The New Commons Project RFP

Regional Context p. 3

Community Gardens p. 25

Hedgerows p. 26

Aquaculture p. 30

Wetland Crops p. 28

Pasture p. 23

Marginal Lands Farming p. 28 Orchard p. 24

Fuelwood Hedges p. 26

A Po s t - O i l C o m m u n i t y L a n d P l a n 2009

Warren Farming Opportunity: A Call for Proposals Dear Farmers, Gardeners, Permaculturists, C raftspeople, (Please forward as appropriate) The East Warren Town Common has been planned for permaculture site development and community connection for the past 2 years. Some of the planning done by Whole Systems Design in this process is also an extension of work done at this site for quite awhile; the site has seen community use for at least 10 years in various incarnations. The site is a high potential location for regenerative agriculture development and community use due to its aspect, soils and position at the Warren Common 4 corners. Realization of this site's potential will help develop a model for post oil community working land use for all of Vermont and New England's town common landscapes.

I am writing you today to inform you of a request for proposals RFP in development by the team of Anne Burling and Whole Systems Design for a farmer, craftsperson, or group thereof, to utilize the site and infrastructure on site.

I have attached documents that outline the project's planning to date and potential directions. The project is largely open-ended at this point and is not limited to the parameters set forth by these documents - but is guided by them. We are hoping to speak with interested pa rties before an official RFP or agreement is developed (if needed). Anne Burling has provided support in the projects planning and is offering the use of this site to help promote a new, more durable form of land use and economic development model.

The project is open to a wide variety of participants, but in general the person or group of people being sought will: • •

• • •

Develop long term, low-input, perennial-based diverse agro-ecosystems on site Develop short term yields, as needed by the land user to make an economic livelihood: these could range from vegetables to mushrooms, to herbs, c rafts, and more Integrate the local community into the developing system where appropriate over time Manage the existing intensive rotational grazing herd of heifers on site by moving the animals daily Work with the landscape for a minimum of 2-3 years

Anne Burling is providing: • • • • •

The site, from 1 to 10+ acres of field and forest Housing in the form of a small cabin Potentially advising and design/development support Potentially tractor use and some infrastructure Potentially a stipend to get started

Warren Farming Opportunity: A Call for Proposals Interested participants are asked to respond to ben@wholesystemsdesign.com and include a Word document outlining the following: • •

• • • •

Type of enterprise(s) one would pursue, expected market, a business or outline if available, etc.

What resources and experiences one would bring to the project: from tools, to skills: please be detailed in background pertaining to performing the type of project described above Resume and/or portfolio articulating one's expe rience and abilities Timeframe of commitment Vision for their own life and work as relates to land-based enterprise What one needs in terms of support f rom the Project: how much and what type of land one seeks, housing, etc.

We are meeting with interested parties presently and aim to have a land user or group of land users selected before April 1, 2010. If interest and compatibility with the project is high an agreement with interested person(s) will be made without launching a formal RFP process, so 'admission' is 'rolling.' While this process is starting for spring 2010, it will also likely remain 'open' for more persons to become involved over time, both during the 2010 growing season and beyond - this very much depends upon the experience and needs of the land user - especially relating to housing.

Sincerely, Anne Burling, Ben Falk and the The New Commons Project

Table of Contents I.

Context & Summar y Project Overview Bioregional Context Base Map

1-3 4 5

IV. D e si g n

V. M a n a g e m e n t

Year 1-100 Systems Evolution Year 1-2 Action Plan Regenerative Land Use Guidelines Land Manager Job Description Funding Needs

Community Gardens 26 Intensive Orchards 27-28

II.

