
Town of
Strafford,Vermont
Members:
David Paganelli - Strafford Member
Annie Penfield - Strafford Member
Rob Stainton - Sharon Member
Erik Skarsten - Sharon Member
Michael Sacca - Tunbridge
The group can be contacted at:
The proposed Ashley Community Forest will be the outgrowth of the anticipated donation of the 218-acre Ashley parcel by the Alliance of Vermont Communities to the Towns of Strafford and Sharon and is anticipated to be owned and managed jointly by the two towns. The property straddles the Town-line between Strafford and Sharon on Nutting Road, just off Strafford's Brook Road (i.e., Fay Brook Road in Sharon).
The Ashley Community Forest is envisioned to be a community asset providing outdoor education, natural resource education, historic preservation, sustainable timber harvesting and scenic ahd recreational opportunities for the public. The property will be permanently protected by a conservation easement held jointly by the Vermont Land Trust and the Vermont Housing and Conservation Board. Both the Ashley Community Forest parcel and the adjacent Manning Farm parcel were considered to be under threat by the NewVistas development, which was opposed by both communities at their 2017 Town Meetings.
An extensive trail network is planned for the Ashley parcel which could linked on the west to the proposed Manning Farm Trail and eventually on the north to a trail to be developed on the Robinson Round Barn Farm.

Ashley Community Forest Documents
Interlocal Contract Between Town of Strafford, VT and Town of Sharon, VT
Baseline Documentation Report
Interim Management Plan
For more information and projects on the Ashley Community Forest visit the Alliance for Vermont Communities Webpage. Click here.