resort towns and bedroom communities
• Biodiversity loss due to inadequate network of ecological reserve.

Current Conservation Opportunities:
• Potential ecological reserves in the Mount Mansfield State Forest and Jay Peak State Forest and in the Worcester Range
• Improved management of the Green River Reservoir
•  Long Trail Protection Fund.

Current Community Involvement:
• Friends of the Green River Reservoir- working with the state of Vermont to bring a local voice to management
•  Hazen’s Notch Association- working to protect the Hazen’s Notch area

Current Action Step:
• The Northern Green Mountains differ from other Northern Forest Wildlands in that they are dominated by small private landowners. These landowners often provide open access to the excellent recreational opportunities provided by the Wildland. Ensuring that these forests remain forest is the most significant step that can currently be taken to ensure the economic and ecological integrity of the Wildland.

• Increased development is a threat even to the most remote Vermont locations. More and more people are escaping urban and suburban lifestyles and are buying their own piece of heaven in Vermont for primary and secondary homes. It is important that we provide economic assistance for landowners who would like to see their lands remain forested and continue to provide important public values like clean air and water, wildlife habitat and recreational opportunities.  

Worcester Range

One such federal program that provides assistance to communities looking to protect their forestlands is the Forest Legacy Program. Forest Legacy has been used to protect some of Vermont’s most special places including the Green River Reservoir, Cow Mountain Pond, Norton Pond and the Averill Lakes. Please ask your Congressional representatives to increase the funding of Forest Legacy so that more forestlands can be protected from development.