A n a l y sis

Windbreaks & Hedgerows

I I I . P l a n n i n g & S c h e m a t ic D e si g n Design Criteria

16-17 Development Concept 18 Schematic Design Overview 19 Scheme 1: Family Farm 20 Scheme 2: Institute Off VLT 21 Scheme 3: Institute On VLT 22 Scheme 4: Microfarms 23 Scheme 5: Microfarm Community 24 Scheme 6: Private Housing 25

VI. U n d e r S e p a r a t e C o v e r

Intensive Grazing & Keyline Cultivation 29-30

The Town Common 6 Neighboring Land Use 7 Infrastructure 8 Soils 9 Topography 10 Hydrology 11 Vegetation 12 Microclimate 13 Existing Land Use 14 Grazing Potential 15

31-32

Marginal Lands Agriculture

33

Aquaculture & Wet land Cropping

34

Woodlands

35

Woodlands Section

36

Fertility Cycling

37

Nursery and Buildings

38

39-44 45 46 47 48

The Warren Common 2020 - Aerial Perspective: 52” x 30” The Permaculture Landscape - Cross Section: 80” x 20” Intensive Rotational Grazing Video: Digital (.MOV)

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Whole Human Habitats

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A bout this document This document represents an evolving plan for Anne Burling’s Property in East Warren, and for the Warren Common as a whole in Warren, Vermont. This document represents the work of a master planning process that was initiated by Anne Burling and Ben Falk. This planning process is an effort to formulate and communicate a long term plan for this high-potential landscape that comprises one of the four corners of Warren’s original village commons. This document is designed to guide first phase land planning, design and developments of the Burling Property and the Warren Common as it becomes a regenerative farm and eventually a thriving town center that supports a community as it confronts increasing challenges of peak oil, climate change, ecological degradation and resource scarcity. In an effort to help catalyze the development of a solarized, redeveloped village center this document is also meant The existing community garden to communicate the possibilities of regenerative land and infrastructure developments at the Warren Common and what this could look like for the town of Warren and the State of Vermont. In this regard the document is meant to help advance planning work and community dialogue around sustainable development in the Mad River Valley and Vermont as a whole.

This document is a distillation of a 12 month planning process and in an effort to provide only critical information, does not contain selected analysis, reporting, and concept design work that have led to these plans.

These plans and reports were produced by Whole Systems Design, LLC with the guidance and support of Anne Burling.

Whole Systems Design’s team included: Ben Falk – Site Designer and Land Planner Cornelius Murphy - Communications Kristen Getler - Project & Program Development Chris Shanks – Permaculture Designer and Tree Crops Expert Buzz Ferver – Design Ecologist Michael Blazewicz – Riparian Ecologist and Water Systems Designer With consultants: Abe Collins - Grazing Expert

Project O ver vie w

The redevelopment of the Warren Common is a community effort to thrive amid the 21st Century challenges of climate change, peak oil and economic insolvency.

The revitalization of this former village center is part of Vermont’s transition from a fossil-fuel, import-based economy to a more renewable and place-based local economy.

Redeveloping the once-thriving New England town commons integrates the best of yesterday’s land use patterns with advanced technologies and understanding of community, ecological and economic challenges. Redeveloping rural communities to meet the challenges of the present and future involve a change in land use patterns towards a greater emphasis on re-centering and clustering of housing, manufacturing and agricultural enterprise while innovating the ways each of these activities are conducted.

This advancement involves developing a solar infrastructure that can capture, process and store solar energy from sunshine, wind, water and biomass to power homes and businesses.

Simultaneously it involves retrofitting and revamping solarizing - existing infrastructure and landscapes to run completely on current solar income. This involves re-insulating buildings and allowing them to capture solar energy via windows and solar panels, retrofitting furnaces to burn locally available, renewable energy, transforming our mobility systems and reinventing agriculture to be vastly more productive while operating on fewer off-farm inputs.

This shift represents the great transition of the 21st Century. In the year 2009 The Mad River Valley of Vermont is uniquely positioned to successfully solarize its rural communities. We do not have to wait for technological advances or miracles of modern science to make this happen. The tools and techniques needed to feed and fuel ourselves already exist. However, we do need to experiment with, develop and practice their application in this place.

