A partnership that cares for the wild places and paths of Burlington, Vermont.
Our mission is to promote ecological health and improve nature access through stewardship, education, and collaboration.
Burlington Wildways Team
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Zoe Richards
she/her
Director
Zoe Richards is the Director and co-founder of the Burlington Wildways Partnership. She is a Wildlife Biologist and currently chairs Burlington’s Conservation Board. Zoe has been working in conservation for over 20 years. She believes that urban nature creates lovers of urban nature and that we won’t grow an inclusive, next generation of climate and conservation leaders without access to nature – right here in the city.
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Braden DeForge
he/him
Programs Coordinator
Braden has been part of the Burlington Wildways team since 2022 and is currently the programs coordinator. He grew up in central Vermont, and has lived in Burlington since attending the University of Vermont. Braden supports Burlington Wildways core educational and outreach programs including the City Nature Celebration, Grow Wild, the Burlington Wildways Trail Stewardship program and more. He sends the quarterly BTV Conservation Newsletter, a great way to stay in the loop about all things conservation in the city, and you may find him on the Wildways Trail, leading a Trail Steward orientation or tending to a pollinator garden.
Steering Committee
Cindi Wight, Director, BPRW; Dan Cahill, City Land Steward, BPRW; Patrick Dunseith, Land Manager, Intervale Center; Duncan Murdoch, Natural Areas Steward, Intervale Center; Lauren Chicote, Operations Manager, WVPD; Kelly Kimball, Executive Director, Rock Point Commons; Tyler Pastorok, Land Manager and Programs Coordinator, Rock Point Commons; Kate Kruesi, at large member.
We have non-profit status with the Winooski Valley Park District acting as our fiscal sponsor.
History
Burlington Wildways was established by a 2017 Burlington City Council resolution (Res 4.05). Originally called Burlington Open and Natural Lands Conservation & Connection Initiative and renamed in 2018, the organization seeks to increase the effectiveness of conservation collaborations already underway among multiple stakeholders in Burlington—we are working together to successfully protect, connect and make accessible the quarter of the city’s land that is in natural areas.
Vision
When we have succeeded, Burlington Wildways will have:
- Achieved robust conservation and connection of Burlington’s wild and natural areas through a shared sense of purpose and harmonious management among our many landowners and partner organizations.
- Created an extensive, well-marked, and ecologically sensitive trail network that connects the city’s wild lands—while reducing and eliminating redundant, poorly designed and inappropriate trails in other areas.
- Expanded the ranks of people who enjoy and care for our wild areas and inspired a love of nature in a wide diversity of our citizens and visitors.
- Demonstrated the value and beauty of our natural and wild areas to all Burlington’s citizens, leaders, and to those who visit our city, such that there is overwhelming support for protecting them into future generations.
- Secured vigorous and informed protection for the rare plants, local and transient wildlife, and diverse ecosystems in our open and natural lands.
- Promoted and enhanced the ecological, cultural and economic values of wildness and wild places within our city—such as flood control, cool forest walkway, carbon sequestration, and nature appreciation.
