Windham Regional Woodlands Association (WRWA) Annual Meeting (Non-members are welcome to attend) and Potluck Cookout Lunch
Historic Sites in Newfane Town & Newfane Village
Bill Guenther's Woodlot, 51 Bensch Mountain Road, Newfane, Vt.
Saturday, August 25 (Rain or shine), 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
This year's meeting will have a few twists. We will start at two off-site locations for field visits and then convene at Bill's place, for lunch, tours and afternoon libations. Bill is hanging up his County Forester's hat and retiring this September 28, so this will be his last official hurrah with WRWA as the Windham County Forester!
IMPORTANT: Please provide information by noon on Thursday, August 23, if you plan to attend the meeting. Please let our new Clerk Cindy Levine (windhamwoodlands@gmail.com) know whether you would prefer a hamburger made from locally produced beef, Grand Kosher hot dog (low-fat, no filler), or a Vegetarian Burger. Your timely notification will help to ensure that we have adequate grill foods. You are welcome to enjoy more than one of the items; just let Cindy know. Thank you!
Let's have a "Green" Meeting! To help, we ask that everyone be part of the Green Team.
What to bring:
Potluck dish for lunch, including a serving utensil
Travel mug for beverages
Chair, if you prefer a seat with a back. We will rent a few chairs but please try to bring your own if able.
For the field trip, suitable footwear for forest trails with moderate hills; insect and tick repellant; and, if it suits your needs or style, walking sticks.
$8.00 registration fee per person to cover grilling supplies and other meeting expenses
Program:
Morning
8:30 A.M.- 9:45- Did you know that Newfane Village used to be in a different place? Yep that is correct, way back when, it was way up at the top of Newfane Hill. We will be joined by Laura Bacon-Wallingford of the Windham County Historical Society who will give us some background on the on "Old" Newfane as well as how the Village got where it is today. Bill will then discuss the small, but very sensitive timber sale done on the parcel in 2010. We'll provide cider donuts and coffee.
9:45-10:00 a.m.- travel to Newfane Village
10:00- 11:00- meet with Larry Robinson, a multi-generational Newfane native representing the Windham County Historical Society. Larry will give us the background on how the Village ended up in the valley as well as some fascinating insight into the ownership of the courthouse. Bill will discuss the long-term tree care program on what may be the most photographed green in Vermont. He has worked with the county for 25 years managing the trees on this scenic piece of real estate.
11:00-11:15 Travel to Bill's woodlot up on Bensch Mountain.
Registration: Sign in for the rest of the meeting and make your lunch payment. This will give you a chance to meet Cindy Levine, our new Clerk.
11:30-12:30 - Business meeting presided over by WRWA President Marli Rabinowitz.
Lunch 12:30-2:00 p.m. - Grill Master (and Windham/Windsor Counties Forester) Sam Schneski will cook our hamburgers, hot dogs, and vegetarian burgers. If you can, please bring a potluck dish to share as well as a suitable serving utensil. At a recent meeting, past president Stu Thurber remarked that the lunch gets better each year! Again, please let Cincy Levine (windhamwoodlands@gmail.com) know by August 23 (noon deadline) whether you will want a hamburger, hot dog, vegetarian burger (or all the above!) If you do not have e-mail, please call Dana Ruppert at Bill Guenther's office (802-257-7967, Ext. 302) to make a reservation.
Afternoon
2:00 p.m. – 4:30 P.M.
Bill will provide a tour of his 23.6-acre woodlot and discuss his 30 years of forest management. He has supplied his own firewood during that time saving about $30,000 on fuel oil. The walking will be on moderate but uneven terrain, so wear good sturdy footwear. The program will focus on small woodlot firewood production, including harvesting, blocking, splitting, stacking and drying your wood.
On the tour there will also be a discussion of deer browse and how it has impacted the landscape in this part of Newfane. Pruning of hardwood tress will also be mentioned.
Late Afternoon- 4:30 -6 p.m. This will be time for a general discussion about anything forestry related and Bill's career. Libations to be served. Bill will make up a batch of his special Mai-Tais. Should you want beer or wine, please BYOB.
Directions:
To the Old Newfane Common-
Coming from the South --travel up Route 30 and a few miles north of the covered bridge, you drive over the Rock River, continue up a short steep hill and just before you get to the NewBrook elementary school, make a Left onto Grimes Hill Road. Go 0.3 miles and make a Right onto Newfane Hill Road. Travel 2.8 miles up Newfane Hill Rd. and just past Otis Lane, the Old Common site will be on your Right. Pull off on the