To do otherwise would be to render the lives of our children unaffordable and dependent upon the increasing instability of global natural resources and failing economies.

Reinvigorated village centers and town commons would be places where shared resources enable local citizens to live out more social, affordable, productive and self-reliant lives. The village centers of the 21st Century may look a lot like the bucolic village centers of the past but just as the conditions of the present are different than those of the past, many of the tools and techniques will also be different.

Rural community centers of a thriving future will be made possible by innovative compositions of land use, infrastructure, enterprise, and education.

Regenerative Land Use & Infrastructure Redevelopment

This forms the basis for all other community systems. All infrastructure and land use runs on current solar energy: capturing, transforming, storing the sun’s power with plants, animals, soil, solar photovoltaics, solar thermal, and other systems. Buildings, agriculture and mobility systems are all powered using the same energy.

It is possible to radically increase the productivity, diversity and sustainability of agriculture, forestry and other land-use systems by increasing the intensiveness, diversity and skill of production. The agricultural system at the Warren Common is designed to generate short and long term yields while simultaneously increasing soil fertility, ecosystem health and genetic value. These integrated, naturally productive systems go beyond sustainable to be regenerative, offering ever greater outputs per inputs over time.

The landscape consists of the following components, each harnessing the value of varied characteristics including soil, wind, vegetation, water, and access. a. Rotational, soil-building pasturing and keyline agriculture b. Tree crops including orchard, fuelwood, and understory crops c. Intensive organic gardening of vegetables, small fruits, herbs, and poultry d. Agroforestry: Annual and perennial row crops integrated with tree crops e. Marginal land agriculture: rice, watercress, fish and other wet land uses f. A nursery and seed bank so that the maximum amount of value generated in the landscape can be transferred to other sites over time

A watershed-based solar economy of diverse agriculture, energy and other production systems is the basis of community health and long term prospects.

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Whole Human Habitats

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Enterprise

Cooperatively held land and infrastructure along with local credit unions and currencies become catalysts for affordable entrepreneurship. Citizens are empowered to sell and trade the goods and services they are most able to. Diversifying land and manufacturing capacities allow community micro-businesses to replace many of the most critical goods and services once provided by larger national and multinational corporations. A more localized and resilient community life requires an array of goods and services not previously needed, further stimulating economic niche opportunities.

Such enterprises of a revitalized rural economy include: • Micropower grids, wind, solar and biomass energy production • Composting • Greenhouse season-extended agriculture • Nursery facilities • Yogurt and cheesemaking • Animal slaughtering, processing and storage • Carpenters, plumbers, and other tradesmen and women • Looms, tanneries, micro-textiles • Distilling: beer, wine, mead, other beverages • Horse loggers, sawmilling, woodshops, kilns, and other wood products manufacturing • Metalworking: auto, tractor and small machine shops, and other repair businesses • Veterinarians, tailors, cobblers, saddle makers, shepherds, animal trainers, doctors • Farmers and gardeners that can at garner a yield from all types of land

Education

Sustainable community development is not a subject at the Warren Commons, it is a project. To this end, skill-building programs for all ages and experience levels will be crucial to developing the social and intellectual capital needed for the transition. Local school from elementary through high school can provide curriculum integration opportunities with farms and gardens while high school and college students would be involved in the research and development of ever better agriculture, manufacturing, processing, mobility and other local resource systems. Eventually, mentoring opportunities between the oldest and youngest generations and between young adults and children won’t be viewed as a luxury but as an invaluable way of sustaining and enhancing skills and experience.

P r o j e c t O v e r vi e w

Project Summary 95 acres Mad River - Winooski Watershed Green Mountain Physiographic Region Warren, Vermont, USA

Species include: Native pine, nut bearing pine, oak, hickory, walnut, locust, plum, persimmon, as well as hardy, deciduous, nitrogen-fixing trees and shrubs

The Burling Property and the Warren Common will be an organic, diversified farm producing a year-round supply of food, fertility and fuel. Special attention is given to sequestering carbon, improving soil fertility, enhancing wildlife habitat and ecosystem functions.

