The Ecological Planning Laboratory (EPL) at the University of Vermont is a partnership between UVM Extension and the Field Naturalist Graduate program, in year two of a three-year pilot phase. The EPL helps communities tackle vital projects on their land, with an emphasis on social-ecological health at the watershed scale. As their website states, “sustaining momentum over years is often the greatest challenge of land-based projects, from starting a riparian tree nursery to coordinating multi-town climate resilience plans. The EPL offers a guiding hand throughout the project, connecting communities with funding to leverage UVM resources and expertise — faculty, graduate student consultants, and undergraduate interns”. 

On November 2nd, 2024 the EPL hosted their first symposium at Jefford’s Hall a the University of Vermont. Approximately 30 people attended the event and this podcast is a recording of the morning session. We recorded a short conversation with a small group of six associated with a project in the Mad River Valley that is dealing with the Knotweed infestation. The Knotweed project represents just one of the projects of the Ecological Planning lab, and we use this as a case study to discuss the topic of “Emergence”. Emergence in leadership, social organizing and project development.

We started the conversation with a small group of six, then expanded to the entire group of approximately 30 people for questions and an expanded conversation. Participating in the initial conversation are:

• Walter Poleman,  Senior Lecturer at the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, Director of the Field Naturalist Program
• Jito Coleman from the Warren Conservation Commission
• Dave Maroney, GIS Coordinator Consulting Ecologist with the Ecological Planning Laboratory
• Mariano Rodriguez-Cabal, assistant professor at the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
• Bella Linville, senior in the Rubenstein School/Mad River Valley Knotweed intern
• Vic Guadagno, Producer, Writer and Editor with Bright Blue Ecomedia. Communications consultant with the Ecological Planning Laboratory.

In addition to the community members, this conversation references a few people I mention here to give greater context to the conversation – Hans Estrin, one of the key plays in the Ecological Planning Lab at UVM, Kurt Lindberg from the Waitsfield Conservation Commission, and Roy Beckford, Associate Dean and Director of UVM Extension in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Music for this Podcast – "So Good" by Railroad Earth.

Links:

Ecological Planning Laboratory

University of Vermont Extension

Field Naturalist Program

Warren Vermont - Conservation Commission

Waitsfield Vermont - Conservation Commission

Fayston Vermont - Conservation Commission

Bordertown

Bright Blue Ecomedia

Thanks to all those who attend the first symposium for the Ecological Planning Laboratory at the University of Vermont, thanks to all who participated…and thank you for listening!

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