The Wolcott Research Forest consists of 130 acres on Town Hill Road in Wolcott, 40 miles northeast of Burlington.  First managed by UVM’s Forestry Department, this forest was used for research on holiday trees from 1965 until Dr. Maxwell McCormack left the faculty in 1976. Since then, the focus of research has been shifted to work on: fir-sensitive fern rust, fir needle cast, twig aphid susceptibility, morphogenesis, hybridization and wood properties, pinewood nematode, and various progeny tests of fir and yellow birch.

Approximately 35 acres of the property, once open meadows, now exhibit small plantations of holiday tree species and a few hardwoods. The old pasture, about five acres, has been left to regenerate naturally with balsam fir, white spruce, and other woody species. The remaining 90 acres is cut-over balsam fir and white spruce stands with some low-value hardwoods.

 

DRIVING DIRECTIONS:
From Burlington, take I-89 South to exit 10 (Waterbury), where you will get on Rt. 100 heading towards Stowe.  Travel though Stowe and into Morrisville where you will go through a blinking light and then come to a fork in the road.  At the fork bear to the left, which brings you onto Rt. 15A.  Follow Rt. 15A until you come to Rt. 15.  Take a right turn onto Rt. 15, which will bring you into Wolcott.  Once in Wolcott turn left onto Town Hill Road.  Wolcott Forest is on this road, but there are no actual parking facilities or entryways designated for visiting the forest.