A Q U A C U LT U R E

W E T L A N D & M A R G I N A L L A N D S A G R I C U LT U R E

Orchards: 3-6 acres in the f irst phase

COMMUNIT Y GARDENS

ORCHARD

WINDBREAKS & HEDGEROWS

I N T E N S I V E R O TA T I O N A L G R A Z I N G & K E Y L I N E A G R I C U LT U R E

WOODLANDS

Fruit and nut bearing trees of dwarf and standard varieties will be planted in mixed assemblages throughout the central area of the property. The orchards will develop in direct relation to areas defined by shelterbelts. These areas will also be used extensively for livestock forage. Integrated Pest Management strategies and multi-layered nutrient cycling will help ensure the health and viability of the systems.

Species include: Apple, pear, plum, cherry, pawpaw, chestnut, oak, hickory, walnut, butternut, and hazelnut.

The Warren Common is designed to help meet community food and fuel needs in a post-fossil fuel economy. This necessitates a focus on high-yielding perennial polyculture food production using grazing animals and tree crops as the basis of the agricultural system. The design also emphasizes processing and preserving agricultural products grown during Vermont’s short growing season for later use. Renewable energy systems development on the Common will enable all food processing to be powered by site-generated, independent energy sources.

The farming system planned herein includes: 1. Shelterbelts 2. Orchards 3. Forest 4. Intensive gardens 5. Pasture 6. Ponds/wetlands 7. Nursery/seed bank

Forest gardening and silviculture: 20+/- acres Existing sustained-yield forestry will be integrated with understory crop cultivation of shade-hardy species. Development of these ecosystems will increase the health, productivity, and value of these second and third-growth forests which currently lack past diversity and vigor. In a few decades, these areas will have value to humans and wildlife far beyond what they have been able to recover since the land was initially cleared.

Species include: Ash, beech, maple, cherry, birch, mushroom, wild leek, fiddlehead fern, ginseng, mast producing trees/shrubs, and many other NTFP’s (nontimber forest products).

Shelterbelts/windbreaks: 2 acres Extending the property’s existing hedgerows will be one of the earliest developments of the new farming systems. These windbreaks will help build soil, hold snow, and divert damaging winds f rom orchards, vegetable beds, animals, and buildings. The shelterbelts will also provide nuts, f ruits, wood, and other products for humans, livestock, and wildlife.

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Whole Human Habitats

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Intensive annual and perennial gardens: 2+/- acres already in use by Rootswork Bio-intensive and similar production systems focused on the development of a self-contained fertility cycle (no off-farm fertility input required) would be emphasized. The goal is to develop an example of super-efficient food production suited to the northern temperate regions of the world.

Species include many varieties of: Beans, tomatoes, squash, roots, herbs, greens, melons, peppers, onions, Late august garden abundance berries, kiwi, grapes and many, many others.

Field-based grain polyculture/Agroforestry: 2-5 acres Using little to no tillage in quickly rotating cycles of annuals and perennials, many open-pollinated and endangered heritage grains would be rotated with nitrogen-fixing cover crops, providing grain harvest and revitalizing damaged pasture soils. Grain production will be coupled with pasturing to maximize soil health and efficient use of animal waste and grazing habits.

Species could include: Barley, oat, kamut, spelt, semolina, amaranth, many wheat varieties.

Pond-wetland-riparian farm: 2-3 acres Ecological restoration and farming of many edible and medicinal species in aquatic systems will take place in these zones.

Species include: Cranberry, wild rice, blueberry, swamp rose, arrowhead, gooseberry, skunk cabbage, trout, perch, bass.

