Public input is sought on a draft management plan for Fayston’s Boyce Hill town forest which spells out proposed uses and vegetative management priorities for the a 93.3-acre tract of land at the top of Boyce Road that was gifted to the town in December 2019.
A public forum to discuss the draft management plan takes place on June 29 at the Fayston Town Hall at 6 p.m. in person and via Zoom. Per the terms of the conservation easement that the Vermont Land Trust placed on the parcel, a steering committee has conducted a thorough analysis of the parcel, identified resources, flora and fauna, researched its history, identified historical uses, conducted extensive public outreach and now created a draft management plan. That draft plan, which when adopted, will become a comprehensive management plan for the parcel.
Part of the public outreach included multiple public hearings as well as an online survey. Some 240 people responded to the survey with considerable interest shown in what uses are allowed on the property and how whether the land should be allowed to return to forest or the expansive views and open areas maintained.
Survey respondents strongly favored managing for recreation followed closely by natural resources protection and habitat restoration. Education was the third highest management priority.
Per the draft report, when asked what type of activities should be allowed at Boyce Hill the majority of respondents favored passive recreation such as hiking, dog walking, bird watching, and swimming. Camping, campfires, and hunting were strongly opposed by most respondents. Most respondents were opposed to private events being held on the property and just over half were opposed to commercial use on the property. Most respondents supported making the property accessible to limited mobility visitors where possible.
When considering how much of Boyce Hill should be kept as open land, 3% thought Boyce Hill should revert entirely to forest, 18% thought large areas should revert to forestland, 33% thought a moderate amount should be kept open and 36% thought a large portion should be kept open.
Accordingly, the draft plan calls for nonmotorized and Class I e-bikes on designated trails with only one trail currently available. Dog walking is allowed along with, noncommercial educational activities, fishing (subject to change), hiking/walking, swimming, nature walking and winter uses such as skiing, skating and sledding.
Proposed prohibited uses include horseback riding, camping, campfires, commercial activities, hunting, trapping, and motorized vehicles.
The draft management plan proposes keeping 19.5 acres mostly open, doing rotational cutting on 7.35 acres, selective cutting on 6.09 acres, and allowing forest restoration on 57.46 acres.
The property is primarily open land with a 1.25-acre human-made pond, dominated by a hilltop that offers views of the Shepard Brook valley and the rolling hills of Fayston, as well as the Northfield Range and the Green Mountains in the distance. The land rises from 1,400 to 1,800 feet and faces mostly south and west. Many of the slopes are greater than 25%.
Participants are encouraged to review the draft plan prior to attending the presentation. It can be accessed on the Fayston Conservation Commission website, https://faystonvt.com/departments-documents/conservation-commission/. Others are encouraged to submit comments in writing via email to
Here is the Zoom link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82786667828?pwd=aEc5NEZwQ0MxYU9JenpYRm1WdWo2Zz09
https://faystonvt.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Boyce-Hill-Management-Plan_June-13-2023.pdf
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