ORWELL—Pat Stevenson has always been fond of nature — in its purest form. Originally hailing from urban Connecticut, she knew that pastureland, once paved, is gone forever.

The now-Salisbury resident in 2020 decided to capture her own piece of paradise in the form of a 135-acre, wooded parcel near Lake Champlain in Orwell. Along ridges running north to south over the property are forests where oak and hickory predominate, boasting ecosystems that produce a bounty of food for wildlife in the form of nuts, or mast.

Dotting the forest floor are vernal pools and wetlands, including Gilman Pond, a six-acrebody of water that Stevenson playfully named after her pet cat.

She decided to donate the property to Northeast Wilderness Trust (known as NEWT), a Montpelier-based regional land trust that focuses on wilderness conservation.

“It is always a privilege to work with individuals like Pat who care so deeply for their land and its wild future,” said NEWT CEO and President Jon Leibowitz. “Willing landowners like her are an indispensable part of private land conservation, and land trusts are particularly well positioned to help them fulfill their aspirations. We are honored to help Pat permanently protect this special place as forever-wild for the plants and animals she loves so dearly.”

To read the full article by John Flowers, “Orwell land to remain forever wild,” click here.