Pasture and Rotational Intensive Grazing: 15 +/-acres Pasturing and foraging of animals would be integrated with orchards, gardens, ponds, and grain production.

Species would include: Chickens, geese, pigs, cows, with a focus on heritage breed livestock Nursery/seed bank: 1-2 acres These endeavors will also be a catalyst for the region’s food security as dependable and productive species are shared with other farms and home-scale growers.

P r o j e c t O v e r vi e w

FARM YIELDS FOODS: • Open-pollinated rare vegetable seeds • Nursery stock: trees, shrubs for perennial regional food production • Mushrooms, wild herbs and other forest understory crops • Fresh f ruit, f ruit and berry preserves and dehydrated f ruit products • Vegetables (f resh and dehydrated) • Grains • Nut oils: sunflower, hazelnut, pumpkin seed, and others • Butter, yogurt, cream, milk • Maple syrup • Fish

Food and Water • Compost operation, poultry integrated • Water treatment and reuse facility, greenhouse integrated • Animal barns, dairy, heifers barn, piggery, • Hay storage • Greenhouses • Nursery • Sugaring • Milking parlor and storage • Dairy processing, cheese-making and cave • Butchering facility, smokehouse • Root cellars, high-performance refrigeration/freezing/ice house • Vegetable cleaning shed with roots washer (water reuse) • Value added food processing, kitchen, canning, fermenting, • Distillery, meadery

ANIMALS: Rare-breed animal stock ELECTRICITY: Solar, wind, and hydro-turbine kilowatts may eventually be sold to neighbors under anticipated group net-metering laws.

INFORMATION: The farm will be used as an educational and research facility and will share information with ecological land development projects regionally and beyond.

Post Oil Town Common Resources

The following represents a partial list of the elements involved in a working post-oil community resource center (commons).

General/Community • Farm/community offices • Meeting hall/multi purpose room • School and childcare • Hospital/nurse/health-care providers • Warehouse, packing and shipping center • Residuals handling facility • Commissary /store

Horse logging becomes more competitive as fuel prices and forest health values increase

Manufacturing, Processing and Maintenance • Nut shelling mill, grinding mill • Gravel pit/storage, bulk materials storage for road maintenance and

construction • Pottery studio • Log landing, sawmill, wood shop • Mechanic shop, tractor and implement repair and manufacture • Materials yard, metal, wood , stone brick, block, etc • Tractor/implement sheds

Energy • Wind, water and solar power - via PV, solar thermal, microhydro, turbines • Combined heat and power integrated • Anaerobic digesters • Biofuels plant and storage • Firewood/chip storage facility • Microgrid

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Year 1 – 100 at the Warren Common: A Management Outline In F ive Phases PEOPLE POWER (ESTIMATED HUMAN RESOURCE NEEDS) Year

