Burlington--A new Vermont podcast will give listeners an insight into the many connections that Vermonters have with forests, their management and the forest economy.

Heartwood: Stories from the Vermont Woods is hosted by Vermont Coverts, University of Vermont (UVM) Extension and the UVM Center for Research on Vermont. Initial funding was provided by a grant from the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets and the Working Land Enterprise Board.

Five episodes, featuring stories from woodland owners, forestry professionals, wood product producers and others, currently are available with additional topics planned for later this fall. Listeners can receive notifications about future episodes by subscribing to the podcast on their podcast listening apps. 

To listen, go to http://ourvermontwoods.org/heartwood.

Episode 1: Woods Connection. In this episode, landowners, resource professionals, wood product producers and members of the podcasting team talk about their connections to Vermont's woods.

Episode 2: Landowner Journey. Four woodland owners describe their journey as stewards of their woods and explain how their interests have manifested into actions in the woods.

Episode 3: Conversations with Professionals. In this episode, forest landowners are introduced to arborists, forestry consultants and other technical service providers who will walk their land to answer questions and offer advice.   

Episode 4: Our Relationship with Wood. The roles of forestry professionals and other practitioners who harvest, process and market wood products are highlighted.

Episode 5: Our Identity, Our Forests. Vermonters' connections to the woods and the state's forests, the ecosystem services they provide and products created from forests, matter. Learn more in this podcast.

Anyone with a question about Vermont's forests or a story to share about a special tree or favorite woods is invited to call the storyline, hosted by UVM Extension. The number is (802) 476-2272, ext. 210. Callers are asked to leave their name (include spelling), town of residence and a brief message (two minutes or less) outlining their question or story.

For more information, contact Kate Forrer, UVM Extension community forestry specialist, at katherine.forrer@uvm.edu.