LUDLOW, Vt. – The Vermont Agency of Natural Resources is seeking public input on a draft long-range management plan for Okemo State Forest. The plan will guide future decisions about forest management, wildlife habitat, recreation, and conservation across nearly 8,000 acres of public land. Vermonters are invited to review the proposed management activities in the draft plan and submit comments from Oct. 26 through Dec. 10. An in-person public meeting will be held on Monday, Nov. 9, from 5:30-7:30 p.m., at the Ludlow Community Center, 37 Main Street in Ludlow, Vt., to present the draft plan and gather feedback.
Situated in the southern Green Mountains, Okemo State Forest covers 7,983 acres across the towns of Andover, Ludlow, Mount Holly, and Weston. It features large blocks of contiguous forests and important recreation opportunities (e.g., Healdville Trail, Buttermilk Falls, and Okemo Mountain Resort) and is home to the Terrible Mountain Natural Area. The forest also functions as a critical link in the Southern Vermont Wildlife Corridor, supporting wide-ranging wildlife species, such as black bears, moose, and bobcats.
Long-range management plans guide land management on state-owned public lands for a 20-year period, balancing ecological, recreational, cultural, and economic values. A public scoping meeting was held in December 2025 to provide background information about the Okemo State Forest and gather initial public input that helped inform this draft plan. This call for public comment on the draft management plan is the next step in the process.
The meeting is open to the public, and all are welcome to attend. Please visit the Okemo State Forest webpage, www.fpr.vermont.gov/okemo-state-forest, to read the draft long-range management plan and learn more about this public input opportunity. A recording of the meeting and a project StoryMap – an interactive webpage with maps, background information, and management highlights – will be available on the website, along with a form to submit public comments. Public comments may also be submitted in writing at the public meeting, or by email to anr.statelandsplanning@vermont.gov through Dec. 10.