A 52-acre parcel of ecologically significant forestland in Warren has been added to Roxbury State Forest through a collaboration between the Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation (FPR), the Town of Warren, and landowners Wrenn Compere, Steve Flemer Jr., and Ben Flemer.
According to an article by Burlington Free Press, Purchased by their father in the 1960s, the land will now be permanently conserved to protect wildlife, safeguard water quality, and support outdoor recreation.
“My brothers and I are very pleased to be a part of conserving this magnificent piece of land,” Compere said.
“Our contribution is offered in honor of our parents, Stevenson and Leslie Flemer, who raised us to be responsible, to share and to take good care of fragile and important things,” Compere added.
Located along Roxbury Mountain Road at the northwestern boundary of Roxbury State Forest, the property features steep terrain, headwater streams feeding the Dog River, and critical ecological assets including a known bear and wildlife corridor, priority riparian zones, and a high-priority interior forest connectivity block.
The Flemer family donated 85% of the property’s appraised value through a bargain sale, with the remainder funded by the Warren Conservation Reserve Fund.
The full value of the land will count toward the 25% match required for a $2.3 million federal Forest Legacy grant for the Hazen’s Notch project, which will conserve an additional 2,000 acres in the Northern Green Mountains.
Both efforts contribute to Vermont’s goal of protecting 30% of its landscape by 2030 under the Community Resilience and Biodiversity Protection Act of 2023.
“We are deeply grateful to the Flemer family for their generous contribution to Vermont’s state lands,” FPR Commissioner Danielle Fitzko said.
“Their gift ensures the long-term protection of a critical forest and wildlife corridor in the Northfield Range,” Danielle added.
“This parcel links significant forest blocks and helps protect an important wildlife crossing along Roxbury Mountain Road,” said Warren Conservation Commission Chair Jito Coleman.
“We’re proud to see town resources leveraged for such a meaningful conservation outcome,” Warren added.
“This project exemplifies the kind of partnership that makes conservation in Vermont so successful,” added FPR Land Acquisition Coordinator Gunnar Nurme.
“Landowners, local communities and conservation partners like FPR working together for the benefit of all Vermonters,” Gunnar added.
The parcel officially became part of Roxbury State Forest on July 29 and will be managed for public benefit — preserving wildlife habitat, supporting sustainable forest management, and offering hiking, hunting, and other outdoor recreation opportunities.
This donation highlights the importance of community-led conservation in sustaining Vermont’s outdoor recreation economy.