1

2

3

5

10

100

Full time / seasonal

Full time / seasonal

Full time / seasonal

Full time / seasonal

Full time / seasonal

Full time / seasonal

Community Gardens

0

10

0

20

1

20

1-2

30+

2+

30+

2+

30+

Orchard

0.25

2

0.5

2

0.5-1

2

0.5

2

0.5

0.5

2+

3+

Programs/Management

0.5

1

1

1-2

1+

1-3

1-3

1-4

1-3

2-5+

1-3+

5+

Interns

0-3

2-3

2-5

3+

3

4+

3+

6+

3+

6-20+

5-20+

20+

Residents

0-1

1-2

1-4

5+

1-4+

5+

1-5

10+

5+

10-20+

20-400+

20-200+

EXPECTED/ POTENTIAL CHALLENGES This site presents several major challenges to achieving the goal of a regenerative farming ecosystem. x Protecting young trees, shrubs, and other plants from deer is of the utmost importance and should not be underestimated. The area has a high population of deer which will damage or destroy all young plants if proper protection measures are not taken. Fencing costs for areas this large can be prohibitive. Young trees must be protected individually until they are large enough to be immune to deer browse or until living fences and other deer repellant measures are perfected. Hunting may provide some relief and might keep deer away temporarily, but a more consistent and sure solution must be developed, because a small group of deer can do enough damage in a few hours to ruin several acres of orchard or garden. x Protecting young and established plants from strong winter winds will also present a challenge. This site has exceptionally strong winter winds as they regularly reach hurricane force in the winter, accompanied by extremely cold weather. Establishing protected microclimates will be necessary for plants to thrive. The design details several microclimate areas as a baseline, but their effectiveness must be monitored and the design must evolve to respond via careful observations of climate details. x Developing effective irrigation systems for the orchards will also require on-site experience and adjustments. Some plant loss should be expected to occur as these systems evolve. x The true measure of the success of this project will require long-term observation. Emerging challenges will occur as the system is in constant flux. Successful management will require constant observation and adapting actions to respond to evolution of the living farm system.

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Whole Human Habitats

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The Action Plan outlines items to be accomplished in the first 2 years.

Implementation of this list is the responsibility of Anne Burling unless another person is engaged to oversee and manage implementation of the following.

Program Development Potentials

1. Permaculture course 2. Interns from Yestermorrow, UVM, Middlebury, other colleges 3. Harwood Union High School Agriculture Apprenticeship Students 4. A school in collaboration with Whole Systems Design and other sites

Personnel Development

1. Hire a Land Manager who is charged with performing the daily, weekly and monthly land care needs including: a. Moving fencing for grazing animals b. Fixing/maintaining permanent fencing c. Forestry work per list below d. Field/woods edge per outline below e. Orchard planting and maintenance per outline below f. Monitoring use of entire property to ensure that all land users are working with the land according to the Regenerative Land Use Guidelines outlined in this document.

To be hired by May 20, 2009.

2. Train Land Manager and Orient him/her a. Grazing workshops with Abe or others b. Review of Master Plan with Whole Systems Design c. Introduce to neighbors and allow time for land orientation 3. Consider land walks/tours/outreach for work happening on the farm

A c t i o n P l a n : Ye a r 1 - 2

Actions to Perform & When 1. Finalize contract with Walt to include Land Use Guidelines, lease costs and time frame, etc. Winter 2009.

Western F ields The western fields to be grazed (and eventually to be planted, in part, into tree crops/orchards) and the personnel needed to implement and manage this project should occur as outlined below.

Actions to Perform & When 1. Grazing plan to be completed by Abe Collins/other expert. Spring 2009. Take baseline soil samples.

2. Training of herd manager/Land Manager (whoever will move the cows) with Abe at least 3 weeks prior to cows arriving.

3. Soil tests completed and locations specified before grazing. By Spring, 2009.

4. Fencing installed for rotational grazing. Spring 2009.

5. Land use manager on site and trained-up by Abe. By the time animals arrive.

6. Animals from grazier arrive on site.

7. Keyline plowing 1st round. When ground dries enough in the spring and weather is optimal. Mark and Abe will know when the time is right – likely in late April or May. 8. Rotational Grazing Management: Move fences, fix fences, move fences, move water, move fences. Growing season 2009 and 2010.

9. Record all actions in Farm Diary and report to Land Manager and/or Anne and Whole Systems Design, LLC and Abe Collins with status updates during the growing season. During and at end of season.

10. Perform soil tests in test sites. At end of season.

Community Garden Zone

Connect and collaborate with Rootswork via meetings and design charrettes on site to optimize the community garden zone.

F lower Farm Zone

The area where Walt has been farming needs little attention while Walt continues to farm it other than check-ins and monitoring by the Land Manager to ensure land care guidelines are followed. The main work needed in this aspect is personnel-related.

First and second year planting.

11. Write up report of the growing season: What went well, what did not, what’s to be improved upon for the following year in terms of technique and facilities, and other aspects to be determined by additional project management planning needs beyond this document.

