The Fayston Conservation Commission (FCC) would like to recognize and wholeheartedly thank Lisa Koitzsch for her dedicated service to the town of Fayston in her role on the conservation commission. After 13 years on the commission, Lisa is retiring this month as its longest standing member.
Lisa served on the FCC (formerly the Fayston Natural Resources Committee) as secretary from 2010-2017, as chair from 2018-2019, and as co-chair from 2020 to 2023. As a wildlife biologist and bird enthusiast, she has a passion for preserving and enhancing our forests, watersheds, wetlands, and wildlife habitats.
Lisa was involved in establishing a Conservation Reserve Fund for protecting important Fayston lands over the long-term; Fayston residents voted to support the fund in 2011. It has since been used to help secure the conservation of the Bragg Farm, Chase Brook Town Forest, and Boyce Hill.
She was also an important contributor to the restoration of the McCullough Barn at the Chase Brook Town Forest. After the barn restoration, the FCC worked closely with local partners to plan the reconfiguration of trails in the Chase Brook Town Forest and to replace the bridge over Chase Brook. The 60-foot bridge was completed in 2018 and now the barn, the bridge, and the parking lot serve as the gateway to the town forest’s trails. A final trail, the Fred Gilbert Trail, was added to the network in 2020 to provide a dog-friendly walking loop on the south end of the parcel.
More recently, Lisa has been a committed voice for a balanced approach to managing the rural character, recreational opportunities, and environmental restoration of the newly-acquired Boyce Hill town property. She has worked with neighboring towns to advance collaborative projects, such as the MRV Bear Initiative and the Knotweed Project. She has also shared knowledge about moose ecology and habitats with the Waitsfield Conservation Commission as they manage Scrag Mountain Town Forest.
Lisa has brought a thoughtful, kind, and knowledgeable point of view to the commission’s mission and to every project she has been involved in through the years. When you see her out hiking with her dog Phoebe, backcountry skiing with her husband Ky, or guiding birding walks, please join us in thanking Lisa Koitzsch for her unwavering service to Fayston and the natural world.
The Fayston Conservation Commission
Peter Colgan, Amy Dalton, Woody Dugan, Andrea Henderson, Corrie Miller, and Patty Pasley.
