Green Mountain Club reports new acquisitions, flood damage and preparedness work for Long Trail

The Vermont Senate Committee on Institutions on Jan. 30 heard an update from Lana Flanagan, director of land conservation for the Green Mountain Club, on recent Long Trail protection work, recently completed acquisitions and the trail's condition after recent flooding.

The Green Mountain Club told the committee that the Long Trail system remains largely protected and that the organization is focusing on several priority acquisitions, upkeep after severe erosion from recent storms, and new approaches to rapid response and volunteer coordination.

Lana Flanagan, director of land conservation for the Green Mountain Club, told the committee: "I'm Lana Flanagan. I'm the director of land conservation with the Green Mountain Club." She said the Club manages the 272-mile Long Trail and a roughly 167-mile network of side trails and that "the trail system is 97% protected." Flanagan said the club and its partners have conserved about 25,000 acres and that more than 16,000 acres have been added to the State Forest system through the trail protection effort.

Flanagan reviewed two recent protection successes. The Club…