Vermont Natural Resources Council (VNRC)

06/17/2026

06/15/2026

Inventoried Roadless Areas (IRAs) offer some of the last, best recreation in the country. Losing protections for these areas will take away opportunities for American families to hunt, fish, and explore the great outdoors.

This interactive map shows IRAs in relation to drinking water sources.

🗺️ Explore here: https://amrivers.maps.arcgis.com/apps/mapviewer/index.html?webmap=af68acd394e340c0b32750e3075edbda¢er=-97.668341%2C39.658533&scale=18489297.737236

06/10/2026

It's ! 🦋🌼

🐝Did you know that the longer days of Summer give pollinators more time to forage for nectar? Pollinators like honey and native bees, monarch butterflies, wasps, and more are key to keeping our ecosystems intact by helping vital plants and crops reproduce.

Maintaining the complex ecosystem that keeps us alive and protects iconic pollinators requires leadership on all levels. In the past year alone, 553 acres of monarch habitat have been created or restored by the 275 mayors and heads of local government that completed the Mayors’ Monarch Pledge.

🦋That's roughly 553 football fields of new essential monarch habitat across the monarch’s breeding and migratory areas!

For over a decade now, local governments have stepped up to make wide-scale changes that benefit both people and wildlife. Learn more about why monarchs need mayors in our blog. 📲 https://ow.ly/2fVy50Z87yc

06/10/2026

As summer kicks off, organizations around Vermont are opening up new trails to the public for birding, hiking and mountain biking.

Here are a few notable ones to check out.

Read more: https://www.vermontpublic.org/local-news/2026-06-09/8-new-trails-open-birders-hikers-bikers

06/09/2026

Now that the 2026 legislative session is over, we want to zoom out and highlight who we are and why we advocate. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization made up of policy experts, lawyers, scientists, and organizers who work to secure a brighter future for the communities we call home. Swipe to learn more about who we are, what we do, and why we do it.

06/06/2026

This year, we've created a new award to recognize Vermonters making a meaningful difference in their communities. The Local Leadership Award celebrates people who are environmental and sustainability stewards for their town or region — individuals who have shown exceptional promise, demonstrated genuine commitment, and taken meaningful action in their careers, in their years in public service, or as volunteers. These are Vermonters who are building a notable track record and making a difference at the local level.

This award recognizes that great community leadership does not always announce itself through major achievements or decades of experience and accolades. Sometimes it appears in acts like organizing one’s neighbors to address a problem, bringing energy, stamina, and creativity to a local board, or finding one’s voice around an important issue or initiative. This award is for community members who are actively engaged in supporting sustainability, climate action, or natural resource protection through local community groups, advocacy, or public service, with a focus on town- or regional-level impact. Learn more & nominate someone at the link in our profile.

06/05/2026

Protecting our health from toxic chemicals should be a top priority for Congress but new proposals are threatening our safety. Thanks for being such a longtime champion for healthy communities and strong toxic chemical regulations!

We're grateful that advocates, health professionals, veterans, and community leaders from the Alliance for Health and Safe Chemicals - which VNRC is a member of - are meeting with Congress to ensure our nation’s main chemical safety law, the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) is preserved.

TSCA requires the Environmental Protection Agency to review chemicals for safety before they’re widely used in products found in our homes, schools, and workplaces. Strong chemical safeguards protect all of us – and they’re worth speaking up for.

06/04/2026

Don't miss the first Art Walk of the season tomorrow evening! We're hosting an opening reception for Colchester painter Marianne Nealy's “Green Mountain Living in Pastel." The exhibit represents the artist's reflections on thirty years of living and growing with the medium--Marianne will be on site during Art Walk to chat about the technique and inspiration behind her work with pastels. “Green Mountain Living in Pastel” features a number of award-winning pieces, including “Shaking Off”, which earned top honors at the Vermont Pastel Society’s 2024 Members Exhibition, and “Winter Farm Road”, which took first prize at the 2024 Juried Show. Doors will be open to the public between 4:00 and 7:30 pm. Light refreshments, including homemade baked goods, will be served while supplies last.

Be sure to check out the gallery at the Vermont Supreme Court just down the street--they'll be showing "Heart & Eye," a world photography exhibit by Elliot Burg.

See you at Art Walk tomorrow!

06/01/2026

Every year, we present the Arthur Gibb Award for Sustainable Community Leadership to a Vermont resident who has made a lasting contribution to their town, region, or state through their dedication to building healthy, equitable, and sustainable communities. Know someone who might be a good fit? Please use our Google Form or fillable PDF to submit your nomination by Friday, July 3, 2026.

All submissions must include the following:

- A detailed description of how the nominee has brought about positive and lasting change in the way communities around Vermont navigate and plan for a just, sustainable future
-Contact information for two references familiar with the nominee’s character and accomplishments

We especially encourage nominations of individuals historically underrepresented in the environmental movement, including people of color, people from marginalized economic backgrounds, and people living with disabilities. Learn more: https://vnrc.org/awards/

06/01/2026

We can't wait for the first Art Walk of the season! Hope to see you there.

At Natural Resources Council (VNRC) Marianne Nealy's exhibit, "Green Mountain Living in Pastel", evokes the nostalgia of days gone by and presents modern takes on her favorite features in Vermont. Open from 4-7:30 pm during Art Walk, 11 Baldwin Street.