Newfane Conservation Commission

As a general rule, we meet in the Town offices on the second Thursday of each month.

The Newfane Conservation Commission is a group of seven volunteers appointed by the Selectboard.  Our mission is to promote stewardship of our natural and historic resources. 

We were created in 1998.  Our first major project was to create a system of hiking trails in the 162 acre Newfane Town forest.  In 2000 we created the White Fern trail, which has views of a series of beautiful miniature waterfalls in Schoolhouse Brook.  In 2001 we blazed the Golden Gateway trail, which was named by a vote of students at the Newfane Elementary School.  This trail has a scenic lookout with views across the Rock River Valley to Newfane Hill.  In 2002 we created the Blue Beech trail which passes by areas of grapevines, vernal pools, interesting boulders, and, of course, blue beeches.

Thanks to $22,000 in grants from the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation, we hired the  Vermont Youth Conservation Corps to install stone steps, a bridge, a bench at our lookout, waterbars, walkways, and other improvements to make hiking our trail system enjoyable and help prevent the scourge of erosion.

Our second major project was the creation and distribution in 2005 of an agricultural brochure to promote local agriculture.   Partly as a result of this effort, the statewide organization of Conservation Commissions, the AVCC, named us Conservation Commission of the year in 2005 "for outstanding conservation efforts".

We have also produced educational brochures about water quality, invasive species, and other subjects.

We hope you will enjoy visiting this site and seeing some of our past and present projects.

In our photo section you will see a map of the trail system in our town forest as well as photos of some of the scenic features that can be seen on the trail. 
Our trail system is featured in the Green Mountain Club's book, Day Hiker's Guide to Vermont.  However, you can get more information about the trails from our brochure which can be found in the town office or in a mailbox at the start of the trail (while supplies last). 
In 2006, we installed a large kiosk near the start of the trail.  You can view the map here and decide which trail or loop to follow.  Have a great time!