Forest Zone Actions to Perform & When 1. Management Plan updated by Whole Systems Design, LLC and accepted by the State’s Current Use Program. By May 30, 2009.

2. Timber harvesting continued for releasing apple trees. Ongoing, less in the spring when the ground is soft.

3. Patch cuts made in forests for wildlife habitat enhancement and understory crop development. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall 2009 4. Thinning work conducted to promote hardwoods and reduce disease stress and increase stand genetic health. Winter, early spring, summer, fall 2009 and 2010.

5. Uprooting and cutting least beneficial and ‘invasive’ plants such as buckthorn. Spring, summer, fall, winter, 2009 and 2010.

6. Grazing pigs into wood’s edges in connection with a plan to be developed if this happens. Summer and fall 2009, 2010.

7. Consider building a camping site to house a land steward in the forest near the old building site by the stream in the center of the property. A tent platform with walls or light cabin would be most appropriate to house a seasonal land caretaker.

Daily maintenance and systems management makes planning a reality.

W S D , LLC

Whole Human Habitats

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R e g e n e r a t iv e L a n d U s e G u id e l i n e s The following document helps guide the long term care and health of the Burling Property. The guidelines in this document are to be understood and agreed to by all users of the Burling Property before use of the land occurs and are to be referred to at least once per season by a revisit between Anne, the Land Manager and the Land User for agreement on a yearly basis during renewal of the Land Use Agreement. These guidelines are to be revised and updated with the help of the Users of the Land on an ongoing basis and each yearly agreement shall reflect a continually enhanced understanding of best practices for the Burling Landscape and its particular zones and needs as use occurs.

The following standards are to be followed by all land users unless specific permission to perform practices that stray from those below, or their intent, is obtained from Anne Burling or the Land Manager. The interpretation and enforcement of these guidelines will be conducted by Anne Burling and the Land Manager.

I. Soils These standards help protect and enhance the site’s soil health including fertility, organic matter, tilth, biology and stability as well as local water quality.

The following practices must be followed when access, grazing, cultivation or other activities are performed by users of the Burling Property i. Compliance with all NOFA VT Organic certification standards. ii. On contour cultivation: Plantings are arranged along contour across a slope iii.Mulching: Exposed soil is to be kept to a minimum with all areas not immediately in active cultivation to be in a continually mulched condition. Acceptable mulches are: living groundcovers such as clover, vetch, thyme and other soil-benefiting plants; straw and hay from certified organic sources (this could be hard to come by, can this be sourced in the Valley? Where in VT? Clearly any organic dairy is feeding organic hay, however this could be quite seedy for a garden application); wood chips, sawdust and planer shavings (except from noxious trees, you should list); biodegradable plastic mulch sold as such iv. Vehicle and Machine Access: Vehicle and machine use on site is to be kept to an absolute minimum. Vehicle and machine use may only happen in areas designated in the Master Plan document and on specifically marked paths and roads. Vehicle and machine use may only happen during the driest periods of the year and season with care taken to avoid their use during wet periods. v. Stock density and timings of rotation: Animals may be on the land in densities and movement timings according to those outlined in the Grazing Plan. At no time may higher densities of stock occupy an area for longer a period of time than that specified in the Grazing Plan. vi.

Pest and Fertility Management Practices 1. Only OMRI listed pesticides and amendments may be used.

2. Only quantities defined by product labels, or less, may be used.

3. Manure is only to be spread during days when there is 10% chance or less of rainfall predicted by the National Weather Service for 2 days or more.

4. All plowing other than keyline cultivation will only be done during the driest times of the year.

II. Forest/Woodlands These standards help protect and enhance the site’s forest health including soil stability and fertility, stand genetics and value, wildlife habitat value, water quality and other aspects. i. Work done according to the Forest Management Plan ii. Access during dry and frozen periods iii. Meet and Exceed Vermont Forestry and Water Quality Best Management Practices followed for harvesting and work in the woods Enforcement Strategies/Feedback The undersigned understand, accept and will carry out the practices defined above as Practices to Follow as well as all other practices relating to those above and aligned with them.

