Vermont Chapter of The Nature Conservancy's Board of Trustees Elects New Chair

Montpelier, Vermont—20 July 2006—William P. Stritzler, owner and managing director of Smugglers’ Notch Resort, Vermont’s premier family ski destination, takes over today as chair of the board of trustees of The Nature Conservancy of Vermont. Stritzler, who joined the board in 2003, has a strong history of service in the non-profit sector and was attracted to The Nature Conservancy by the group’s scientific and business-like approach to conservation.

“From my vantage point as a trustee I have been able to validate my belief that The Nature Conservancy is a disciplined and thoughtful organization,” commented Bill Stritzler. “And as a fisherman I love all efforts that help to improve rivers in Vermont and rivers in general.”

Well-known for its core strategy of land protection, a nationwide network of nature preserves and the conservation of more than 170,000 acres in Vermont, the Conservancy has also made significant strides in conserving freshwater systems. In the Connecticut River Valley conservation projects from Maidstone Bends to Brattleboro are protecting rare floodplain forests and native mussel habitat, and studies are underway to improve fish passage and restore ecological river flows on the West River, a tributary of the Connecticut River. Using a portfolio of strategies in the Lake Champlain watershed, ranging from river bank protection along the Poultney River, to wetlands restoration in Otter Creek swamps, to volunteer efforts to control water chestnut, the Conservancy partners with and complements the activities of local organizations and state agencies.

Smugglers’ Notch, already recognized at both the state and national level for environmentally conscious policies and procedures, is experimenting with another first, the use of bio-diesel fuel to power snow making equipment. Since 2004 guests at the resort have had an opportunity to “Ski Cool,” purchasing a green upgrade to their lift pass to neutralize emissions generated by snow making, lift operations and travel to the resort. Smugglers’ Notch matches 25% of the funds generated, which are then invested in renewable energy projects by NativeEnergy, a Vermont-based company.

“Our goal at Smugglers’ Notch is to be emissions neutral,” added Stritzler. “Both Smugglers’ and The Nature Conservancy believe in the concept of sustainability. With creativity and forethought we can blend business with nature and maintain a healthy environment for all living creatures.”

Stritzler is on the board of trustees of the Vermont Business Roundtable and is the outgoing chair of Vermont Public Television’s board of trustees.

Recent additions to the Nature Conservancy of Vermont’s board of trustees include Steven B. Young of Wolcott and Gerard E. Jones of Woodstock.

Steven B. Young a naturalist and recognized expert on the polar regions of the world, is the founder of the Northern Studies Center. Having studied and traveled extensively in Alaska, Russia and the Arctic, Young has returned to a place near and dear to him, Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Young first worked with the Conservancy in 1988 on the protection of Bear Swamp in Wolcott, a rare example of a northern spruce-fir-tamarack swamp and an ideal location for the Northern Studies Center. As glaciers receded 10,000 years ago the swamp formed in a shallow basin and today still retains much of its subarctic character.

Gerard E. Jones of Woodstock, who recently retired from the practice of corporate law, has a passion for non-profit governance and extensive experience managing organizations in the public, private and non-profit sectors. Jones is currently an adjunct professor at Vermont Law School and lecturers in history at Ilead, Dartmouth.

“We’ve owned property in Vermont since 1965, and cherish Vermont’s natural landscape,” said Gerry Jones from his home in Woodstock. “I’m excited by this opportunity to help people understand what we have here, to learn how to protect it, and to indulge my own curiosity in nature.”

The Vermont board of trustees, with diverse backgrounds in business, academia and the arts, supports conservation work here in Vermont and around the world. Trustees are actively involved in every aspect of the organization from philanthropy to conservation, and assist in the stewardship of a network of more than 40 nature preserves.

Bill Stritzler, Jeffersonville. Chair.
Kathy Archer, Shelburne. Vice–chair.
Joanne Calvi, Bomoseen
Allen Clark, Plainfield. Treasurer.
Brian Dade, Norwich
Erika Dade, Norwich
Clive Gray, Greensboro
Lawrence Hamilton, Charlotte
Jim Hand, Manchester Center
Bob Hoffman, Barnet
Gerry Jones, Woodstock
Daphne Markcrow, Pawlet. Secretary.
Mary Neighbours, Jericho
Rebecca Purdom, Poultney
Lawrence Pyne, Cornwall. Vice–chair.
Nancy Howe Russell, East Dorset
Ian Schmidek, Shelburne
Anne Silberfarb, Norwich
Peter Silberfarb, Norwich
Tom Vogelmann, Jericho
Alex Wilson, Dummerston. Vice–chair.
Steve Young, Wolcott,

For more information please contact your local trustee or the Vermont chapter directly at (802) 229-4425.

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The Nature Conservancy is a leading international, nonprofit organization that preserves plants, animals and natural communities representing the diversity of life on Earth by protecting the lands and waters they need to survive. To date, The Nature Conservancy and its approximately one million members have been responsible for the protection of more than 117 million acres and 5,000 miles of river around the world. The Nature Conservancy works in all 50 states and more than 30 countries.

The Vermont Chapter, chartered in 1960, has helped conserve over 170,000 acres throughout the state. Much of this land has been transferred to conservation partners like the University of Vermont, the Vermont Dept. of Fish and Wildlife and the Vermont Dept. of Forest, Parks and Recreation, and includes acreage in many of the state’s well known natural areas such as Camel’s Hump, the Missisquoi Wildlife Refuge, the West Mountain Wildlife Management Area and the Equinox Highlands. Across the state 43 nature preserves managed by the Conservancy are open for public recreation including hiking, wildlife-watching, hunting, canoeing and kayaking. Access to 20 of these preserves has been improved with hiking trails, canoe access, boardwalks and interpretive brochures.