The Burnt Mountain Carbon Project, a 5,408-acre natural area in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, is a preservation initiative by The Nature Conservancy to slow the pace of climate change by storing carbon. It is the next phase of Stio’s commitment to being good stewards of the mountain life. Our investment in the Burnt Mountain Project makes us 100% carbon neutral and allows nature to do what it does best in absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and storing it in trees for hundreds of years. It is a commitment to give rather than to take – an investment in protecting land that inspires everything we do.
With Stio’s investment, the availability of this natural area shifts from a forest that could be harvested and logged to a forest that is protected from damaging commercial activity. As a forest continues to age, it’s capacity to store carbon will continue to grow. Vermont is a state with very few old growth forests because the majority of the land was logged at the turn of the century. Protecting this area will ensure the forest can create the largest impact absorbing carbon from the atmosphere and create a future where old growth forests can benefit generations to come. In addition to serving as the atmosphere’s natural filter, the preservation of this forest will help release oxygen, moderate the local climate, improve water quality and strengthen immunity from invasive species.
As lovers of outdoor spaces and avid outdoor recreationalists, we should care about forests everywhere. Eve Frankel of The Nature Conservancy in Vermont says it best, “If you care about the planet, then you have to care about all of our forest communities, both locally and globally.”
So as you gaze upon a painted landscape from your favorite vista this fall, make sure you take a moment to thank the trees.
Learn More about The Nature Conservancy’s carbon efforts in Vermont