A Welcome Message from Our Director

Taking a first flight inevitably produces feelings of excitement, awe, and some apprehension.  The Vermont Center for Ecostudies (VCE) officially launched itself as a fully independent, nonprofit entity on October 1, 2007.  We could not be more energized or optimistic as we begin our new existence.  Not only do we have a slate of stimulating and important conservation research projects to tackle, but we are buoyed by confidence in the support we have received from many corners.

Our tagline, “Uniting people and science for conservation”, says it all.  We involve more than 1000 amateur naturalists, “citizen scientists”, in our work.  These dedicated volunteers clamber up mountains in the pre-dawn to count Bicknell’s Thrushes, paddle remote lakes to monitor loon families, and slog through meadows under the hot midday sun to identify butterflies.  Their data form the backbone of VCE’s wildlife conservation agenda, informing natural resource planning and shaping policy at many levels.  Our intensive field training of student interns and young biologists from Vermont to Bolivia has equipped a new generation of ecological stewards and leaders.  Effective conservation is as much about people as it is ecology. 

VCE’s work is more important than ever now, as our natural world faces increasingly complex threats from climate change, habitat loss, and a burgeoning human population.  Whether in the Green or Adirondack Mountains, the lakes of Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom, or the Macaya Biosphere Reserve of Haiti, we will continue to engage people in helping to conserve biodiversity.  The challenge is enormous, and the stakes are high, but the potential is unlimited.  We look forward to working with many of you in the months and years ahead.

Chris Rimmer