The undersigned understand, accept and will avoid all practices designated as Practices to Avoid and will avoid all practices that have similar results and/or are aligned with other practices to avoid. _____________________________________ Anne Burling Date ______________________________________ Land User Date

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Whole Human Habitats

66 Dean’s Mountain Moretown, VT 05660 design@wholesystemsdesign.com www.wholesystemsdesign.com

Th e Wa r r e n C o m m o n Land Plan + Site Design

Land Use Guidelines

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Position Type: Regenerative Land Management Position Title: Land Manager Site Location: Warren, VT USA; Winooski Watershed; Mad River Valley.

L a n d M a n a g e r J o b D e sc r ip t i o n

Site Description: A privately owned 45-acre site at the former town common of Warren, Vermont held partly in conservation with the Vermont Land Trust. Currently the site is partially in use by a community-based sustainable agriculture-focused nonprofit organization, an organic flower farm, and a community farmer raising a small-scale garden-farm.

Livestock Management • Manage heifer herd to achieve land transition goals (soil fertility) • Coordinate with neighboring herd owner to utilize animals on the property • Determine appropriate application of other animals to achieve land transition goals

Program Vision A thriving town commons comprised of a diverse, regenerative farm, community infrastructure, enterprise, and educational opportunities.

Plant and Soil Science • Coordinate subsoil ripping to achieve keyline and soil building goals • Develop and implement fertility building strategies outlined in • Develop, coordinate and perform soil monitoring protocols

Immediate Land Transition Goals 1.

Improve soil fertility through implementation of a Holistic Management Grazing Plan 2.

Installation of a multi-functional windbreak that will divert damaging winds, produce diverse products including animal forage crops, and build soil.

Job Description

This is a position that requires innovative thought, creative problem solving, and a desire to develop and work in a position with virtually unlimited potential

General Requirements • • •

•

Exceptional initiative and drive to develop innovative agricultural techniques 3-5 years experience in diversified farm management, or equivalent experience Ecological and tool literacy: must be able to identify and care for many food plants usable in this climate, use with mastery basic farm tools in carpentry, fencing and woodlot management such as a chainsaw, tractor, fencing tools, etc.

Excellent written and verbal communication ability

Woodland Management • Support implementation of the Forest Management Plan when needed • Coordinate and develop mushroom cultivation in the understory Communications, Transference, Reporting • Recording farm operations and land treatments including research trials. Identifying researchable experiments within existing and future farm operations, tabulating data, farm journal upkeep, grant reporting.

• Sharing the farm via tours and workshops.

Commitment, Compensation, and Housing • Duration: February-October 2009, with intention to develop a year-round position • Compensation: $28,000 to $48,000, grant funding and experience dependent • Interns potentially available to work with Manager.

• Housing is not provided initially, however on-site housing is being planned for construction within 1-2 years.

Housing options are available in the local area.

Experience Areas and Responsibilities Farm Management • Oversee all land use activities occurring through land lease arrangements • Maintain Farm Log that records all aspects of farm activities, weather patterns, and ecological patterns • Report on an annual Farm Management Plan • Continue to develop the overall 100 year Farm Management Plan Agroforestry • Install and manage establishment systems including windbreaks, hedgerows, and live fencing • Begin to implement and manage orchard and tree crop systems Holistic Management Grazing Systems • Participate in Holistic Management (HM) Grazing Planning course and apply HM principles to site management • Design fencing patterns and perform fence installation

W S D , LLC

Whole Human Habitats

66 Dean’s Mountain Moretown, VT 05660 design@wholesystemsdesign.com www.wholesystemsdesign.com

Th e Wa r r e n C o m m o n Land Plan + Site Design

North

SHEET

47