Vermont’s Putnam State Forest expands by almost 1,900-acres

MONTPELIER, Vt. (AP) - The C.C. Putnam State Forest in Vermont’s Worcester Mountain Range is growing by nearly 1,900 acres.

The Trust for Public Land, the Stowe Land Trust and the state Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation announced this week the protection of the “Hunger Mountain Headwaters” in Middlesex, Worcester and Stowe.

The Times Argus reports the acquisition protects the Winooski River Watershed, and creates more than 20,000 acres of contiguous conservation land.

“This expansion of protection of the Worcester Range – one of the only undeveloped mountain ranges without a ski area or bisecting roads – will safeguard that sense of wildness and exceptional outdoor experiences just minutes away from the capital, and the recreational hubs of Waterbury and Stowe,” said Kate Wanner, project manager for the Trust for Public Land.

Most of the newly conserved land is located in Middlesex and Worcester, but 109 acres are located in Stowe.