The 2025 Northeastern Old Growth Forest Conference, Wildlands and Old-Growth Forests: A Vision for the Future, will take place September 17–20 at Middlebury College’s scenic Bread Loaf Campus in Ripton, Vermont. Co-hosted by the University of Vermont Extension and Middlebury College, this hybrid event will bring together scientists, conservationists, policymakers, health professionals, writers, and artists to explore the ecological, cultural, and human health value of old-growth forests.

Northeastern Old Growth Conference 2025 logo

The conference aims to foster a unified vision for the conservation of old-growth ecosystems through knowledge-sharing, immersive field experiences, and interdisciplinary dialogue. Talks will be livestreamed and recorded for virtual attendees.

This year’s conference has over twenty plenary and concurrent sessions planned with a wide variety of content. Here is a small sampling: Tree Height And Age Relationships In Northeastern Old-Growth Forests with Erik Danielson; Wilderness and Indigenous Land Zones with Ed Faison and Nohham Cachat-Schilling; Beyond the Illusion of Preservation: An integrated approach to Forest Conservation with Caitlin Littlefield, David McMath, Jared Nunery, Keith Thompson; Plant-Human Quarterly: Poems for the Wild with Neil Shepard; Policy for Old Growth Forests: Vermont and the Northeast with Amy Sheldon; The Vision and Development of the Old-Growth Forest Network with Joan Maloof: and Preservation of Old Growth Forests and the Art of Holding Two Worlds Together with Marianne Patinelli-Dubay. You can also enjoy nature walks, bonfires, a pop-up bookstore, an art show, and more.

Conference Themes

  • The Future of Old Growth in the Northeast; Healthy Forests, Healthy People; Old Growth Ecology

Keynote Speakers

  • Tom Spies – Forest landscape ecologist
  • Lynda Mapes – Environmental journalist and author
  • Bob Leverett – Co-founder, Native Tree Society and Friends of Mohawk Trail State Forest

“This year’s conference reflects the urgency of understanding, monitoring, and protecting old-growth ecosystems for their critical contributions to biodiversity, climate resilience, and human well-being,” said Ali Kosiba, UVM Extension Forester and program co-host.

Important Dates

  • September 1 – Early bird registration closes
  • September 17–20 – Conference dates

Registration & Sponsorship

Spots are limited. Register now at uvm.edu/extension/northeastern-old-growth-forest-conference. Sponsorship opportunities are available.

Conference Sponsors include

  • Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands & Communities
  • Old Growth Forest Network
  • Northeast Wilderness Trust
  • Vermont Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation
  • Vermont Fish and Wildlife Department
  • Birchwalking
  • Harvard Forest
  • Highstead Foundation
  • Lintilhac Foundation
  • Standing Trees
  • Forest Stewards Guild
  • University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension
  • Wildlands, Woodlands, Farmlands & Communities
  • The Nature Conservancy
  • Friends of Mount Sunapee
  • Land Yield
  • Northern Woodlands/Center for Northern Woodlands Education
  • Old Growth Forest Network
  • Vermont Land Trust
  • Wild Seed Project